Bucks Relinquish Five-Run Lead, Drop Second Straight

Fresh off their first defeat of the season, the Waterloo Bucks committed a season-high six errors and let go of a five-run lead a in 7-6 loss to the Duluth Huskies at Riverfront Stadium Wednesday night.

Duluth plated six runs on four hits in the seventh and eighth innings to complete the come-from-behind effort and take game one of the series. Tyler Day (Stephen F. Austin) was splendid over six innings of one-run baseball as the Bucks’ starter, holding the Duluth batting order to just four hits.

Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan) homered in the contest to collect his first hit as a Buck while each man in the Waterloo starting lineup picked up at least one hit. With the loss, the Bucks drop to 2-1 on the year against the Huskies.

Duluth struck first in the top of the third when Cal Stevenson (Nevada) reached and scored on two different Waterloo errors. Alex Greene (West Florida) doubled in Stevenson for the 1-0 early lead.

Waterloo pounded out five hits in the fourth to capture their first lead of the game, 3-1. Alex Boxwell (Minnesota) and Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast) led off the frame with singles to open the scoring threat. Then, Mikel Hill (Winston-Salem St.) tied the game with a sacrifice-bunt that sent Boxwell across the plate.

Later in the fourth, back-to-back doubles off the bats of Mark Hernandez (Long Island) and Matthew Stemper (Minnesota) brought in two more runners to give Waterloo a 3-1 lead.

McKinstry opened the bottom of the fifth with his first hit as a member of the Bucks, a homerun over the wall in right field to make it a 4-1 game. Boxwell reached base on an error at third as the next hitter, stole a base and pushed the margin to 5-1 after scoring later in the frame on a pass ball pitch that reached the backstop.

After a leadoff Joseph Shepherd (Murray St. College) double to start the six, teammate Luke Stratman (Lamar CC) doubled him in down the line in right field to give Waterloo its largest margin, 6-1.

Day ended his no-decision start after six innings on the mound. In his second appearance on the season, the Bucks’ hurler allowed one unearned run, gave up four hits, allowed a walk and struck out four.

Sean Martens (Central Michigan) made his Waterloo debut to begin the top of the seventh. The reliever walked the first two men he faced, gave up a hit and allowed three earned runs in his first relief stint of the year.

With the score at 6-3, Brent Jurceka (0-1) (Evansville) entered for Waterloo with one out and two on in the top of the seventh. The right-hander took the loss over 2 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen where he surrendered three runs, one earned, on three hits.

Duluth’s Dominic Miroglio (San Francisco) brought in the final two runners in the seventh with a double to the alley in left to make it a 6-5 contest.

The Huskies grabbed two unearned runs in the top of the eighth to regain the lead, 7-6. An error at shortstop followed by an Green’s second double of the game pushed the contest out of reach. The scores allowed Duluth to hang on for the one-run victory.

The Bucks conclude the home stand against Duluth on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.

Thursday is a Bucks Cap Giveaway. The first 1,000 fans through the gate will receive a blue Bucks cap! It’s also Thirsty Thursday, presented by Q92.3. Every Thursday get 20 oz. bottles of water, 24 oz. fountain soda, 12 oz. regular draft beer, and small popcorn for just $2.00 each.