Wow, what a run the #REX have been on lately! The seven game winning streak which I wrote about last week? It made its way to 11 games before ending against the Kings. That is the longest winning streak in REX Baseball history beating the previous record of nine games in a row! This winning streak helped propel the REX in the standings! They are now in third place in the East and are closing in on the Paints!
Game eight of the winning streak came on July 11 as the REX took down the Paints in front of the largest crowd at Bob Warn Field this season with 1302 fans in attendance. The REX began their attack early when first baseman Austin Weiler scored on an RBI by shortstop Ethan Hunter in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. The REX continued their assault in the third inning when they scored three more runs. Right fielder Carter Bridge scored on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Justin Jenkins to start the bottom of the inning. This was followed by an RBI single to right field by third baseman Jacob Mulcahy which scored designated hitter Aaron Beck. Left fielder Romero Harris scored the final run of the inning when Weiler hit a double into left field. The REX led 4-0 after three innings. The Paints scored one in the top of the fourth and two in the top of the fifth to cut the REX lead to 4-3. The REX took the lead back up to two runs in the bottom of the fifth when Mulcahy scored on a single by Weiler. The Paints scored in the top of the sixth but they were not able to score again as Wabash Valley’s Own won the game 5-4! The winning pitcher for the REX was Clayton Mayfield. Pitcher Jacob Frankel got the save after striking out the side in the top of the ninth!
July 12 brought another double-header to Bob Warn Field when the REX faced the league leading Danville Dans. The first game of the double-header was an offensive battle between the two teams. The Dans scored first when their right fielder Sam Crail blasted a home run off of REX starting pitcher Max Klein in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, the REX quickly took back control of the game by scoring three runs. Center fielder Jenkins scored first when there was a passed ball at home plate by the Dans’ catcher. Third baseman Mulcahy and designated hitter Weiler scored on a single by first baseman Ross Indlecoffer. The REX scored again in the bottom of the second inning when Jenkins was able to reach home on a wild pitch to bring the lead to 4-1. The REX then took the lead up to 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Weiler stroked an RBI single that scored left fielder Mitchell Garrity. The Dans made their best comeback attempt in the top of the fifth when they were able to score three more runs off of Klein, but the pitching shut them down for the next two innings. Pitcher Colten Panaranto struck out the last batter for the Dans with the tying run on first to give the REX the win with a final of 5-4. This gave Panaranto his sixth save of the season. The winning pitcher for the REX was Klein.
The second game of the double-header was not quite the offensive battle the first game was, but more of a pitching battle. The REX were able to cross home twice in the bottom of the first. Right fielder Beck scored first on a hit by designated hitter Weiler. First baseman Indlecoffer followed that up by scoring on a sacrifice fly by catcher Brett McCleary. REX pitcher Braydon Tucker was electric as he had a no-hitter going through the first five innings. This was broken up in the top of the sixth inning when Dans’ left fielder Max Jung Goldberg went yard to bring the REX lead to 2-1. Tucker was able to finish the inning without giving up another run though. He finished the game with six complete innings and TWELVE strikeouts. Neither the REX nor the Dans scored again and Wabash Valley’s Own won their tenth straight game 2-1. This win officially broke the previous record of nine straight games! Tucker got the win for the REX and Panaranto got his seventh save of the season.
The REX then took their winning streak over the Indiana border to Normal, IL to play the Normal Cornbelters. The Cornbelters did damage first by scoring one in the first and then two in the third to give themselves a 3-0 lead going into the fourth inning. The REX were able to respond in the fourth when second baseman Brendan Sher hit a 2 run home run that also scored designated hitter Harris. This was Sher’s third home run of the season. The Cornbelters scored again in the bottom of the fourth to bring their lead to 4-2. In the top of the fifth the REX cut the Cornbelters’ lead to 4-3 when third baseman Mulcahy scored on a single by Sher. The Cornbelters pushed the lead to 5-3 when they scored in the bottom of the sixth, but they would not score again. The REX took the lead in the top of the seventh and never gave it back.
Left fielder Garrity started the rally when he scored on a wild pitch. Harris followed that up by also scoring on a wild pitch. Sher then scored on a single by shortstop Hunter for the final run of the inning to give the REX a 6-5 lead. In the top of the ninth Hunter gave the REX a couple of insurance runs when he swatted an RBI single to left field that scored both Harris and Sher to give the REX an 8-5 lead. This would be the final score as the REX won their eleventh straight. Pitcher Frankel got his second save of the week by shutting out the Cornbetlers in the final two innings. Pitcher Joey Rogers got the win.
The REX lost on July 16 for the first time in nearly two weeks to the Champion City Kings in a weather shortened game. The REX took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning when first baseman Weiler scored on a single by right fielder Beck and when shortstop Sher scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher McCleary. The Kings cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning, but the REX responded in the third when center fielder Jenkins scored on an RBI single by Weiler. The REX were not able to score again though as the Kings had four runs in the bottom of the inning, including a three-run bomb. The Kings were able to add another run on in the bottom of the fourth. The game was called after the fifth inning due to weather and the REX lost to the Kings with a final of 6-3.
The REX traveled back to Bob Warn Field on Wednesday July 17 to face the Dans. They were looking to bounce back after the previous night's loss to the Kings. The Dans put up three early runs before the REX could score in the bottom of the second. This run came when shortstop Cole Albers was walked with the bases loaded and left fielder Garrity walked across home plate. The Dans crossed home plate again in the third inning, but so did the REX when third baseman Mulchay scored to bring the Dans’ lead down to 4-2. The Dans put up another run in the fifth on a home run, but the REX fired right back when center fielder Jenkins scored on an error by the Dans’ third baseman. Danville added another two runs in the top of the sixth to bring their lead to 7-3. The REX added a run of their own when second baseman Will Hayes scored on an error by the Danville catcher. The away team then tacked on another two runs to bring their lead to 9-4 after seven innings. The REX then went on a run in the bottom of the eighth! Albers scored on a single by first baseman Weiler to start the bottom of the inning. Left fielder Bridge came in as a pinch hitter for Garrity and did what he was supposed to do as he swatted a single to center field that had right fielder Beck traveling across home plate. Designated hitter McCleary came up and got himself a two-bagger that scored both Weiler and Bridge! The inning’s last run came when catcher Mason Speirs knocked in McCleary to tie the Dans 9-9 going into the final inning. There was not to be a magical REX walk-off on this night though as the Dans put up another run in the ninth and the hometown could not respond. The Dans won the game 10-9 and the losing pitcher for the REX was Joey Rogers.
Last night, #REXNation put the last two games in the past and came out firing on all cylinders as they took on the Dans again at Bob Warn Field! The hometown team did damage first as left fielder Beck scored when first baseman Weiler reached first on a fielder’s choice. The REX scored again in the bottom of the third when center fielder Jenkins scored on a single by designated hitter Mulcahy. The REX continued their attack in the bottom of the fifth when Beck crossed home on a wild pitch. This was followed by a sacrifice fly by Weiler that Jenkins was able to reach home plate on. In the top of the sixth Danville was able to put up a single run that brought the REX lead down to 4-1. The REX offense went off in the bottom of the sixth though as the team powered in four more runs! Beck smacked in second baseman Hayes and third baseman Bridge on a two RBI single! Jenkins then hit his fourth home run of the season! This two-run shot brought Beck across home as well, bringing the REX lead to 8-1. The Dans scored a couple of more runs, but this game was all REX as the final score was 8-3! The winning pitcher for Wabash Valley’s Own was Blayke Cutts.
The REX have now won twelve of their last fourteen games! They are breaking records, hitting walk-offs, and playing some great baseball! Wabash Valley’s Own play tonight in Danville against the Dans at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Make sure to check them out on radio or on Prospect League TV! You can also follow along on twitter! Go #REXNation!
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