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Miners still alive

BY PETE SPITLER, The Southern

Tuesday, September 9, 2008 4:16 PM CDT

MARION - With one stroke of the bat, Brandon Jones put the nasty back into the Southern Illinois Miners.

Jones broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run home run in the sixth inning, a moon shot that nearly hit the lights atop the left field pole, giving the Miners a 4-2 win over Windy City in front of 2,524 at Rent One Park.

"You could see the energy change within our dugout," Jones said. "We had a meeting before batting practice and the coaching staff informed us that the playing field is level now."

Now down 2-1 in this best-of-5 series, the win allows Southern Illinois at least one more home game as the ThunderBolts and Miners mix it up again today in Game 4 at 7:05 p.m.

"This was a huge game," said Miners manager Mike Pinto. "Chris Little carried us on his back today and Jonesy came through with a huge home run."

An offense that was producing at a .188 clip entering the game managed just one run, on Brendan Akashian's solo homer in the second, through five innings against a Windy City team that had won nine straight games and was a victory away from a berth in the Frontier League championship for the second straight year.

But Jones and the Southern Illinois defense made sure the Miners didn't go quietly.

"When Chris is throwing as amazing as he is, you want to put up runs for him," Jones said. "He's out there giving you everything he has and you want to go out and play to the best of your capability."

Andre Miller singled to open the sixth and a bunt attempt from Tony Roth popped up and off sliding Windy City pitcher Stephen Flake's glove.

A flyout by Joey Metropoulos moved Miller to third base. Tim Dorn struck out and the next batter, Jones, hammered a 1-0 delivery from Flake for his first homer of the postseason.

The display promoted a standing ovation from the crowd as the Miners took the field for Windy City's at-bat in the top of the seventh.

Little got an ovation of his own in the seventh when he was replaced by Jake McMurran. Little finished with one run allowed on five hits while striking out four for Southern Illinois.

"Like I've been saying all year, I think we have the greatest fans anywhere," Jones said. "Big leagues, it doesn't matter.

"They do a really good job of supporting us in both good times and bad and I can't thank them enough."

Southern Illinois avoided a potential disaster in the eighth. Wes Long singled to left field, but the ball glanced off Andre Miller's glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Long to reach second. Josh Horn then singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out.

That was all for McMurran, who was pulled for Griffin Bailey. Bailey gave up an infield single to Justin Tellam, bringing Windy City's second run across the plate and plunked Danny Sawyer two batters later to load the bases with one out.

"Bases loaded, and to have him come through like that, he really stepped his game up a whole notch," Pinto said.

Bailey got Gilberto Mejia to ground into a fielder's choice and struck out Mike Sullivan to allow the Miners to escape with no further damage done.

Windy City never threatened again.

"The key to this series is very simple," Pinto said. "Keep (Mike) Coles, Mejia and (Phil) Hawke off the bases.

"If you keep them from doing damage, you have an even chance."

pete.spitler@thesouthern.com / 351-5073@thesouthern.com / 351-5073