The Region's Team Of Northwest Indiana

Whiting, Ind. – July 15, 2014 – The Oilmen attacked the first-place DuPage County Hounds with a heavy dose of “Pobereyko” on Tuesday night.

Danny Pobereyko tossed eight innings allowing only one run, which was unearned, before his brother took over in the ninth. Matt Pobereyko sent the Hounds down in order to nail down his 11^th save of the season as the Oilmen upset first-place DuPage County 2-1.

Danny Pobereyko said the start was the best he felt in his career at any level.

“After about the fourth inning, I was in a groove,” Danny Pobereyko said. “I was just comfortable throwing every pitch for a strike, everything was moving nicely and I was locating for the most part.”

Once Danny handed the ball to Matt, the younger Pobereyko (4-2) knew the game was essentially over.

“I didn’t even watch it, honestly,” Danny Pobereyko said of the ninth inning. “He’s really good, as everybody knows.”

Danny Pobereyko followed up a 10-strikeout performance against the Chicago Zephyrs on July 8 by fanning nine Hounds on Tuesday. He surrendered only two hits and did not issue a walk.

Manager Justin Huisman said Tuesday was the best start of the younger Pobereyko’s time with the Oilmen.

“Everything works off the fastball command for any pitcher,” Huisman said. “The last couple outings he’s been down in the zone, and when you’re down in the zone, it means you’re reaching back a little further and you’re able to get out front with your breaking ball.”

The Oilmen received all the offense they needed in the third inning, when Kevin DeFilippis belted a run-scoring double before Jason Gasser one-hopped the wall with an RBI triple. The only DuPage tally came in the fourth inning when an errant pickoff throw to second base by Pobereyko helped the Hounds manufacture a run on one hit.

“That was probably the point where I was kind of sweating because I’ve got to keep the lead,” Pobereyko said. “It was 2-1 at that point, so I was trying to limit it, at least.”

DuPage County’s Josh Davis took a tough-luck defeat, allowing two unearned runs on four hits over eight innings. No earned runs were scored in the game by either team as an error by Hounds’ shortstop Connor Kopach extended the third inning, igniting the Oilmen rally.

The Oilmen (19-12, 17-11) pull within three games of the Hounds (21-9) in the MCL standings. Northwest Indiana is now tied for third with Lexington, ½ of a game behind second-place Southland.  

The Oilmen travel to Sugar Grove on Wednesday to clash with the Chicago Zephyrs. The first pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. The Oilmen return to Oil City Stadium on Thursday night for a five-game, four-day homestand.