FOND DU LAC, Wi. – The Kalamazoo Growlers dropped their second straight game to fall to 19-8 on the season on Monday with a loss to the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders.

The Dock Spiders scored four unearned runs in the third inning which would be the deciding factor in the contest.

Kalamazoo had a fast start scoring two runs in the second inning on a two-out RBI single from Jared Miller to give the Growlers a 2-0 lead.

Fond du Lac answered back with two runs of their own in the second on a Mitch Boe RBI single with two outs.

A triple by Zach Daniels gave the Growlers a brief lead in the third scoring Niko Kavadas for a 3-2 advantage.

The four run inning came all with two outs for the Dock Spiders in the fourth when a soft ground ball from Andrew Bullock was bobbled by Sam Faith for an error. This was followed by four straight hits off Jack Nelson to plate four runs and give Fond du Lac the lead for good.

Kalamazoo tried to come back in the top of the sixth inning when Sam Faith sent a solo home run out to left field. It was Faith’s third home run of the year, and second from the right side for the switch hitter.

The Dock Spiders scored the final run of the game in the seventh inning on another unearned run off of Derek Carr.

Nelson started for the Growlers and took the loss dropping his record to 4-1. He went five innings, walking two and striking out four Dock Spider’s. Derek Carr threw two innings in relief allowing just one unearned run and escaping a bases loaded jam in the sixth. Jason Sullivan, normally an infielder, made his first appearance on the mound for the Growlers this season. In one inning of work he allowed one hit and struck out two Dock Spiders.

The Growlers return to the diamond tomorrow to take on the Dock Spiders for the second game of the series.

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The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.