Riverdogs find Outlaws' Peach is not ripe for hitting, lose 7-2

Bart Peach was too much for the Cape Girardeau Riverdogs to handle Friday night, as the Evansville (Ind.) Outlaws posted a 7-2 victory at Capaha Field.

Peach, a right-handed pitcher who recently completed a four-year career at Murray State University, struck out 12 while allowing just three hits and one run in seven innings.

"It wasn't too bad," said Peach, an Evansville native. "But I got tired toward the end. I'm getting out of shape."

The Outlaws, who have already played a whopping 27 games, improved to 22-5 as they dropped the Riverdogs to 3-5.

"Peach threw a good ballgame. He shut us down," Riverdogs coach Robin Minner said. "We just didn't hit the ball, but you have to give him credit."

The Riverdogs also received a solid pitching performance from right-hander Steve Fowler, who allowed 10 hits in 8 2/3 innings. Only two of the sevens runs Fowler gave up were earned, as the Riverdogs made four errors.

"Fowler threw a great game," Minner said.

The contest was much closer than the final score indicates, as the Outlaws, who never trailed, led just 3-2 entering the ninth inning. They tacked on four unearned runs -- the frame featured just one hit and three errors -- to break things open.

"It was a pretty good game until the last inning," Minner said.

The Riverdogs finished with four hits, getting one hit and one run over the final two innings against Evansville reliever Josh Bell. Tyler Schlosser, who entered the game in the seventh, singled and doubled in his only two at-bats. Josh Ivy and Adam Friga added singles for the Riverdogs.

Darrin Lynam went 3-for-5 to pace the Outlaws. Tim Turpin and Cleve Upton both added two hits.

Evansville took control early with a three-run second inning, the big blow being Upton's two-run double.

Fowler held the Outlaws at bay until the ninth as the Riverdogs made things interesting. Andrew DePeder, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to end Peach's shutout bid. In the eighth, Billy Palmer drew a leadoff walk and later came around on Friga's sacrifice fly.

But the Outlaws ended the suspense with their four-run ninth.

The Riverdogs continue a busy weekend today with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at the Southern Illinois Merchants. Sunday, they host the St. Louis Printers in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.