BATS DROP 5-4 HEARTBREAKER TO LIGHTNING DESPITE KLAUBA’S 2-RUN HOMER IN 7th

GRAYSLAKE — The Bats fell one run short in their last-inning comeback effort, losing 5-4 to the undefeated Lightning at Behm Park on Father’s Day.  The Bats fell to 1-4 and dropped into last place behind the Angels (1-3) who defeated the White Soxx, 3-2, on Sunday.  The first-place Lightning improved to 6-0.

Trailing, 5-2, heading into the bottom of the seventh, Tom Klauba followed Mike Steffy’s 2-out walk with a 320-foot line drive over the left-centerfield fence to pull the Bats within one run, 5-4.  Rob Matassa followed with a walk to put the tying run on base, but the Bats were unable to bring him home.

The Lightning struck first in the top of first inning when their leadoff hitter, Karl Falkstrom, walked on a 3-2 pitch.  The lone umpire behind the plate claimed Falkstrom held up on what would have been strike three, but it was close to be sure.  He then stole second base, advanced to third on a ground out to shortstop and scored on a ground out to first to make it 1-0.

The Bats came back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Klauba led off with a gapper to left-center for a double but was thrown out at third base trying to stretch it into a triple.  His double was the Bats first hit for extra bases this season.  The Bats then followed with three straight singles from Rob Matassa, Greg Kaczmarek and John Eisenmenger to load the bases for Harry Mielke.  Mielke coaxed a walk to drive in a run and knot the score at 1-1.

In the bottom of the second Bats manager Tom Paul and 25-year Bats veteran Tony DiBlasi reached base on errors to start the frame off.  DiBlasi eventually scored on Klauba’s 2-out single to give the Bats a 2-1 lead after three innings. 

Righthander Kaczmarek had held the Lightning scoreless in the second and third innings before surrendering a couple of walks in the fourth that led to a run and a 2-2 tie after four innings.  A scoreless fifth for both teams kept the score tied, 2-2, after five.

In the sixth inning a leadoff walk led to a 3-2 Lightning lead when Mark Chyna stroked a 1-out double to drive in the free pass with the go-ahead tally.  Kaczmarek then struck out the next batter and issued an intentional walk to Falkstrom to set up a first and second, two-out situation.  The next batter, Jimmy Romano, lined a single to left field that was quickly gathered in by left fielder Jeff McClellan.  McClellan fired a perfect relay to shortstop Klauba who turned around and threw a chest high strike to Paul guarding the plate to cut down the runner for the third out.

The Bats failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, but the Lightning solved Kaczmarek for 2 more runs in the seventh to make it 5-2 leaving the Bats with one more opportunity against Falkstrom.  After two quick outs to start off the seventh Steffy drew a walk bringing Klauba to the plate.  Klauba connected for his home run making him 3-for-4 on the day and just a triple shy of a cycle.  But that was all the Bats would score in the heartbreaking 5-4 loss.

The Bats (1-4) next game will be at 7:30 PM on Friday, June 24 against the Marauders (2-2) at Peterson Park in McHenry, Ill. 

BATS DROPPINGS

Tom Klauba’s 2-run HR in the seventh inning was the Bats first homer since August 8, 2011 when John Moulchin hit a grand slam in the first inning versus the Cubs in a 21-14 victory at Jacobs High School — a span of 155 games and 4,992 plate appearances between Bats home runs ….  The Bats have only 2 extra-base hits this season and Klauba’s double and home run on Sunday account for both of them …. The 9 hits by the Bats matched their game-high in the 2022 season.  The Bats are hitting .269 as a team with 36 hits in 5 games ….  Sunday’s contest was the 35th one-run game played by the Bats since joining the 50s division in 2004.  The Bats are 14-21 in 1-run decisions overall ….  Jeff McClellan’s throw to the cutoff man resulting in an out at home plate to end the sixth inning was the Bats second outfield assist of the year.  Last year the Bats had 5 outfield assists in 19 games …. The run Tony DiBlasi scored in the second inning marked his first time crossing home plate for the Bats since August 26, 2018 in a playoff game against the Angels.  Injuries cut his seasons short in 2019 and 2021, while Covid cancelled the entire 2020 season …. The Bats are 0-3 versus the Lightning this season after going 2-1 against them in 2021.  The Lightning lead the all-time series, 18-4 …. The Bats currently have five players with consecutive game playing streaks of 20 games or more: Earl Blankenship (72), Mike Steffy (47), Tom Paul (40), John Eisenmenger (24) and Jeff McClellan (20).