Almonte's Walk-Off Single Caps Dramatic Slugfest

(Trenton, NJ) - In a 3:44 minute, nine-inning affair on Wednesday afternoon, the Trenton Thunder (52-45) scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 13-12 over the Erie SeaWolves (46-51). In the finale of the three-game series and a seven-game homestand, Zoilo Almonte singled to score Rob Lyerly in the ninth to give Trenton a series win over Erie. The Thunder committed a season-high five errors a surrendered a season-high 18 hits, but a season-high thirteen runs of their own was just enough to win for just the fifth time in 18 games in July.

Early in the game, the Thunder took a 2-0 lead on a solo homerun by Austin Romine in the first inning and an RBI-groundout off the bat of Jose Gil in the second. Then, after Erie had tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth, Rob Lyerly put the Thunder ahead 3-2 with his solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the fourth.

In the top of the sixth inning, the SeaWolves erased a 3-2 Thunder lead with seven runs to take a 9-3 lead. The Thunder, however, answered back with seven unanswered runs of their own over the next two frames. In the sixth, Trenton scored three times. RBI-groundouts from Zoilo Almonte and Jose Pirela and Melky Mesa's advance to home on a wild pitch cut the Erie lead to 9-6. In the seventh, Corban Joseph, Austin Romine and Melky Mesa all knocked RBI-singles and Joseph scored on a wild pitch to give the Thunder a 10-9 advantage.

Continuing with the see-saw theme, the SeaWolves then scored three runs in the top of the eighth to take a 12-10 lead. But, the Thunder were not done at the plate. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Trenton scored three runs to walk-off to the win. Zoilo Almonte's single off of the glove of Erie pitcher Austin Wood into left field scored Rob Lyerly from second base and capped the three-run ninth that led to the come-from-behind win.

With the seven-game homestand complete, the Thunder will now embark on a seven-game road trip to Bowie, Maryland and Akron, Ohio. The first of a four-game series with the Bowie Baysox will occur Thursday night at 7:05 PM. The Thunder will turn to RHP Craig Heyer (7-5, 3.66), while the Baysox will counter with RHP Chorye Spoone (4-5, 4.31). The SBLI Pre-Game show with Hank Fuerst begins at 6:50 PM. Tune-in to the game on 91.3 WTSR, WBCB 1490-AM and trentonthunder.com.

--THUNDER--