ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Rockford Rivets were able to complete the three-game sweep over the Kenosha Kingfish with the help of seven unanswered runs and a late score Wednesday night, defeating the Kingfish by a final score of 8-7.

It did not take long for the Kingfish to put some runs on the board, scoring in each of the first three innings of the contest.

Kenosha started the game off hot, getting their first three batters on base safely with a leadoff double by Noah Alvarez, followed by a walk and a hit-by-pitch to Jackson Brewer and Bennett Shealor. The next man up for Kenosha was Hunter Snyder, and although he would not be credited with an RBI after grounding into a double play, the first run was brought home, making the score 1-0.

Two more runs would come home in the second for the Kingfish after the inning started with Rockford starting pitcher Logan Koeller walking the bases loaded in order. After a strikeout, Noah Alvarez drove home Matthew Cormier with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, a single by Bennett Shealor brought around Cole Ide, putting the Kingfish up to an early 3-0 start.

After Sam Hays was called in from the bullpen to pitch in relief of Koeller, he was met with Tate Bender, who hit a leadoff double to begin the third inning. Crete Slattery was able to collect his second RBI of the summer with a two-out single, bringing Bender in to score.

It was smooth sailing for Kingfish starting pitcher Kyle Hirsch through the first two frames, allowing no hits and two walks, but Hirsch quickly found himself in some trouble early in the bottom half of the third. After getting the leadoff man to ground out, the bases would be loaded with just one out after a single, walk and hit-by-pitch. Joey Appino would cut the Kingfish lead in half, hitting a two-RBI single to left field before the inning would come to an end.

After Kenosha’s offense went dormant in innings four through seven, the Rivets were able to put up five more runs through those frames, scoring three in the fourth, and one in the fifth and seventh.

Before Hirsch’s outing would come to an end, the first two batters of the fourth would reach base, and would be inherited by Jacob Vokal who came in to pitch in relief. On the second pitch of the night for Vokal, Keith Eusebio would give the Rivets the lead with a three-run home run over the left field fence, making the game 5-4 through four innings.

Rockford’s two runs in the fifth and seventh would both come off the bat of Miguel Cantu, as he hit his fourth home run of the summer and an RBI-single, extending the Rivets’ lead to 7-4.

Down to their final six outs, the Kingfish were trying to avoid a three-game sweep in Rockford as the second half of the season is coming to an end and home-field advantage in the playoffs on the line. After a single by Cole Ide, Will Matuszak was able to draw a five pitch walk, putting runners on first and second with two outs. After Noah Alvarez would collect his second hit of the contest in the following at-bat, the bases were loaded for Jackson Brewer. On the third pitch of his at-bat, Brewer would clear the bases with a three-RBI double, tying the game at 7-7.

After allowing an earned run in the seventh inning, Jason Ban was called on for a second inning of work to try and hold the tie through the eighth and give the Kingfish a chance to take a late lead in the ninth. After drawing a one out walk, Alex Tabbert would steal second base and advance to third on a flyout to right field. With two outs, Tabbert would come in to score on a wild pitch, giving the Rivets the 8-7 lead before going into the ninth.

In a familiar story to game two of Tuesday’s doubleheader, the Kingfish found themselves trailing by one with three outs remaining. After coming in to limit the damage in the eighth, Derek Huber was called on to record the final three outs and preserve the Rivets’ lead.

The first batter to face Huber in the ninth would be Kingfish shortstop Tate Bender who would go down swinging for the first out. Matthew Cormier and Cole Ide were the next men up, and after Huber would induce two flyouts, the Rivets would secure the sweep over the Kingfish.

The road trip for the Kingfish will continue as they will travel to Traverse City to play three games against the Pit Spitters with a doubleheader on Thursday due to a postponed game from July 1. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. CDT.