TERRE HAUTE —
This evening’s 7:05 p.m. home baseball game at Bob Warn Field against the Springfield Sliders is arguably the most important one in the two-year history of the Terre Haute Rex.
So it’s nice that the home team will go into it with guns blazing.
Stephen Bruno, almost certainly the Prospect League’s hottest hitter — and its probable batting champion, if only he had enough at-bats to qualify — had three hits to lead a 13-hit attack and Nick Heinz stepped up with a gutty performance on the mound Thursday as the Rex downed the Hannibal Cavemen 6-4 before 1,519 fans, this year’s second-largest crowd.
With two games remaining in their regular season, the Rex host the team that’s a half game ahead of them in the West Division’s second-half standings. A couple of scenarios exist that would put Terre Haute in the Prospect League playoffs, but the simplest one would be for the Rex to catch both Springfield and Quincy — a half game in front of the Sliders — to become second-half champions.
“These are a very important couple of games,” said Bruno after Thursday’s win. “We need to keep our winning streak going into the playoffs.”
“I knew the since we’re in the chase, this was a big game,” added Heinz. “I’m happy how it went.”
Neither player was in Terre Haute at the beginning of what’s been an injury-plagued season for the Rex, but both seem happy they got here.
“Terre Haute is a great place to play, and I feel really welcome,” said Bruno, a starter for the No. 1 college team in the country at Virginia before a season-ending injury early this past spring. “It’s been a blast.”
Blast is what Bruno has been doing at bat lately, his 3-for-3 performance Thursday lifting his average to an unofficial .424. “I’m seeing it pretty well,” he admitted afterward.
He wasn’t needed in the first Rex rally, however. Singles by Nick Johnson and John Loeffler and a pickoff error had runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the second, but Hannibal’s Ethan Schlecte got his fourth strikeout in the first two innings to nearly escape the jam. Jacob Hayes kept the inning alive with a two-out walk, however, and Ronnie Mitchell cleared the bases with a double over the head of the Cavemen’s right fielder.
Heinz retired seven of the first eight batters he faced, and picked the other off base. But with two outs in the top of the third, he suffered his only letdown of the game.
Ray Fuentes singled, and Heinz issued a walk — his only one of the game to go with 11 strikeouts, as it turned out. Matt Burton then flared a double down the left-field line; Nick Rountree followed with his second double of the game, a line drive that threatened the left-field Fowl Pole; and Jeff Zimmerman grounded a single to right to suddenly put the visitors ahead.
“He’s a very smart pitcher, but he needs to work from ahead [in the count],” Rex pitching coach John Howes said of Heinz after the game. “He didn’t do that [in the third inning], but he adjusted and pitched a great game — and we needed it.”
“We got back really late [Thursday morning, from a two-game road trip to DeKalb County], and I had to come out and give it my best,” said Heinz, appearing in just his fifth game with the Rex. “My control wasn’t as good [in the third inning], and [the Cavemen] hit a few good pitches; I tip my hat to them for that.
“But I had to refocus to come back the rest of the game and do what I did.”
In his last five innings, Heinz allowed just three baserunners — two singles and a hit batsman — and at one point retired four straight batters on a total of four pitches. Mitchell had a pair of good catches in center field, Koby Kraemer had a defensive gem at third base, and Heinz covered first base as the Rex converted a 3-6-1 double play.
“It was a gutty performance by Heinz,” said coach Ronnie Prettyman, “and we played really good defense behind him.”
Prettyman, who also celebrated his 30th birthday Thursday, was partially in charge along with Howes and Darrin Barton. Manager Brian Dorsett was the victim of another dubious ejection at DeKalb County, and is serving a three-game suspension.
Kraemer was one of the Rex players who vowed before Thursday’s game to win it for their manager, and did his part as Terre Haute regained the lead in the bottom of the third. Bruno doubled over the bag at third, Kraemer followed with an RBI single, and Kraemer stole second and third ahead of a sacrifice fly by Loeffler that proved to be the game-winning RBI.
Just to make sure, however, Chace Mitchell crushed a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the Rex some insurance, and Chris Bossenbery earned his ninth save with what’s becoming a typical inning for him — a strikeout and a double play.
“The guys know where we’re at [in the standings] and what we’ve got to do,” Prettyman said after the game. “We needed to get a win today and we did … we’ll take tomorrow tomorrow.”
Asked about Bruno’s recent offensive explosion, Prettyman said, “We’re hoping Bruno and keep it hot, but up and down the line we’ve got a lot of guys swinging well.”
Unlikely to play for the Rex today is Joe Meggs, who cut his finger while batting in the bottom of the first inning and was replaced by Chris Roglen.
Terre Haute Rex
Related Photos
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Looking for the call: Steve Bruno looks to the umpire after tagging Hannibal baserunner Jake Mangler on a pickoff throw. mangler was out.
Discussion
Rex pick up crucial victory, setting up matchup with Springfield
- Terre Haute Rex
-
-
2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. -
Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
Terre Haute Rex closer Nick Blount won one award and shared another and Brian Dorsett shared Manager of the Year honors as the Prospect League announced postseason awards Saturday.
-
Rex out of playoffs
Successful playoff baseball = clean baseball.
-
Rex mix, match their way to win
The Terre Haute Rex clinched a playoff spot last Thursday … but there were still four games to be played.
-
Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
Fans attending this evening’s Terre Haute Rex game should expect some handouts, some surprises — and probably better start by the home team than the Rex could provide Saturday night.
-
Rex drop road game to Sliders 7-1
One night after a dramatic come-from-behind victory, the Terre Haute Rex went down meekly to the Springfield Sliders 7-1 in Prospect League baseball Friday night.
-
Rex defeat Springfield twice, clinch spot in playoffs
It was a long but fruitful night for the playoff-bound Terre Haute Rex.
-
Playoff march continues: Rex creep closer to postseason with victory over Dans
Hire the band, make the floats, and rent out a street.
-
Rex split, retain 3 1⁄2-game advantage in West Division
A five-run ninth-inning rally fell far short for the Terre Haute Rex on Sunday night in Prospect League baseball.
-
No no-hitter, but Rex triumphs
Kyle Zimmerman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, lost his control and the lead, but the Terre Haute Rex offense had an immediate answer Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
-
Travel baseball teams enjoy busy summer
So in the past two or three years, the increase in local travel baseball options has been led by three groups, Indiana (formerly Terre Haute) Havoc, Riley Recreation League and Junior Rex.
-
First-place Rex top rival Bombers
If you haven’t been to a Terre Haute Rex game yet this season, tonight might be the time to go.
The Rex have a second straight home game against the Dubois County Bombers, a potential Prospect League West Division playoff preview — and a battle between maybe the division’s two biggest rivals. -
Rex top Cavemen, raise record to 14-6
The first-place Terre Haute Rex picked up a 6-4 victory Wednesday at Hannibal, Mo., against the Cavemen.
-
Rex win first game of Saturday doubleheader
Terre Haute maintained its stronghold on first place in the Prospect League West Division on Saturday, the Rex defeating Dubois County 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
-
Strunc fans 10, Rex win 12-10
Power pitching and power hitting kept a season-high crowd of 1,732 Rex fans on the edge of their seats Friday night at Bob Warn Field.
-
Starting role suits Cunningham as Rex win
Nick Cunningham took the mound Thursday in his relatively new role as starting pitcher looking to give the Terre Haute Rex some breathing room atop the Prospect League West Division standings.
-
Rex fall at Danville, maintain two-game division lead
The Terre Haute Rex lost 7-4 on Wednesday at Danville, falling to 9-4 in the second half of the Prospect League schedule.
-
High drama, but no win
Pinch-hitter Michael Eberle provided patient Terre Haute Rex fans with plenty of excitement by belting a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the score against the Springfield Sliders at 9-9.
-
Rex cool off against Springfield
It was a game Terre Haute probably didn’t deserve to win, and, despite an outstanding bullpen effort and focused hitting in the last few innings, the Rex did lose Monday for the first time since July 4 at Quincy.
-
Rex roll to lead in division
A constant theme repeated by Terre Haute Rex manager Brian Dorsett is how his summer-league collegians adjust to the everyday schedule, rather than the four or five-game slates they’re used to.
-
Rex bounce back, dominate Dans
Terre Haute reaped the bounty of three Danville errors in the second inning. The Rex made the Dans pay for each of their errors with eight base hits in the inning and Terre Haute never looked back on its way to an 11-4 victory in front of sweltering crowd of 669.
-
Rex open second half with victory at Quincy
The Terre Haute Rex opened the second half of the Prospect League season with a 8-7 victory Tuesday night at Quincy Stadium.
-
Head coach could be next stop for Prettyman
Credited in part to some unforgettable memories at Cal State Fullerton, where Ronnie Prettyman scored the winning run in the 2004 College World Series, the Indiana State and Terre Haute Rex assistant coach wants to pursue a future in college coaching.
-
Cunningham, McCurdy pace Rex to win over league leader
What was essentially a meaningless baseball game as far as the standings were concerned couldn’t have gone much better for the Terre Haute Rex on Saturday night at Bob Warn Field.
-
Rex score 4 before getting first hit, then hang on for win
With temperatures over 100 degrees Friday, affairs at Bob Warn Field took a walk on the wild side.
-
Rex duo working overtime
It’s obviously a bonus to recruit a college baseball player that can pitch once a week and take the field and bat in the middle of the batting order the rest of the time.
-
Rex fall 7-1 to Hannibal
The Terre Haute Rex lost 7-1 on Thursday, falling behind 4-0 after the first inning at Bob Warn Field.
-
Rex have winning streak snapped
The season-long five-game winning streak of the Terre Haute Rex came to an end Wednesday night at Dubois County.
-
Rex move within four games of first-place Dubois County
The Terre Haute Rex moved within four games of the first-place Dubois County Bombers, scoring the first 11 runs in a 12-6 shellacking at Bob Warn Field on Tuesday.
-
Rex take third straight, move to 12-11 overall
Wildness cost the Terre Haute Rex a precarious lead in the fifth inning, but thankfully for the home team Quincy returned the favor in the bottom of the ninth inning.
- More Terre Haute Rex Headlines
-
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage
Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice
One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others
Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel
Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony
Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder
Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner
Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion
Beyonce Is Pregnant!
SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch
See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion
Woman tricked into taking abortion pill
Emma Watson Goes Pantless
IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos
Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
