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Poor pitching did in the Florence Freedom Sunday, as they lost 17-6 to the Midwest Sliders.
An eight-run sixth inning put the game away for the Sliders.
Freedom starting pitcher Moises Melendez lasted only three innings, surrendering four runs, four walks and a home run to Slider third baseman Gilberto Zayas in the second inning. Freedom relief pitching fared even worse than Melendez, giving up 13 runs in five innings pitched. The Freedom resorted to using six different relief pitchers.
The Slider offense pounded out 19 hits, including a grand slam and four home runs. Each Slider started recorded at least one hit in the win. The Freedom also recorded 11 hits but failed to bring them in, as they left seven on base.
After the Sliders took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, the Freedom came back to tie the game in the home half of the second thanks to designated hitter Tim Grogan’s two-run home run. Grogan hit two home runs on the day, the other a sixth inning solo blast.
Melendez ran into trouble in the fourth inning after loading up the bases and hitting Slider center fielder Zachary Pace to force in a run. Relief pitcher Nolan Shaffer came in to replace Melendez and to foil any prospect of a Slider offensive. Shaffer only gave up an RBI single to second baseman Sam Deluca to get out of the inning.
The Freedom inched closer in the fourth courtesy of catcher Justin Pickett’s ninth home run of the season, which made it 4-3 in favor of the Sliders.
Entering the sixth inning, it was a 5-4 ball game, but the Sliders put on an offensive clinic pushing across eight runs. Freedom relief pitcher Charles Williams gave up five runs in the inning, including two home runs, hit two batters and gave up a double, prompting the Freedom to bring in relief pitcher Carlos De La Rosa. Rosa immediately hit another Slider to put men on first and second base then Bonner hit a two-run double. After the inning was all said and done, the Sliders had a commanding 13-4 lead.
In the eighth inning, Deluca contininued his big day with a grand slam to put the Freedom away for good, setting the Slider run tally at 17.
In the short two-game series with the Sliders, the Freedom was outscored 28-7. The Sliders took game one by a score of 11-1, reeling off 11 straight runs between the fourth and sixth inning. Slider starting pitcher James Albury only gave up one run through seven innings while striking out four Saturday. Slider catcher Ben Barrone drove in six in the win as well.
Preceding the games against the Sliders, the Florence split a doubleheader against the Lake Erie Crushers. The Freedom took game one 3-2 but lost convincingly in game two, 15-5. The Freedom rode starting pitcher Everett Saul, who pitched five, shut-out innings for the win.
Next up, the Freedom has an off day Monday before heading on a nine-game road trip, that begins Tuesday in Washington.
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