Playoff update

As the Frontier League playoffs paused for an off day Sunday, the defending champion Windy City ThunderBolts have a 2-0 lead on the Southern Illinois Miners, and the Kalamazoo Kings-Gateway Grizzlies series is even at 1-1. Game 3s will be played Monday at Southern Illinois and Gateway.

Kalamazoo's John Brownell pitched a one-hit shutout in the Kings' 6-0 win in Game 2. Brownell took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Gateway third baseman Carter McQuigg doubled down the left-field line.

Windy City has the 2-0 series lead but how the ThunderBolts reached this point has to make you shake your head in disbelief.

In Game 1, won by the ThunderBolts in 10 innings, Windy City shortstop Wes Long committed six errors.

That's SIX(!) errors.

Long led the Frontier League in errors during the regular season with 35 – eight more than the second-highest total. He committed almost half as many errors in one playoff game as Washington shortstop Brett Grandstrand did all season (13).

Who says you need defense to win?

In the Windy City-Southern Illinois series, there has been 26 runs and only 11 of those have been earned.

In Game 2, Windy City starter Isaac Hess walked eight batters in 5 2/3 innings but the ThunderBolts won 7-2. Of course, Hess allowed only one hit.