The Y’alls hope the trip back to Florence provides some quick relief from the current losing streak.
Florence fell back to 10 games below .500 at 17-27 overall after the Schaumburg (Illinois) Boomers (23-21) completed the four-game sweep on Monday. Florence is half a game back of the Lake Erie Crushers (18-27) in the bottom spot in the Frontier League West Division.
“Well stay positive and hopefully break through soon,” said Brian White, Florence General Manager. “We know (the Boomers) are a good ballclub. At the end of the day, they found ways to win. They’re very versatile and dynamic.”
Florence lost its fifth one-run game out of seven on the road trip in another 2-1 defeat Sunday. Yasel Santana (2-4) took the tough loss pitching into the sixth inning striking out four and walking three. Karl Craigie and Bobby Braband finished the game striking out a combined five.
Florence outhit Schaumburg, 6-5. Left fielder Axel Johnson went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the top of the third to bring home designated hitter Brennan Price to put Florence up 1-0.
But the Boomers scored runs in the bottom of the fourth then went ahead for good in the bottom of the sixth when catcher Nick Oddo hit a sacrifice fly scoring first baseman Braxton Davidson. Designated hitter Jordan Wiley singled to center to tie the game scoring right fielder Clint Hardy.
The Monday game saw Schaumburg go ahead 4-0 in the bottom of the second and never look back. Left fielder Mike Hart hit a grand slam home run off Florence starting pitcher Jonaiker Villalobos (3-5). In five innings, Villalobos struck out six and walked one.
Cameron Pferrer pitched two innings of relief for the Y’alls striking out three and allowing no hits or walks. Darwin Ramos pitched the eighth striking out three. But the Boomers had three straight doubles to score twice in the eighth adding two runs.
Schaumburg outhit Florence, 13-8. Center fielder Ray Zuberer led the Y’alls going 3 for 3 with two doubles and scored twice. Shortstop Alberti Chavez had a double and two runs batted in.
Florence slowly trimmed at the lead. In the top of the seventh, third baseman Bryant Flete singled in Zuberer to cut the margin to 4-3.
Florence plays Schaumburg six times in August. All six games take place at Thomas More Stadium.
“You have to have the mindset that it’s one day at a time,” White said. “If you worry about the future or the past, that’s where you get in trouble. All you can do is worry about what’s going on tomorrow.”
Florence recently signed catcher Cooper Edwards. He’s been playing in place of the injured Andres Sthormes.
“It’s pretty much everything I’ve been waiting to do for about a year and a half. I’ve been itching for an opportunity like this,” Edwards said. “I got the opportunity to go to spring training with another team. But it didn’t end up working out.”
The first game of the three-game series against Lake Erie starts Tuesday. Game time is 6:32 p.m.
