Postgame Recap Story presented by Townsquare Media

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Growlers (9-4) rode three home runs and three crooked innings to an 18-9 win over the Battle Creek Battle Jacks (7-7) on Saturday night.

Battle Creek took a 2-0 lead off Kalamazoo starter Alex Burden, launching a pair of solo home runs in the first and second innings. In the bottom of the second, Connor Walsh brought the Growlers within one off an RBI double play.

Burden threw his only scoreless frame of the night before the Kalamazoo offense lifted the lefty. Seven runs on seven hits gave the Growlers an 8-2 lead, that was quickly answered.

The Battle Jacks tagged Burden for four runs in his final inning, coming within two after three and a half innings of play.

Then the floodgates opened. Two home runs, the first by Charlie Wortham and the second by Connor Walsh, put Kalamazoo up 13-6 after four innings, and four fifth-inning runs on one hit cemented the win, as the Growlers took a 17-6 lead.

“He was throwing a lot of sliders, curveballs, breaking it down low… I was waiting for the pop and got it,” Wortham said following the win.

Battle Creek scored three across the sixth and eighth to try and claw back, but the Kalamazoo bullpen, paired with a Brody Houseman home run, slammed the door.

“Tonight, they walked in there with some swagger and the last three days have been great… they’re stepping in there with a wood bat in their hand and no excuses at all. It was a good night,” Growlers hitting coach Parker Kauffmann said.

The Growlers drew eight walks and stole five bases during the contest, while collecting 16 total hits, three of which left the yard.

“We do all the little things right and I feel like it makes them sort of confused and fall apart,” Kauffmann said.

The Growlers get a day off Sunday before heading to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to play the Dock Spiders on Monday and Tuesday.