Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- In a game where they were down to their last out trailing by two runs, the Lakeshore Chinooks found a way to come out top in a 7-6 win over the Richmond Flying Mummies on Monday, July 27.

The Hero Monday night for the Chinooks was Joshua Chairez, who hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth inning to clinch the win. Coming up to bat with the bases loaded after back-to-back intentional walks, Chairez faced side armer Harish Balachandran.

On the first pitch against Balachandran, Chairez got a breaking ball on the outside corner that he was able to poke into the opposite field.

“You really [have] to stay through the ball because it’s going to come into you or slide out,” Chairez said. “Staying through the ball [was] the biggest idea there.”

In doing just that, Chairez helped the Chinooks secure their fifth walk-off win on the season. The win in extra innings was made possible with the Chinooks ninth-inning heroics.

Trailing 6-4 from innings 5-8, pinch-hitter Jack Counsell with runners on first and second base with two outs extended the game with a clutch two-run double. Tied at six, the Chinooks received a scoreless top of the tenth inning from Drew Gernert.

Making just his second appearance on the season, Gernert pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings while the Chinooks’ bats were quiet.

The University of Mount Union product and Mequon native has spent the majority of the season as the club’s first-base coach, and with his performance on the mound was able to notch his first win as a Chinook.

Field Manager Brian Gregory after Monday’s contest described Gernert as the Chinooks’ ace in the hole.

“He knew he was going to get it if that game was going to go to 11 [innings]– he was going to go back out there and give us everything he got. It was an outstanding performance by him,” Gregory said.

Outside of Gernert, the Chinooks bullpen allowed just two earned runs in eight innings pitched. With the drama-infused win and a Wausau loss on Monday, the Chinooks are now up two games on the Woodchucks in the Great Lakes West standings.