Once again, the Southern Illinois Miners offense struck first. But it was their final score that ended up being the one that decided the game.
First baseman Brad Miller smacked a 3-2 slider to left to break a 2-2 ninth inning tie against the Rockford RiverHawks, giving the Miners a 3-2 walk-off win on Thursday night at Rent One Park.
“Things didn’t look good going into the ninth. We had the bottom of the order coming up, guys who had struggled all night. All of a sudden you get a ball that falls in and the next thing you know good things happen,” said Miners manager Mike Pinto.
Southern Illinois (19-13) entered the bottom of the ninth facing a 2-1 deficit with the bottom of its order coming to the plate. Travon Jackson stepped to the plate riding a 1-for-4 night before blooping a double into left field to start the game-winning rally.
Jackson scored the game-tying run when Tony Roth knocked a pinch-hit double down the right field line. Roth, who is an everyday player, was a late scratch because of a hip pointer injury and was benched because Pinto said he was more concerned with Roth’s long-term status rather than risking further injury.
Roth continued to make his presence felt on the base paths that inning as he distracted RiverHawks third baseman Aaron Cone long enough for left fielder Kevin Koski to beat out an infield single. Concerned with Roth possibly moving to third base, Cone’s throw to first was tardy.
Roth eventually moved to third on Justin Randall’s fielder’s choice.
Then Miller stepped up to the plate, with first base open, looking to avoid extra innings, end the game and send the 4,263 in attendance home happy.
The RiverHawks defied logic, pitching to the Miners’ best pitcher, and eventually was burned.
“Every manager has his own information and has to make decisions based on what he believes,” Pinto said of the strategy. “Every manager has different philosophies.”
When asked what he would have done, Pinto had a simple statement.
“I wouldn’t have pitched to him.”
