Kalamazoo, Mich – On Saturday night, in a matchup of the best pitching staffs in the Northwoods League, the Kalamazoo Growlers took game number one over the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 4-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

– After working around a two-out walk in the first inning, Tyler Johnson would cruise to his best start of the year. The righty from Alma College went a season-high 7 IP, striking out four while only giving up three hits and one earned run.

– The Growlers offensively would strike first in the third inning on a play at the plate, Banks Tolley coming home on a ball hit to the infield slid in but was never tagged, touching the base seconds later to score the first run of the game.

– Kalamazoo added on another two-RBI single into left from Luke Mitchell, moving the Growlers lead to 3-0.

– The two teams traded solo home runs in the seventh inning. Orlando Lordoy, a new addition to the Rafters roster sent one just over the short porch and into the Bell’s Bear Cave in right. Henry Godbout would answer that with a high-flying shot to left to retain the Growlers 4-1 victory.

– Carson Byers would shut the door in the ninth, retiring the side in order and making a webgem of a play to end the ballgame, snagging a behind the back groundball up the middle.

– Kalamazoo’s 30th win yesterday has the Growlers as the quickest team in teh Great Lakes to reach that mark while 30 wins in 47 games is tied for the fastest in franchise history.