Gems take care of business at plate, on mound to capture home opener
QUINCY — The second time through the order made all the difference for the Quincy Gems.
Only one batter reached safely in the first three innings of Friday night’s home opener against the Clinton LumberKings, but the Gems found their offensive groove during a three-run fourth inning and parlayed it into a 9-1 Prospect League victory at QU Stadium.
Tye Wood walked leading off the fourth, and Lucas Loos singled. Matthew Batts delivered an RBI single in the next at-bat, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Zack Stewart drove a run home with a fielder’s choice and Gabe Swansen singled to plate another.
In the fifth inning, the Gems tacked on three more run as Batts doubled to drive in two and Stewart followed with an RBI single.
Jordan Duncan homered leading off the sixth, Andrew Fay plated a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly, and Stewart drove in the final run in the eighth on a fielder’s choice.
Batts finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, while Loos, Swansen and Duncan each had two hits.
Luc Fladda allowed one run and four hits over the first five innings with eight strikeouts to earn the victory, while Brayden Haug gave up two hits over four scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
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