MADISON, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER) — For the third time in as many days, the Lakeshore Chinooks rallied with their backs to the wall to snatch victory from the hands of defeat.

Trailing 5-1 entering the eighth to the Madison Mallards, the Chinooks appeared to be running out of time. Instead, Lakeshore put up nine unanswered runs to steal game 1 of the weekend series in Madison, 10-6.

For manager Mikel Moreno, Saturday’s come-from-behind victory wasn’t surprising, as the team had hit the ball hard all night.

“We weren’t getting the results we wanted, but our boys kept grinding to have good at-bats,” Moreno said.

In the eighth inning, the Chinooks sent 11 to the plate – including seven hits and three walks – as the line kept moving forward down four runs.

“We had a couple hits here and a couple hits there,” Moreno said of his offense spreading the ball all over the diamond.

The breakthrough hit came down 5-4 with one out and runners on second and third. Right fielder Nate Gray chopped a 2-0 fastball over Mallard third baseman Mikey Bell’s head and into left field, giving the Chinooks their first lead of the game.

Gray said he wanted to barrel up the baseball, but it just worked out.

“Hitting is contagious,” Gray said.

Moreno said Gray is one of his most reliable hitters who delivers quality at-bats after quality at-bats.

After Gray’s clutch go-ahead single, first baseman Esteban Garcia – who had been in a significant slump before Saturday’s game – added two more insurance runs, extending the lead to three.

However, a two-run home run by center fielder Jesse Aguirre put the game away in the ninth in what Mkreno said was his favorite part of Saturday’s victory.

“It [Jesse’s home run] just makes it more difficult for them to come back,” Moreno said.

On the pitching side, right-hander Jackson Bahn entered the bottom of the eighth inning tasked with preserving an 8-5 lead.

Bahn, who missed significant time with an injury, showed some of the best “stuff” any Lakeshore pitcher had shown all season, striking out three while topping out at 95 miles per hour.

“He’s gaining his confidence, and he’s throwing strikes,” Moreno said.

Though Bahn shined, left-hander Bobby Perebzak entered with two outs in the eighth, inheriting runners on first and second.

Perebzak followed up on Bahn’s performance by striking out two of his final four batters and collecting the save.

“I had a blast,” Perebzak said. “I had no worries in the world.”

Perebzak said he wasn’t supposed to pitch unless the team had a late, and that is how things worked out.

“I was very calm,” Perebzak said.

As a whole, the Chinooks’ bullpen held one of the Northwoods League’s top offenses scoreless over five innings.

The five runs the Chinnoks allowed came from starter Chance Covert.

Despite Covert’s final line looking subpar – 4IP, 3H 5R 4BB 3K – he pitched into the fifth, having allowed just two runs.

However, the left-hander failed to record an out while loading the bases in the fifth.

Left-hander Aaron Robinson relieved Covert but allowed three inherited runs to score.

“I thought I went out there and competed well,” Covert said. “It wasn’t my best performance, but a win is a win.”

Lakeshore goes for the series sweep over the Mallards on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Right-hander Jack Hagen is expected to start.