The Waterloo Bucks were one strike away from celebrating an 11-inning victory at Mankato Wednesday night (June 18, 2015), but their plans changed on the final pitch of the game.

Facing an 0-2 count, Jack Flansburg (Cypress CC) launched a two-out, two-run homerun over the rightfield wall at Franklin Rogers Park, which allowed the MoonDogs (11-11) to escape with a 4-3 victory over Waterloo (13-10) on their home field. The game marked the fourth one-run finish in the seven games the two clubs have played against each this season. Sean Trimble (Long Beach St.) took the loss in relief for the Bucks, but was superb out of the bullpen after entering the game with two on in the bottom of the fifth.

Flansburg's heroics came after Waterloo plated the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th. Newcomer Matthew James (Illinois), who made his Waterloo debut on Tuesday, delivered a run-scoring single down the leftfield line, giving the Bucks a 3-2 advantage. His first Northwoods League hit came with two-outs and plated pinch-runner Joseph Shepherd (Murray St. College), who replaced Mark Hernandez (Long Island). Hernandez opened the frame with a single to left-center field.

The Bucks forced extra-innings with a solo homerun in the ninth inning. Trailing, 2-1, Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan) tied the game with a lead-off blast that hit the top of the fence in right-center field.

Waterloo plated the game's first runin the fourth when McKinstry plated Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast) with a single into centerfield, but Mankato wasted no time in providing the equalizer. The MoonDogs pushed the tying run across the plate in the bottom of the fourth when Brinn Bell (St. Ambrose) coaxed a two-out walk with the bases clear, then was hit in on a deep double to left from Kevin Hall (North Alabama) in the next at-bat.

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The MoonDogs took a 2-1 lead after scoring a run on two Waterloo errors in the fifth. Flansburg reached base on a ground-ball error to first and later scored when Craig Nennig (Ohio St.) singled him in.

Tyler Day (Stephen F. Austin) exited as the Waterloo starter in the fifth with two outs and runners on the corners. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits while walking two and striking out three in the no-decision start of 5 2/3 innings.

Trimble (2-1) entered out of the bullpen in the fifth and got out of a bases-loaded jam after walking the first batter he faced. Trimble was a force on the mound, allowing just one hit heading into the 11th while walking one batter and striking out six. His only blemish was Flansburg's two-out, game-winning homerun.

Waterloo closes the four-game series with Mankato on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. The meeting will mark the eighth and final regular-season match-up between the two clubs this summer.

The Bucks return to Riverfront Stadium Friday to open a four-game home stand with a pair of games against both St. Cloud and Kalamazoo. Friday marks the Bark in the Ballpark promotion. Dogs and their owners can purchase tickets at the gate for $10 with $5 of each sale being donated to the Cedar Bend Humane Society in Waterloo. Dogs and their owners are invited to participate in the Parade of Dogs around the warning track 30 minutes before the game.

The first game of the homestand is also a Flat Screen Friday. Fans 18 and older can register to win one of three 32" flat screen TVs that will be given away during the game.

Tickets are available at waterloobucks.com. You can also visit the Bucks Ticket Office at Riverfront Stadium or call 319-232-5633. Bucks games are broadcast live on waterloobucks.com.

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