The offense put together 14 hits but the Schaumburg Boomers could not complete a ninth inning rally, dropping a 6-5 decision in the finale of a three-game series on Thursday afternoon at Wintrust Field to suffer a sixth straight defeat.
Joliet opened a 1-0 lead in the second inning but the Boomers broke through in the bottom of the fourth, scoring for the first time in 28.1 innings by logging five consecutive hits. Gaige Howard singled home the first run and Kyle Fitzgerald came through with the bases loaded, doubling home a pair. Both teams scored in the fourth with Chase Dawson logging an RBI triple, adding to his league best total with his eighth of the year.
The visitors used a big inning in the sixth to take the lead for good, scoring four times. Schaumburg scored a run in the bottom of the inning to draw within 6-5 but could not break through. The Boomers loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth but came up empty.
Shumpei Yoshikawa worked 5.2 innings and suffered the loss. The bullpen logged 3.1 scoreless innings with Kristian Scott, Jake Joyce, and Dylan Stutsman. Brett Milazzo posted three hits while Dawson, Howard, Travis Holt and Blake Berry tallied two each.
The Boomers (42-32) will continue the six-game homestand on Friday night at 6:30pm when the Windy City ThunderBolts arrive to open a three-game series at Wintrust Field. A bust fun-filled Friday night will serve as Marshmallow Fight Night with a Bobblehead and Fireworks. The first 1,000 fans receive a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Bobblehead while the annual World’s Biggest Marshmallow Fight takes place after the game and there will be Post-Game Fireworks. RHP Luis Perez (4-4, 4.39) is the scheduled starter for the Boomers. Visit www.com or call 847-461-3695 to secure your tickets to a game before summer is gone and ensure you don’t miss out on the fun.