Alton Tops Normal 6-2

ALTON, Ill. - For two seasons, Alton native Adam Stilts has been his hometown Prospect League team's most consistent pitcher and on Tuesday he delivered one of his most dominating performances. Stilts retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced, throwing seven outstanding innings in a 6-2 River Dragons win over the Normal Cornbelters at Lloyd Hopkins Field.

Stilts struck out eight and walked none.

The win drops the River Dragons' magic number to clinch the Prairie Land Division's first half title to five games.

At the plate, another pair of locals (and Stilts' teammates at Lewis & Clark) contributed with Blake Burris and Byrce Zupan driving in two runs each. Burris extended his personal best hit streak to eight with two hits, including a two run double.

Zupan clubbed his first homer, a no doubt drive to left field.

The River Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a Zupan RBI fielder's choice, and a two-out RBI single by Blake Stenger.

In the third, Normal did their only damage on Stilts, scoring two runs off four consecutive singles to open the inning. However, after that, Stilts retired the next three in a row to stop the rally and then cruised the rest of the way.

Robby Taul's fourth inning RBI fielder's choice put Alton back up 3-2. In the sixth, the game was sealed with Zupan's two out solo homer and Burris' two run double off the very top of the right field fence.

Winners of four straight, the River Dragons are 16-10, matching their "high-water" mark of +6 that they were at previously at 6-0 and 8-2 earlier this season.

The River Dragons' continue their march to what they hope is their first playoff berth, Wednesday night at 5:35 p.m. at Terre Haute.