Free Bases, And First Place – Baseball at The Hive

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

It was another 10-run rule walkoff for the Burlington Bees, only this one didn’t end the night of insanity like the last one did.

Caleb Klein’s grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning ended Saturday’s 15-4 win over the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Community Field, a victory that put the Bees into first place in the Prospect League’s Northwest Division.

The Bees (25-20 overall, 13-6 second half), who have won five consecutive games, lead the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp by a half-game as they head into a two-day break.

“It’s an amazing way (to go into the break),” said first baseman Keanu Spenser, who hit a solo home run and finished the game with three runs batted in.

The Bees were coming off Friday’s 27-17 win over Quincy, an ugly game that ended up not leaving a hangover with the winners.

The Bees built a 9-1 lead over the first four innings and although they finished the game with only five hits, they converted many of the free bases given to them by Springfield pitchers, who hit six batters and walked 15.

“Guys took care of (at-bats),” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “We didn’t get a lot of hits, but we took care of the ABs. We got hits when we needed to, so it was really good to watch.”

Burlington has scored 79 runs in the winning streak.

“I think right now, we just know our bats are hot, and so our pitchers have a little more confidence pitching, knowing, even if they give up a few (runs), our bats are going to be able to get him back,” Spenser said. “And I think it’s just been easy right now. The chemistry of the team, the energy, as you can see, is always going to be there.”

The Bees scored four runs in the third inning, and single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, without the benefit of a hit. The third inning featured four walks and three batters hit by pitches.

Many of the free bases came from the bottom of the Bees’ lineup. Caleb Seibers, hitting seventh, walked three times and was hit twice. Danny Rollins, hitting eighth, walked four times. Marcus Beatty, batting ninth, walked three times.

Burlington is fifth in the league with 240 walks, but leads the league in hit-by-pitches with 94, 13 ahead of second-place Johnstown in the category.

“It’s just the mentality we have,” Oreskovich said. “We’ve got guys from Southeastern (Community College), McHenry (Community College) that have come in here with the mentality of, ‘Don’t move, you’ll get a free base.’ And that mentality is going through the team. Who wouldn’t want a free base?”

Winning pitcher Kaelen Carlson (2-2) allowed two runs and four hits over five innings.

The Bees led 11-4 going into the bottom of the eighth. Three consecutive walks brought up Klein, whose home run to left field ended the night.

The Bees will have their Community Basket Day exhibition on Sunday, then have Monday off before heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.

“Let’s keep it going,” Spenser said.

Box score

Photo: Caleb Klein (left) is doused by water after hitting the grand slam that ended Burlington’s 15-4 win over Springfield on Saturday night. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)