07/31/2005 8:29 PM - Click here to view the box score.

Last night the T-Bones couldn’t muster a single run in last five innings in eventually losing to Joliet 9-3. However, on a beautiful Sunday evening in front of 5,783, the T-Bones had no problems regaining their offensive prowess in routing the JackHammers 14-1 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The win allowed the T-Bones to take three of four from Joliet before embarking on their longest road trip of the season that will take them to Gary, Joliet and Lincoln.

After jumping out of the gates to an early 3-0 lead, the T-Bones opened up the flood gates with their nine-run third inning. The inning started simply enough after a David Segui single scored two. Then Brandon Jones hit a three-run shot, his team-leading tenth of the season. Rick Prieto got his turn with a single that scored two and Greg Jacobs chipped in with a sacrifice fly. The T-Bones batted around and Joliet had yet to record an out. When the dust finally settled, every T-Bone had scored a run and every T-Bone had a hit with the exception of Mike Brown, who walked. The nine runs and eight hits are both season-inning highs.

Jon McDonald (W, 5-3) picked up the victory by pitching five scoreless innings. Almost assured of the victory and with the game out of reach, McDonald exited after the fifth but looked tough in limiting JackHammers to just three hits while fanning three. After taking much of the series off because of the starters’ performances, the bullpen got some much needed work and turned in a solid effort. Newcomer Ron Arostegui, J.C. Ortiz, Mike Shoaf and Cardoza Tucker pitched four innings and allowed six hits and one run.

Former major leaguer, Joliet starter Allen Levrault (L, 0-1), who had stints with the Florida Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers, was roughed up in his second appearance with the ‘Hammers. Levrault allowed ten runs on ten hits in his two innings of work. Jayson Drobiak had three hits and Kyle Logan drove in the lone RBI in the losing effort.