GARY, Ind. — Chris Schultz doubled to right with two outs to score Ron Bourquin from first in the top of the 12th inning and send the Schaumburg Flyers to a dramatic 4-3 win over the Gary SouthShore RailCats Monday night at U. S. Steel Yard in the opener of a four-game series.

The loss kept the RailCats magic number to clinch a sixth straight playoff berth at three and was the ‘Cats seventh loss in their last nine games.  The RailCats had very few scoring chances Monday, recording only one hit after the fifth inning – Flyers pitching retired 15 in a row at one point – and needing their own herculean relief effort to keep the game tied.

In the decisive 12th, James Baker (2-5) struck out the first two hitters before walking Bourquin on a 3-2 pitch.  Schultz lined the second pitch he saw into the right field corner and the relay throw from Chris Carrara was just a little late at home plate.  The RailCats went down in order in the bottom of the inning as Brian McCullough struck out two to earn his fifth save.

All of the game’s regulation scoring was done early, with the Flyers taking a 1-0 lead on a Schultz RBI single in the second.  The RailCats would come back with runs in the third – on an Adam Klein base hit – and fourth to take a 2-1 lead before Kit Pellow launched a two-run fifth inning homer against Zeb Engle.  The RailCats would tie the game quickly in the bottom of the fifth when Tanner Townsend singled Mike Massaro in from second.

The RailCats, however, would not record another hit after Townsend’s single before Randall Simon doubled with one out in the 11th.  The ‘Cats would eventually load the bases in the inning before Cody Evans (3-6) got Chris Carrara to pop out and end the threat.

Evans was part of an excellent Schaumburg relief effort, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing only the one hit and two walks.  Joshua Giles was even better in front of Evans, retiring all eight batters he faced, four on strikeouts.  Four Flyers relievers combined to allow only three hits in 8.0 innings of work after spot started Matt Elliott went the first four innings.

The RailCats bullpen was also solid following Pellow’s home run, as Engle, Aaron Cook, Brad Furnish, Andy Shipman and Baker bridged the game into the 12th.  Andy Weeks made the start for the RailCats and allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

The Flyers out-hit the RailCats 15-9 in the game and Schultz led the way going 3-for-5.  Dylan Parzyk also had three hits for Schaumburg.  John Parham and Simon each had two hits for the RailCats as Simon doubled twice to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

The RailCats (48-45) and Flyers (39-55) will meet again Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard.  Right-hander Nolan Nicholson (5-5, 4.50 ERA) will draw the start opposite Schaumburg left-hander Alain Quijano (5-8, 3.75 ERA).  The game will be broadcast live on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.

Tuesday is the last RailCats Kids Day of the year, with hot dogs given away to the first 1,000 kids (age 12 and under).  It’s also a RailCats Picture Pack Giveaway at U. S. Steel Yard for the first 1,000 fans thanks to Great Lakes Orthopedics.  Tickets are available by stopping by the Box Office or calling 219.882.2255.

Notes: Mike Rohde went 0-for-4 with a walk, ending a streak of 15 straight starts with at least one hit … Klein and Massaro each had one hit and both now have 110 hits on the season becoming the fifth and sixth RailCats ever to notch at least 110 hits in a season … the RailCats and Flyers have split the season series 6-6 with three games remaining.