By Matt Sanders, Bombers broadcaster

While trailing the Kalamazoo Growlers 4-1 going to the bottom of the ninth inning, second baseman Christian Helsel got on base with a leadoff single. After Cooper Marshall struck out, Nick Podkul, Ryan Dorrow, Jarrod Watkins and Dan Swain all worked one out walks, cutting the Growlers lead to 4-3.

Nick Walker reached first base after Growlers first baseman Dalton Combs mishandled the ball after it was hit to him, scoring Ryan Dorrow to tie the game. With still just one out in the inning, Daniel Jipping hit a fly ball to shallow left field. Dan Robinson made the catch for the Growlers, but his throw home was not in time as Jarrod Watkins slid home safely to give the Bombers the 5-4 victory.

Before the ninth inning, the Bombers struggled at the plate. Growlers starting pitcher Devin Pellien threw seven innings of shutout baseball.

The Bombers got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning as Jarrod Watkins scored on a Daniel Jipping triple.

The Bombers were able to stay in the game thanks to strong relief performances by Josh Prater and Edgar Sanchez. The two combined for 4.2 innings of shutout baseball, and Sanchez ended up recording the victory for the Bombers.

Chi-Ping Wu made his Bombers debut. He went four innings and allowed four runs on four hits. He walked one batter while striking out four Growlers on the afternoon.

The Bombers took three of four games against the Growlers in the first part of the I-94 rivalry series. The series will pick up again with a home-and-home doubleheader starting in Battle Creek on June 20.

The Bombers now welcome the Green Bay Bullfrogs for a two game stint starting June 6 at 7:05 p.m. at C.O. Brown Stadium.