Green Bay, WI – Coming off back-to-back off days, Lakeshore (6-8) looked to start a strong week before the All-Star break. It began with a trip up to Green Bay for a home-and-home. The Chinooks went into Thursday’s game half a game up on the now 7-8 Rockers.
The Chinooks looked to keep their offense going in a favorable offensive ballpark, but the Rockers struck first. The first two men reached for Green Bay without putting a ball in play. A groundout conceited the game’s first run before Sam Miller took Zach Slome’s 3-2, 2 out pitch over the fence in left field setting the home team up early.
Lakeshore hasn’t given in to an early deficit at any point this season, they came roaring back in the next half inning, the top of the second. Sylvester who started the inning on the mound found himself in trouble early and the patience of the Chinooks showed. They walked three times broken up by a Brady Counsell double to allow the first four on and plate a run. Two quick outs followed and it looked like Lakeshore may not take full advantage of their opportunity, but Griffin Cameron dropped a bullet of a ball into center field for a single to notch the game at three.
Both offenses would stall off the arms of Herron and Edwards, for Lakeshore and Green Bay respectively. Herron dominated in his 2.1 innings of work, allowing just one hit and one walk. Inducing mostly ground balls, Herron didn’t let a Rockers baserunner to reach second base. He and Edwards kept the game even at three until the seventh.
Brayden Welch entered for Lakeshore in his second appearance. He recorded a quick pop fly out, but back-to-back singles gave Green Bay a chance that was hard to come by all night. This time Jake Bold singled, adding his second RBI of the night and breaking through the standoff.
Another response from the ‘Nooks came from timely two-out offense. Brady Counsell took ball four on a 3-2 count to extend the inning and then All-Star Dominic Kibler continued his offensive supremacy doubling to center field to level the teams back out, 4-4.
However, Green Bay would get the last laugh. Two baserunners followed by the games lone error off the arm of Dominic Kibler moved Rockers to second and third and eventually plate the winning run in Matthews.
Another close defeat for the Chinooks, 5-4 and the is search for their first win of the season in Green Bay continues. They will have two more chances, July 30th and August 5th.
In two games at Capital Credit Union Park this season, the ‘Nooks have put up a combined 7 runs. For such an offensive ballpark, the numbers can seem surprising. Lakeshore was putout ten times by fly balls to the outfield tonight, potentially in part to the “do more” mindset that can take over as alluded to by coach Levi Jensen in an interview earlier this week.
“It’s exciting, it’s a little bit of a scary park because guys can tend to do too much and you just start popping stuff up and things just don’t go right.”
The Chinooks look to get back on track in a three game stretch before three days off for the All-Star Game.
Catcher Dominic Kibler will take himself out to Minnesota to participate and represent the Chinooks. He’s a big reason for the offesnive performance of the ‘Nooks that by the numbers isn’t ideal. As a team batting just .237, their on base percentage of .372 combined with 143 stolen bases (4th in the league) is a big reason for the success Lakeshore has found offensively especially as of late.
Lakeshore returns home tomorrow, 7/19 at 6:35pm CST before heading out to Wausau for a two game series. The next three games are crucial and it will be all hands on deck for the ‘Nooks on both sides of the ball. They seek at least a split in the four game stretch to stay in striking distance in a close playoff race.
Article written by Sam Marchant.
