Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- Going for four straight wins, the Lakeshore Chinooks took on the Green Bay Rockers on Monday, June 8 at Moonlight Graham Field. The Chinooks came into Monday’s game with a three-game winning streak.

Coming off a 3-0 win in yesterday’s game against Fond du Lac where they had just one hit, the Chinooks were held hitless through the first three innings of Monday’s contest.

On the contrary, the Rockers had consistent commotion on the basepaths, bringing up 16 batters to the plate during this stretch while scoring two runs.

Later, in the top of the fifth inning, the Rockers loaded the bases with just one out. On a 0-1 count, Eric Hernandez hit a bases-clearing double to the right field gap to extend the Rockers lead 5-0.

Accumulating just one hit entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the Chinooks offense exploded for five runs. All five runs came on two outs, with a two-run double off the bat Bryan Lorenz getting the scoring started for the Chinooks.

Lorenz said his approach down 5-0 was to have team at bats.

“Good things happen when you hit it hard in play,” Lorenz said. “I like to keep it simple.”

Following a Casey Robinson pinch-hit single, Aukai Kea sent a moonshot over the left field wall to tie the score at five.

Riding on their momentum, the Chinooks stayed aggressive in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a leadoff hit-by-pitch, an infield error and walk loaded the bases for David Hogg II.  Up 1-0 in the count, Hogg poked the next pitch out to the outfield for a sacrifice fly.

Just like the fifth inning, Lorenz yet again delivered with two outs, drilling a 2-1 pitch down the third base line for a two-run double. Sitting on second base, Lorenz stole second base and scored on a passed ball to extend the Chinooks lead to 9-5.

Lorenz stolen base was one of six for the Chinooks throughout the entirety of the game. Field Manager Mikel Moreno after the game said he wants his players to have freedom while learning the game.

“I [don’t] want these guys to obviously run into outs, but that’s what summer’s for,” Moreno said. “[It’s] to get these guys better so they can work on their game.”

Following a two-run seventh inning for the Rockers to make the score 9-7, the Chinooks entered the top of the ninth inning three outs way from a victory over the defending Northwoods league champions.

Entering Monday with an ERA under two, Zander Bretza struggled to find the strike zone, walking two of the first three batters he faced. With two outs, Holden Harris cut down the Chinooks lead to one with a RBI single to right field.

With the momentum shifted in favor of the Rockers with runners on second and third base, Bretza got Mike Dee to pop up to second base to secure the win.

During the Chinooks four-game winning streak, six players have made their season debuts. Moreno said the team will get these newcomers acclimated to the club.

“I feel like once we start working on hitting their fundamentals and hitting their baseline, you’ll really start to see a good product on the field,” Moreno said.

With the win, the Chinooks leapfrogged the Rockers for sole possession of third place in the Great Lakes West Division at 8-6. Hoping for a two-game set sweep, the Chinooks are back at Moonlight Graham field tomorrow, June 8 with first pitch at 6:05 pm CDT.