One day after the Mallards played their worst game of the season, they came back with renewed energy and played a solid ballgame in defeating the Rochester Honkers by a score of 6-4. With the win, Madison improved to 5-6 on the season and 3-3 on this current eight-game homestand.
The Honkers jumped out to a quick lead in the first. Leadoff hitter Jeff Corseletti walked and came around to score on back to back hits by Mike Miller and Andre Ethier off Mallard starter Cody Hall to make it 1-0.
The Mallards answered right back in their half of the first off Honker starter Jimmy Conroy. Mike Settle doubled with two out and scored on a Charlie Baineaux base hit to tie the game at one.
Madison then grabbed the lead in the third inning. Madison Edwards led off with a base hit and after a Cooper Fouts sacrifice, Mike Settle was hit by a pitch. Matt Bose and Charlie Babineaux then came through with clutch RBI singles to give the Mallards a 3-1 lead.
Rochester came right back however with single runs in the fourth and seventh innings to tie the game back up at three. They scored in the fourth on an error by right fielder Nick Cadena and in the seventh on a sacrifice fly.
Rochester’s third run knocked Mallards starter Cody Hall out of the game. Hall threw the ball well though in his second start of the season. Hall ended up going 6 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while walking three and striking out one.
Madison regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh, but it was only short lived. After catcher Cooper Fouts singled and was knocked in by Charlie Babineaux’s third RBI of the game, Rochester once again fought back in the top of the eighth to tie the game at four off Madison reliever Bill Bernabei.
The Mallards finally put the game away in the eighth with two runs off Honker relievers Joseph Llanas and David Bader. After Llanas (0-1) walked first baseman Jaime Martinez to open the inning, Rochester brought in Bader. After a sacrifice bunt, he promptly gave up RBI singles to Dominic Ramos and Cooper Fouts to give the Mallards a 6-4 lead. They would hold eventually hold on for the victory.
Mark Sopko (1-0) recorded the win for the Mallards. He escaped further damage from the Honkers in the eighth and made things interesting in the ninth before finally shutting the door. After an error and a walk started the ninth, Sopko retired the Honkers in order to end the game.
Jimmy Conroy started for the Honkers (5-6) and pitched well enough to keep Rochester in the game. He threw six innings and gave up three earned runs on six hits while walking three and striking out four.
The Mallards and Honkers play game two of this three game series Tuesday night. The game is being billed as Honker Reduction night as one lucky fan will be given a free nose job by a local doctor. The Mallards will also try to even up their record at 6-6. Game time is set for 7:05 pm.