SLIPPERY ROCK — Quincy (Ill.) Gems manager Chris Martin found his team at a crossroads Wednesday — and it had nothing to do with the long trip home.

Just the day before, the Gems tied Butler in the ninth inning before the BlueSox scored the game-winner in the home half of the inning to grab a 7-6 decision.

Fast forward to Wednesday evening when, holding a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning, Quincy erupted for nine runs on the way a 14-3 Prospect League victory over the Sliders.

The win pulled Quincy's record to 8-8 and 3-3 on the road trip as it heads back to enjoy a season-long six-game homestand.

"We did a good job where we scored, then were able to put zeros and not let them answer back," Martin said. "Obviously, this will make the trip home a lot easier."

"They're the best hitting team in the league," said Sliders manager Andy Chalot. "You can't give them four or five outs in an inning where they'll score. They'll make you pay."

The tough part about the ninth inning was that all nine runs were unearned.

"It was a good game until the ninth," said Chalot. "It all started with defensive miscues. They executed a perfect safety squeeze.

"It was 6-3 with two outs, but that's why you've got to get three outs," he added.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Quincy's Vinny Fayard and Zach Kometani laced a two-run single and two-run double, respectively, before Jon Myers had an RBI single.

After a walk to Matt Mirabel, Andrew Host had an RBI double, and John Lorenz and Kurt Lee each followed with a run-scoring single to make it an 11-run game.

The ninth inning was a far cry from the first three innings when Sliders starter Rick Raraigh didn't allow a hit and faced the minimum nine batters.

Slippery Rock (6-10) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Matt Fenster lofted a sacrifice fly that plated Jeremy Banks.

Quincy broke through in the fourth inning when, with two outs, Raraigh's wild pitch on an 0-2 count scored Trent Copeland.

The score stayed that way until the sixth inning, when the Gems tacked on three runs for a 4-1 advantage.

Gems starting pitcher Aaron Brett limited Slippery Rock to one run and one hit through the first six innings, even though he walked six batters.

"Aaron did a good job minimizing the damage," said Martin. "He'll tell you he walked one or two too many, but he's usually our eighth- or ninth-inning closer."

Slippery Rock made it a one-run game in the seventh when, with two outs and a runner at second, Kyle Mossbarger and Brian Davila lined consecutive RBI doubles.

But Quincy responded in the eighth with a sacrifice fly by Fayard that followed a leadoff triple by Alex Jones.

"(The loss) only counts as one game," said Chalot. "We've got four more home games in a row. We'll take them one at a time."

Quincy 000 103 019 — 14 16 0Slippery Rock 010 000 200 — 3 4 3W: Aaron Brett 6 IP (4K, 6BB).

L: Rick Raraigh 5+ IP (4K, 2BB).

Quincy (8-8): Trent Copeland 1B; Alex Jones 1B, 3B; Vinny Fayard 2-1B, 4 RBI; Zach Kometani 1B, 2B, 2 RBI; Jon Myers 2-1B, 2 RBI; Matt Mirabel 1B; Andrew Host 1B, 2B, RBI; Steve Fernandez 1B; Kurt Lee 2-1B, 2 RBI; John Lorenz 1B, RBI

Slippery Rock (6-10): Kyle Mossbarger 2B, RBI; Brian Davila 2B, RBI; Sam Sivolotti 1B; Matt Fenster RBI; Brady Stewart 1B