South Jersey Baseball:
Thunder Win Fourth In A Row

Friday, April 22, 2005

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Broadcasting

Shelley Duncan's second grand slam of the week capped a seven-run 7th Inning to power the Trenton Thunder to a 9-2 win over New Britain in Eastern League play on Friday night. The win was the fourth straight for the Thunder.

Trenton (7-9) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st Inning thanks to "The Duncan's". 3B Eric Duncan's RBI double scored 2B Gabe Lopez for a 1-0 lead. Shelley Duncan followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead. New Britain (7-8) got a run back in the 3rd Inning off Thunder starter Eric Schmitt, but the score remianed that way until the 7th Inning.

Schmitt (1-1), starting for Steven White who was put on the Disabled List earlier in the day, worked five innings for the win. He allowed one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts. New Britain starter Matt Yeatman (1-2) took the loss allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings.

The Thunder started the 7th Inning with a bunt hit by CF Melky Cabrera. After a ground out, DH Jared Koutnik reached on an error. An infield single by C Jason Brown scored Cabrera for a 3-1 lead. After a walk, Lopez singled home a run for a 4-1 lead. Eric Duncan later walked with the bases loaded for a 5-1 lead. Shelley Duncan followed with his grand slam to cap the inning off Rock Cats reliever Kevin Cameron, who allowed six runs in the inning (all unearned).

It is the second time this week that a 7th Inning explosion by Trenton was capped with a grand slam by S. Duncan. The Thunder used a nine-run 7th Inning rally to beat Norwich on Tuesday, helped by the first grand slam by Shelley Duncan.

Eduardo Sierra picked up his first save as he worked the final 2 2/3 innings.

The series continues on Saturday afternoon at 1:35 PM. Jeff Karstens (2-1, 1.69) starts for Trenton against New Britain's Francisco Liriano (1-1, 3.18).