Game Recap

Brabrand’s Complete Game Powers Y’alls to Series Win

FLORENCE, KY – The Florence Y’alls (30-41), presented by Towne Properties, cruised behind a dominant start on the mound to a 6-1 victory over the Windy City Thunderbolts (30-40) at Thomas More Stadium on Saturday.

In a game dominated by Florence pitching, Windy City took the first lead of the game in the first inning. With two outs, center fielder Bren Spillane’s solo home run put the Thunderbolts ahead 1-0.

The homer marked the lone run of the game against a dominant Y’alls starter. Righthander Bobby Brabrand (9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) put together his finest start of the year in a complete-game effort. The start marks the first complete game for any Y’alls pitcher this year and the first nine-inning complete game for a Florence pitcher over the last two seasons. Starting after Spillane’s home run, Brabrand retired 12 consecutive hitters until right fielder Will Riley singled with two outs in the fifth inning.

Behind Brabrand, the Y’alls’ offense went to work early on against Windy City starter Cole Bellair (5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K). In the second inning, Florence rallied for three runs. With one out, shortstop Ed Johnson and second baseman Jeremiah Burks hit back-to-back singles to put two aboard. With runners at first and second, the Thunderbolts intentionally walked designated hitter Brennan Price to load the bases for first baseman Craig Massey, who drove in two runners with a two-RBI double. Third baseman Brian Fuentes followed Massey’s hit with an RBI single of his own to give the Y’alls a 3-1 lead.

Florence scored two more runs in the fourth when Jeremiah Burks came home from third on a wild pitch and Massey singled in center fielder Lane Hoover. In the sixth, the Y’alls scored their final run when Ed Johnson singled to lead off the inning, stole second and third, then scored on a Hoover single.

The Y’alls would need no more offense behind Brabrand, who threw 118 pitches – 85 for strikes – in a dominating performance. The win gives the Y’alls their first series victory of the year over Windy City and marks Florence’s fourth consecutive win. The Y’alls and Thunderbolts return for the series finale at Thomas More Stadium on Sunday, August 6th. First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. ET.

The Florence Y’alls are Northern Kentucky’s professional baseball team, and are proud members of the independent Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. With a purposeful focus on entertaining our fans, the Y’alls provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Y’alls home games are played at Thomas More Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. More details can be found online at florenceyalls.com (http://florenceyalls.com/) or by phone at (859) 594-4487.