DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Huskies (1-6, 17-25) dropped their sixth game in a row, falling 10-6 to the Waterloo Bucks (6-2, 20-22).
The top of the first was wild at the Wade, with the Bucks quickly loading the bases against Adam Kilburn. MJ Sweeney popped a ball up along the third base line, and Waylon Walsh dropped it. There was no infield fly call on the field, and Walsh alertly tagged home and threw to first, turning what he thought was a double play. It was not to be, as later in the game the umpires reversed their ruling and determined that a run should be awarded on the play. That meant that when Mycah Jordan singled in a run in the second, it seemed to be 1-0, but was in fact a two-run Waterloo lead.
Waylon Walsh attacked a fastball in the bottom of the second and sent it out to right, picking up his second homer of the season. Waterloo responded in the third, plating two on a Jake Slade double and a Jordan sacrifice fly. Jalen Smith slugged a two-run double to left-center in the third to make it 4-3, but once again Waterloo extended its edge with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. Down 7-3, the ‘Skies showed fifth in the sixth. Anthony Cepeda tripled to right-center to begin the frame, and an infield single by Kayden Campbell followed. Cepeda held at third on the hit, but scored on a wild pitch on the next batter when Walsh walked. Brayden Smith came through with a two-out, two-run single and cut the deficit to 7-6.
However, the Bucks once again extended their lead with a three-run seventh, and the bullpen slammed the door again for Waterloo. Duluth stranded three runners in the final three frames and couldn’t make headway, eventually extending its losing streak to the largest number of the 2020s.
Maddox Monsour doubled and singled, scoring one run. Cepeda scored twice with a 2-for-5 line. Walsh homered and scored twice.
Kilburn took the loss, allowing three in 2.1 innings. Harrison Burdge conceded one run in a single inning. Cole McCombs did not give up a hit across 2.2 innings, but walks meant he gave up two runs, one of which was earned. Jackson Smith gave up the three seventh-inning runs. Manny Dorantes delivered 2.0 scoreless to wrap up the game.
On Deck
Duluth travels to Minot to play the Hot Tots for two on Sunday and Monday. The Huskies return home against Rochester on July 14th and 15th, with both games beginning at 6:35 p.m.