The Sussex County Miners (32-36) have finished their most recent trip to Canada with a split series against the Ottawa Titans (38-30) after the Titans took them down by way of a 12-5 victory that was significantly closer than the score may suggest, with a back and forth scoring affair until the Titans stole the game away with a five run bottom of the 8th inning.It was another start for Jorden Sesar (5-2, 7.45 ERA, ND), who saw 4.2 innings for the Miners in his 12th start of the season.
Sesar was responsible for allowing nine of the 16 Titan hits on the day, also allowing four runs to score spread between the first, third, and fourth innings while also striking out a pair. After that, the ball was handed to new Miner addition Matt Stil (11.57 ERA), who got 1.1 innings, with just one hit and one punch out in that time span. The follow up inning belonged to Jacob Widener (L, 5.93 ERA), who allowed the two runs that set Ottawa ahead, and the Titans would not look back.
Micah Earwood (9.18 ERA) allowed five more runs in just a third of the eighth inning, allowing the Titans’ pitching staff to comfortably move through the ninth to find their way to a victory.The Miners offense took on Kaleb Hill (4-4, 4.03 ERA, ND) who saw five full innings of work, punching out five but allowing six hits, including a pair of homers belonging to 3B Dean Ferrara and OF Makhi Backstrom, the only two of the game for either team. Liu Fuenmayor (1.69 ERA) held it down for 1.2 innings, striking out one but also letting the fifth Miner run score from a Sandro Gaston single.
Ted Stuka (W, 2.81 ERA) picked up the win with a clean stat sheet through 1.1 innings, striking out Mahki Backstrom in the process. Gaston’s single would mark the end of the scoring run for Sussex County, who didn’t cross home plate again.
The Miners return to Skylands Stadium for back to back home series starting Friday, July 31st when the Lake Erie Crushers come to town. Friday night will also be Murder Mystery Night in Augusta, followed promptly by Wizards and Wands night on Saturday. Watch all Miners games live on HomeTeam Network and listen to the Miners Radio Network broadcast on Mixlr.