Edwin Mateo hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to enable the visiting Sussex County Miners to grab a late 7-5 win over the Schaumburg Boomers in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Wintrust Field.
Looking to avoid being swept in the middle series of a nine-game roadswing, Sussex County struck quickly to lead 3-0 early behind a pair of runs in the first and a single second inning notch. The Boomers took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Blake Berry singled home Chase Dawson with the first run. Two batters later Blake Grant-Parks singled home Berry with a knock to center. Craig scored from second on a sacrifice fly from Quentin Selma to tie the game before Will Prater hit his first pro homer with two outs to give the Boomers a 4-3 advantage.
Brett Milazzo homered in the fifth to make it 5-3. Sussex County scored a run in the top of the sixth to chase Schaumburg starter Luis Perez and draw within a single tally at 5-4. Mateo connected on a three-run homer with two outs in the top of the eighth to once again put the visitors ahead at 7-5. Sussex County loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth but Jake Joyce was able to work out of the jam and keep the deficit at two headed to the ninth. The Boomers had the tying runs on in the eighth and at the plate in the ninth but could not come back.
Merfy Andrew suffered the loss in relief, striking out three in two innings. Perez worked 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs in a no-decision. Grant-Parks was the lone member of the Boomers to post multiple hits in the loss.
Following an off-day on Monday the Boomers will spend an entire week in the East against Tri-City and Washington. The first game with Tri-City comes on Tuesday night at 5:30pm CST. The team will return home for the Fourth of July Festivities beginning on July 3 against Joliet. Tickets are available by visiting www.boomersbaseball.com or calling 847-461-3695.