Green Bay now just trails Wisconsin Rapids by half a game, with one game remaining in first half play
Madison, Wis.- Led by 8.2 innings pitched from Brett Sanchez (Belhaven), the Green Bay Rockers took down the Madison Mallards 8-3 Sunday night at Warner Park, inching themselves closer to a playoff berth with now one game remaining in the first half.
The Rockers with a win Monday and a loss by the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters will clinch a spot in the 2023 Northwoods League Playoffs, as they currently sit just a half game back of the Rafters following Sunday’s victory over the Mallards on the road.
Following a scoreless top of the first, Madison struck first on an RBI single from Jake Goolsby (Charlotte University) in the bottom of the first inning, giving the home team an early 1-0 lead through an inning of play at Warner Park.
Sanchez responded in the second with a scoreless frame himself on the mound, as he recorded his second strikeout in as many innings to keep the Mallards from extending their lead, with the score still at 1-0 heading into the third.
After each team put no runs across in the third, Jack Holman (UCLA) gave the Rockers a 3-1 lead off of one swing, as a three-run homer from Holman put Green Bay ahead for the first time in the ballgame in the top of the fourth, with them being up by two through three and a half innings.
Despite the Mallards loading up the bases in the bottom of the fourth, Sanchez struck out the last two batters he faced in the frame to keep the Mallards down by two entering the fifth at 3-1, as he finished the first four frames with six strikeouts in all.
Green Bay tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth after a wild pitch scored Cooper Kelly (Kansas) from third, and an RBI infield single from Carlos Hernandez (Anderson). The three-run frame was capped off by an RBI single from Jayson Jones (Arkansas) therefore extending the Rockers lead to 6-1 through five innings of play in Madison.
With Sanchez continuing to cruise on the mound, the Rockers added one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings to up their lead to seven courtesy of a wild pitch that scored Nainoa Cardinez (Hawaii) in the sixth, and an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Holman.
This put Green Bay ahead at 8-1 through seven and a half innings of play, with Sanchez heading back out for his eighth inning of the night up by seven over the Mallards.
Sanchez pitched his seventh scoreless frame in a row in the bottom of the eighth and would return in the ninth to try and pitch the complete game at Warner Park.
Despite a two-run homer that forced him to exit the game with two outs, his 8.2 innings paved the way for a Rockers victory, as Bryce Crabb retired the last batter he faced to seal the day for the Rockers, who are now just a half game out of first place with one game remaining in the first half.
The Rockers and Mallards are now set to square off for the final game of the first half Monday night, where a win for Green Bay and a loss by the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters clinches a playoff spot for the Rockers. First pitch from Warner Park is set for 5:05 p.m.
Single game tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The Rockers front office and Team Apparel Fan Shop at Capital Credit Union Park are located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers 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. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 325 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 and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.
