Firebirds enter break with shutout loss

By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

MARION, Ky. — Based on their offensive performance Saturday night, the KIT League All-Star break has arrived at an ideal time for the struggling Farmington Firebirds.

The Marion Bobcats received a brilliant, complete-game shutout from No. 5 starter Michael LeMon, and evened their season series with the Firebirds on Saturday night with a 7-0 victory.

LeMon (1-3) allowed just three hits and recorded 10 strikeouts while facing two batters above the minimum over his nine innings. A double play and two runners caught stealing helped to preserve the shutout.

Matt Little reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, and Jake Martin finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Bobcats (17-26), who split eight meetings against the Firebirds (6-36).

All-star catcher Adam Enloe delivered the most punishing hit for Marion with a three-run double off reliever Patrick Amrhein after starter Lance Young (0-1) walked three straight batters to start the fifth inning.

Enloe began the scoring with a sacrifice fly following a throwing error in the opening frame, posting four RBI overall. First baseman Lucas Cramsey extended his on-base streak to 20 games with a single in the fifth.

Farmington picked up a double from Dallas Williams and singles from Patrick Slattery and Zane Walker. Slattery barely missed a home run when his drive slammed off the center-field fence, and was retired stretching for a double.

Williams completed an inning-ending double play with a strong throw to third base in the Marion third. Little appeared to have crossed home plate before the trailing runner was tagged out, but the run was disallowed.

Mitch McClay blasted the initial pitch of the fourth to left-center for his first home run, increasing the Bobcats’ lead to 2-0. Marion added a run against Andy Moss in the eighth, capitalizing on two walks and two wild pitches.

Firebirds infielder Casey Jones was ejected for arguing balls and strikes following his third consecutive strikeout in the seventh. Jones and Moss will represent Farmington today in Huntingburg, Indiana, as the KIT League meets the CICL for its second annual All-Star Game.

The Firebirds have six games remaining in the regular season, including back-to-back home double-headers against the Owensboro Oilers on Wednesday and Thursday.

Tradewater completed a three-game weekend sweep over second-place Owensboro on Saturday night, reducing its magic number for clinching the pennant to one.

Farmington  000 000 000 - 0  3  2

Marion  100 140 01x - 7  8  0

WP - LeMon 9i 0r 3h 10k 2bb.

LP - Young 4i 5r 4er 3h 2k 5bb 1hb.

Hitting:

Farmington - Slattery 1-3, Williams 1-4, Walker 1-4. 2b - Williams.

Marion - Little 2-2, Martin 2-4, Enloe 1-2, McClay 1-4, Kennon 1-4, Cramsey 1-5. 2b - Little 2, Enloe. HR - McClay (1).