Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Oh-No-NO

Print Email RSS Share

CRESTWOOD, ILL—Tyson Corley (W, 5-8) threw the 16th No-Hitter in Frontier League history and the first for the Windy City ThunderBolts (51-40) since Isaac Hess did the same on August 5, 2008.  The loss drops the Lake Erie Crushers (51-40) out of the fourth and final playoff spot and leaves them one game behind, tied with the ThunderBolts.

Tyson Corley looked dominant early and he stayed dominant throughout the game.  The big right-hander for the ThunderBolts did not allow a base runner until Jason Taylor drew a four-pitch walk with two outs in the fourth inning.  Corley would go on to only walk two more batters the rest of the night while striking out nine. 

An early offensive explosion helped Corley out as the ThunderBolts jumped all over Crushers’ starter Eric Gonzalez-Diaz, who was surprisingly wild.  The ThunderBolts got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Chris Wade (2-5, R, RBI) singled with one out and Mike Torres (1-3) followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with one out.  After a flout by Chad Cregar (2-4, R), Brandon Decker (2-4, R, RBI) singled up the middle to score Wade.

The ThunderBolts got right back to it in the bottom of the second when Jarek West (4-4, 3 RBI, R) reached on an infield single and was driven home by Travis Weaver (1-4, R, RBI) on a double down the left field line. 

Daniel Bowman dug the ball out from the corner and threw it to Wally Correa who relayed it onto home and the throw had West beat, but West crashed into catcher Brian Erie and jarred the ball loose for the second run of the game.  Chris Wade then doubled to right field to drive in Weaver and make the score 3-0.

With Gonzalez-Diaz still in the game, the ThunderBolts added one more in the bottom of the third on a one out single by Brandon Decker and a double by Ryan Cuneo (1-3, R, RBI).  Gonzalez-Diaz only went the three innings as he was then replaced by Randy Sturgill.

Sturgill shut down the ThunderBolts in order in the fourth, but they went right back at it again in the fifth inning, taking advantage of some wildness from Sturgill.  Mike Torres lead off with a single and Chad Cregar followed suit before Brandon Decker struck out swinging. 

However, Sturgill then walked Ryan Cuneo and Crushers Manager John Masserelli went to his bullpen and Travis Risser.  Risser was able to get Zack Aakhus (0-4) on a fielder’s choice, but before he could get out of the inning, Jarek West came up and sent a line drive down the right field line, which cleared the bases and increasing the ThunderBolts lead to 7-0.

But the story of the night was Tyson Corley, who has now allowed just two runs, one earned, in his last 28 innings pitched.  His last time out he threw a complete game, but picked up the loss on an unearned run and this time he did one better; by no-hitting the Crushers. 

Tomorrow night’s starter for the Crushers will be Paul Fagan (7-8, 3.47) while the starter for the Windy City ThunderBolts has yet to be determined.  With wins by the Schaumburg Boomers and the Florence Freedom, the Crushers are now one game out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Frontier League.  Tomorrow night’s game starts at 7:05 Central (8:05 Eastern).

by Jake Donnelly