(Trenton, NJ) – Not even a little rain could discourage the Thunder faithful from showing out in full force on Saturday night, as your Thunder earned their first home series win in front of a crowd of 6,192 at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Solid pitching helped the Thunder again in this one, as Jonah Hurney improved to 2-0 on the season. The Hawaii native went five and a third, struck out six, and tossed an immaculate inning in the fifth.
The Thunder bats were led by third-basemen Ramon Jimenez, who was 3-3 on the night and finished a home-run shy of the cycle. The Central Connecticut State product scored two of the Thunder’s four runs on the night after driving a couple of pitches into each out-field gap for his two extra base hits on the night. Jimenez took home Hyatt Regency Princeton Thunder Player of the Game honors. Jimenez scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Tarik Latchmansingh to make it 1-0 Trenton. They tacked on another in the third on another RBI single, this time coming off the bat of Dan Covino.
The offense continued for Trenton in the fifth when Justin Guerrera extended his on base streak to six games with a leadoff single and later scored on a triple from Jimenez that one-hopped the left-center wall. Max Giordano extended the Thunder lead by shooting a single through the middle of the infield that plated Jimenez to make it 4-0. The Scrapper responded in the top of the sixth with a three-spot to make it a one-run game.
Coming in to relieve Hurney was right-hander David Stiehl, who entered in the middle of the Fifth with one out and two on. The stopper out of Northeastern University induced an inning ending 4-6-3 double play to keep it a one run game in favor of Trenton. Stiehl allowed just two hits and struck out a batter before handing things over to Brennan O’Neil for the ninth. O’Neil picked up his first save of the year and your Thunder took the first two games from Mahoning Valley with a chance to sweep on Sunday evening.
Your First Half Champion Thunder improved to 23-10 on the year and play the final game of their series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on July 16th at 5:00. Come out to Trenton Thunder Ballpark for Pickle Sunday & Pickle Thunder Sticks Giveaway to the first 1,030 fans ages 5-13! To purchase tickets, call (609)-394-3300, Opt 4 or visit trentonthunder.com.
