KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Fourth of July fireworks started early at Honor Credit Union Stadium, but most of the sparks came from the Kalamazoo dugout.

The Kingfish fell 11-5 to the Growlers on Saturday night, dropping their fourth straight game to open the second half. Kenosha is now 21-18 overall and 0-4 in the second half, while Kalamazoo improved to 24-17 overall and 3-2 in second-half play. The Growlers also snapped a two-game losing streak, moved ahead 3-2 in the season series, and have now won three straight games against the Kingfish.

Kalamazoo wasted no time creating its own offensive show. The Growlers scored two runs in the first, one in the second, two in the third and four more in the fourth to build a 9-1 lead through four innings. Kalamazoo scored in six of the eight innings it hit, putting up at least one run in every frame except the sixth and eighth, while also producing three multi-run innings.

Michael Guerrero made his first start as a Kingfish, but the Growlers jumped on him early. Guerrero took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on five hits across three innings, walking three and striking out three. Kalamazoo tagged him for two home runs, including a two-run shot from Teddy Tokheim in the first and a two-run blast from Brandon DeGoti in the third.

Tokheim powered the Kalamazoo offense, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored. Josh Campbell added three RBI, DeGoti drove in two, Hutson Chance added two hits and an RBI, and Trevor Johnson went 3-for-3 with four runs scored. The Growlers finished with 11 runs on 11 hits and drew eight walks.

Kenosha’s offense battled late but spent most of the night trying to climb out of the early hole. The Kingfish scored an unearned run in the second after Dawson Downs walked and came around on two wild pitches and a Kalamazoo error. The ’Fish added another unearned run in the fifth, then scored once in the eighth on an Ethan Moore RBI single before pushing across two more in the ninth on RBI groundouts from Owen Nowak and Will Matuszak.

Matuszak finished with two RBI, while Nowak, Moore, Matthew Cormier, Cole Ide, Ezra Essex and Hunter Snyder all reached base or recorded hits. Ide doubled and scored in the ninth, and Downs scored twice despite going hitless. Kenosha finished with seven hits, seven walks and seven left on base.

Out of the bullpen, Jackson Banuelos worked three innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits with three strikeouts. Cristian Banuelos followed with two innings, allowing one run while striking out five, but Kalamazoo’s early explosion proved too much to overcome.

Kenosha and Kalamazoo will meet again Sunday afternoon in the series finale at Honor Credit Union Stadium. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. CDT.