Pistol Shrimp stay hot offensively, extend winning streak to five

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp continued to roll with a 14-4, eighth inning victory over the Burlington Beeds on Thursday at Veterans Park in Peru.

It was the Pistol Shrimp’s fifth consecutive win and the second time during the streak they scored 14 runs.

Keshawn Ogans and Damen Castillo both homered with Ogans finishing 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs and Castillo driving in three runs.

The Shrimp had a hot start with three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run double by Colton Coca and an RBI single by Andy Nelson.

Ogans blasted a solo home run in the second inning, his seventh of the season.

Dom Souto drove home a run in the fourth to make it a 5-1 game.

The Shrimp exploded for nine runs over the final three innings with four in the sixth, two in the seventh and three in the eighth.

South delivered a two-run double in the sixth, while Tom Jurack and Nolan Clifford each hit RBI singles.

In the seventh, Ogans plated two runs with a single.

Castillo belted his ninth home run of the season — a three-run shot — to end the game in the eighth.

Evan Clark earned the win on the mound as he surrendered four runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks in four innings.

Ryan Palmblad pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out four batters and walking one.

Clifford threw a shutout eighth, giving up one hit with two strikeouts.

The Pistol Shrimp (18-29) play host to the Normal CornBelters (23-24) for a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Veterans Park.