FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (15-14) finish up their season series against the Kalamazoo Growlers (19-12) at Herr-Baker Field on Craft Brews & Brats Night. Everyone may enjoy Sheboygan brats for $3 and fans of legal drinking age may enjoy 16 oz. craft beer for $3 throughout the game. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and coverage begins at 6:30 on the Northwoods League Baseball Network.

TODAY’S STORYLINES

THE ONE-RUN FILES: The Kalamazoo Growlers used nine runs over three innings to defeat the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, 9-8, after they held off a Dock Spiders comeback in the late innings on Wednesday night at Herr-Baker Field. The Dock Spiders brought up the tying run four different times, but the Growlers bullpen limited Fond du Lac to just one hit over the final three innings to take the series opener. The Dock Spiders recorded five extra-base hits, including two from Alberto Rios in his return to Fond du Lac after playing with the team in 2021. With the win, the Growlers moved a game closer to clinching their first postseason berth since the 2020 season. The loss marked the second straight one-run loss for the Dock Spiders.

WELCOME BACK ALBERTO: Alberto Rios returned to Fond du Lac last night after he appeared in 15 games for the Dock Spiders in 2021. Rios started off hot, smashing two doubles before he finished the day 2-3 with two doubles and two walks. Rios’ two doubles also tied a career-high set on August 4, 2021 at the Wausau Woodchucks. He was one of four different Dock Spiders to tally a multi-hit game on Wednesday night.

OUT OF THE BULLPEN: On Wednesday night, Reed Gallant set a new career-high with seven strikeouts in a four-inning relief appearance. The seven strikeouts blew by his previous career-high of five, which was set February 22, 2021 against Houston Baptist. This summer, Gallant has tallied 24 strikeouts in seven appearances, which ranks as second on the Dock Spiders. Gallant has also been terrific against right-handed batters, as they’re hitting .100 (5-50) against him, and have struck out in 30% of their plate appearances.

SCORING IN BUNCHES: In three games this year against Kalamazoo, both the Dock Spiders and Growlers have combined to score 48 runs, an average of 16 per game. Every game of the season series has seen both teams score at least five runs, which marks the only season series in which it has happened with the Dock Spiders this year. The Growlers enter today with the top offense in the Northwoods League, and they’ve scored at least five runs in 17 straight games. The Dock Spiders, meanwhile, enter today with the sixth-best offense in the NWL.

BACK WITH THE EAST: After today, the Dock Spiders continue their five game home stand with a two-game series against the Kokomo Jackrabbits, the second straight series against an opponent from the Great Lakes East Division. The Growlers return home after today to start a four-game home stand, starting with a two-game series against the Kenosha Kingfish. Today’s match-up is also the final game between the Dock Spiders and Growlers in the regular season.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP

RHP JOSH CULLIVER (FDL): Culliver makes his first home start after he faced the Growlers on the road in his last start on Friday. He began the start on a tear, retiring the first six batters on just 17 pitches as he pitched into the fifth inning for the first time this summer.

RHP TYLER NICHOL (KZO): Nichol makes his first start of the year after four relief appearances. In his last appearance, against the Dock Spiders last Friday, he allowed three runs on one hit over 1.1 innings.