Joes Split the First Day of Doubleheaders versus Locos
Joes Split Day One of Doubleheaders with Locos
The Hamilton Joes traveled to Lima, Ohio, to start a four-game set in two days, with the first day of doubleheaders.
It was a very quiet first game for both offenses. Both Dale Ellis and Wyatt Dion went the distance for their respective sides. Ellis proved to be a little bit better on this occasion, not allowing a run for seven innings. Noah Kubasky would drive in the game's only run against Dion in the top of the second inning. It was a double play that brought home Alex Koelling. Other than that, both pitchers were in cruise control. Not many strikeouts for each, only eight combined, but they forced a lot of soft contact to the infield and quick innings from both sides. Joes were able to complete the shutout to take game one.
Game two would start with more of the same. Eli Wagner and Davis Harper were great on the mound for both sides. Harper would give up a pair of runs in the game with an AJ Gundler single. Joes would hold that lead and add to it with Brady Bowen driving in Alex Koelling for an insurance run in the top of the seventh.
The Locos would be down three runs going into the seventh, facing Wagner, who has been a buzzsaw to this lineup so far. Wagner had given up zero runs with ten strikeouts and was in total control of the game. Cameron Owens would ground out to Wagner to start the inning. Nick Fumich would draw a walk to get aboard for the Locos. Wagner would fight back with a strikeout against Avery Wilson to make it two outs. Elijah Buffaloe would come up with one out left and would not make it easy. Buffaloe would fight in a ten-pitch at-bat and hit a grounder to Koelling, and Koelling couldn’t field it cleanly, and he would reach. That would be the day for Wagner, and Nik Copenhaver would enter the game.
Unfortunately, the momentum for the Locos was too high, and they would start to hit around. It would start with a Jimmy Dionne double to score a run. Grant McGuire would single after to plate another two runs to tie the game. Cameron Greene would hit the game-ending hit to score McGuire to finish a game that the Joes would want back, 4-3.
Joes will host the second doubleheader against Lima tomorrow at Foundation Field, with the first pitch of game one starting at 5:05 p.m.
