Good things come to those wait. That adage was certainly true for the Waterloo Bucks and their fans at Riverfront Stadium Thursday night (June 8, 2017).

The start of the Bucks' home game against Mankato was delayed 80 minutes because of anticipated heavy rain that never came. The late start didn't seem to bother either team. What turned out to be a competitive game, ended with a 2-1 Waterloo victory.

Deion Thompson's single to leftfield in the bottom of the eighth inning produced the winning run for the Bucks (7-3). Thompson's hit plated Jay Schuyler, who reached base when Mankato third baseman Jake Shepski misplayed a routine ground ball earlier in the frame.

The MoonDogs (5-5) built some early momentum, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It turned out, however, to be the only run that Kyle Leahy allowed in his 2017 debut on the mound for Waterloo. Leahy tossed seven innings and struck out six batters in a starting role.

The Bucks tied the game in the third inning, when they took advantage of an opportunity that was set up by a Mankato error. With two-out and runners on first and second, Jay Schuyler's infield grounder went through the legs of MoonDogs' second baseman Ethan Valdez and rolled into right field. Korry Howell charged home on the miscue.

A critical moment for Waterloo occurred in the eighth inning, while Mankato was threatening to take the lead. With a pair of runners on base, Shepski blasted a ball high and deep to leftfield that appeared to be at least a double. Instead, Tyler Bordner robbed Shepski of the hit when he made the catch while slamming into the wall.

Brandon Downey (2) earned the save for the Bucks after surrendering a lead-off walk in the ninth inning.

UP NEXT: The top two teams in the Northwoods League's North Division battle when the Bucks open a two-game series at St. Cloud on Friday (June 9). The first-place Rox (8-2) currently have a one-game lead over second-place Waterloo in the standings.

More From 97.7 KCRR