FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders put the tying run on base in each of the final three innings, but couldn’t bring the run home in a 5-4 loss to the Lakeshore Chinooks on the road.
The loss marks the first time the Dock Spiders have been swept in a series this year, and drops them to an 8-4 record. The Chinooks won their third game in their last four, improving to 4-8.
The bullpen twirled 5.2 shutout innings in relief, with Rocky King (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Reed Gallant (Rice) and Alex Vera (Illinois) combining to allow just one hit while striking out four.
After the Chinooks tallied five runs in the first four innings, the Dock Spiders scored two in the sixth and two more in the seventh. In the sixth, Tommy Stevenson (Missouri Southern State), smashed his first home run of the summer, a solo shot to left to cut into the deficit and make it 5-2.
In the seventh, Evan Smith (South Carolina) was hit by a pitch to bring a run home after three hit batters and a walk before Nick Mitchell (Western Illinois) brought in his second RBI of the night with a groundout. Mitchell’s multi-RBI game extended his team lead with 14 RBI on the year, the only Dock Spider with double-digit RBI.
The Dock Spiders tallied a hit with one out in the ninth, but failed to score the run, stranding Connor Manthey (Bradley) at second.
Tomorrow, the Dock Spiders stay on the road against the Wausau Woodchucks at Athletic Park. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 28th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 280 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit dockspiders.com download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.