O'FALLON, Mo. — Awful puns aside, the Southern Illinois Miners have certainly dug themselves a deep hole.
Despite having the top seed in the Frontier League playoffs, the Miners now face a big climb after being shut out 6-0 by the River City Rascals in a Division Series game at CarShield Field on Wednesday night.
River City now holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which shifts to Marion and Rent One Park until a winner is crowned.
Game 3 is Friday night at 7:05 p.m. and if the Miners stave off elimination, they'll play again Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday at 5:05. Tickets for all games at Rent One Park will be $5.
The Miners had the Frontier League's best record in the regular season at 63-33 and won the West Division easily but none of that matters now. Not after blowing a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 4-3 loss and being held to just three hits Wednesday night.
Dylan Brammer went the distance for the Rascals, giving up just those three hits — Aaron Gates, Shane Kennedy and Alex De Leon had one each — with 14 strikeouts and no walks.
Brammer fanned every batter in the Miners' lineup except for Nolan Earley and Kennedy. He struck out All-Star selection Craig Massey three times.
The Rascals took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Jason Merjano hit a two-run homer against Miners starter Corey Sessions.
Josh Ludy singled in a run in the fifth and Mike Jurgella drove in three runs with a bases-loaded hit in the seventh to make it 6-0.
Rick Teasley is scheduled to pitch for the Miners in Friday night's game.
In the other Division Series, Evansville defeated Joliet, 9-5, at Bosse Field to even their series at one game apiece.
This is the fourth time in the past seven seasons that River City and Southern Illinois have met in the Frontier League playoffs. River City won all three of the previous matchups, including last season.
