By David Kubota
NKyTribune reporter
The River City Rascals scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday night to snap a 1-all tie and went on to post a 5-2 win over the Florence Freedom in the finale of the three-game weekend series at CarShield Field.
A fielder’s choice with the bases loaded drove in the go-ahead run for River City in the seventh inning. J.D. Hearn followed with a run-scoring single to give the Rascals a 3-1 advantage. Kevin Suarez then capped the seventh-inning outburst for River City with a two-run double.
Florence scored a run in the eighth inning to cut the River City lead to 5-2, but Rascals closer Cody Mincey took the mound in the ninth and retired the Freedom in order. Mincey collected a pair of strikeouts and picked up the save.
Ricky Ramirez and Jordan Brower both went 2-for-4 and scored a run for Florence, which dropped two of three games in the series. Freedom starter Jordan Kraus went seven innings, allowing six hits and five runs (four earned). Kraus also walked three batters.
On Saturday night, Florence scored three times in the top of the first and held on for a 4-2 win over River City. Andre Mercurio belted a two-run homer to highlight the Freedom’s first-inning scoring.
Skylar Ewing started the two-out magic in the first inning with a drive that split the gap for a stand-up double. Mercurio then launched a moon-shot homer to right-center field, his second round-tripper of the season, to give the Freedom a 2-0 advantage.
After Xavier Turner recorded a third consecutive two-out hit, Jordan Brower laced a double to the opposite field in left to drive in Turner for his 18th RBI of the year and extend the Florence lead to 3-0.
Freedom starter Steve Hagen scattered five hits in seven innings of work to notch the victory. Florence reliever Jake Haberer picked up the save by tossing a scoreless ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Florence visits the Southern Illinois Miners on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m at Rent One Park.
David Kubota is a Scripps Howard Foundation intern at the NKyTribune this summer. He is a student at the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media.
