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RECAP | Pierce homers in return as Otters cruise to big game three win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Evansville Otters (60-39) scored 17 runs on 22 hits on their way to a game three win against the Down East Bird Dawgs (47-52) on Thursday night, 17-7.
Ryan Wiltse made his 20th start of the season against Rolando Heredia-Bustos for Down East.
The Otters got to work quickly, bringing home four runs on four hits. Blake Robertson, T.J. Salvaggio and Mark Black all picked up RBI.
Dennis Pierce hit a two-run home run in his return from the injured list, making it 6-0 in the fourth inning. Two more runs came home in the fifth on a two-run single by Salvaggio.
Down East got on the board with a run in the fifth inning, before Evansville got the eight-run lead right back with an RBI double from Sam Linscott.
The Bird Dawgs scored two more in the bottom of the sixth, but the Otters made it a blowout in the seventh. Robertson, Amani Jones and LG Castillo all brought in runs before Linscott would hit a three-run home run to cap off a six-run inning, putting Evansville up 15-3.
One more in the eighth gave the Otters their largest lead of the day before Down East brought three runs home in the bottom half.
Both teams would trade runs in the ninth as Junior Cerda finished the job and gave Evansville their 60th win of the season.
Everyone in the lineup got a base hit, with six of nine Otters recording multi-hit games. Jones went 5-for-6, becoming the third Otter this season with a 5-hit game. Salvaggio and Linscott both had four RBI each as Evansville put up their second-highest run and hit total of the season.
Wiltse earned the win, becoming the sixth player in Otters history with 10 wins in a season, finishing his regular season at 10-4.
Evansville is now 60-39, recording their first-ever win against Down East. The Otters can even the series in game four against the Bird Dawgs tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. CT at Grainger Stadium.
The Otters have clinched their spot in the 2026 Frontier League Playoffs. More information can be found at https://www.evansvilleotters.com/playoff-hq.
All games can be heard on 96.9 WYIR and the Otters Digital Network and can be viewed live on the Frontier League Network on HTN.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.
The Otters play all home games at EVSC’s Historic Bosse Field, located at 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Ind. Stay up to date with the Evansville Otters by visiting evansvilleotters.com, or follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information, visit evansvilleotters.com or call (812) 435-8686.
