The Southern Illinois Miners put on a hitting clinic in their 12-4 win against the Evansville Otters on Thursday night at Rent One Park.
The Miners (11-7) knocked around Otters starting pitcher Brian Oates to the tune of 10 runs on 12 hits in only 4 1/3 innings pitched as Southern Illinois took the last two games of the series after dropping the opener.
Right fielder Jereme Milens lived up to the billing of being a clean-up hitter as he delivered the game’s big blow right off the bat. With the sacks packed with Miners and no one out, Milens turned on a fastball and blasted a majestic grand slam home run that landed just over the fence to put Southern Illinois up early, 4-0.
For Milens, it was his second grand slam of the season, and the right fielder attributed the at-bat to a positive mindset at the plate.
“When a pitcher’s in the stretch I’m always comfortable,” Milens said. “It’s a change of mindset, instead of trying to get on, it’s about getting the job done and getting the guys in.
“I was looking for a fastball, got one and got the job done.”
The Miners tacked on a pair of runs in the second, four more in the fourth and two more in the bottom of the eighth as the team collectively swung a hot bat. All but one Southern Illinois starter contributed at least one run batted in.
Manager Mike Pinto said he was pleased with each batter’s approach in the win as the team seems to have put its free-swinging ways in its past.
“Since the beginning of the year, we have taken a more patient approach. We haven’t been as free swinging as we had been maybe last year,” Pinto said. “And I think the end result of that is starters pitch counts run a little higher and we’re not flailing at balls.”
While the Miners were smacking the ball across the field in their at bats, starting pitcher Danny Zeffiro was able to put his game on cruise.
The converted reliever threw five perfect innings and did not give up a hit or a run until Otters first baseman Kevin Mackey drove a pitch over the right field wall for a solo home run. And unlike his mound counterpart, Zeffiro was able to limit the hits and free passes as he struck out six batters without walking a single batter.
Pinto said
“The first night we got beat up because we didn’t throw strikes. Looking at their team, you have to throw strikes to beat them,” he said. “That’s the key: Don’t put free guys on base.”
Southern Illinois closes out its homestand with a three-game set against division rival Windy City Thunderbolts.
