The Madison Mallards left town Wednesday night coming off a momentum building, come from behind victory that put them within a game of .500. They were also traveling to Brainerd to play a team that was in last place and had lost five in a row.
The Mallards struggled to play solid baseball however, and return home to play Alexandria tonight after being swept in Brainerd by the scores of 7-2 and 4-1.
In game 1 on Thursday night, Mallard pitcher Michael Koehler made his first start of the season and he struggled out of the gate. He allowed four runs, three earned, on a combination of two hits, two walks, an error and a hit batsman. The Mallards came back in the fifth to make a game of it though.
Catcher Matt Pagnozzi hit a one out double and was driven in one out later on an RBI double by center fielder Madison Edwards. Edwards then scored on an RBI triple by left fielder Erik Johnson to make the score 4-2. Mike Settle then hit a shot to left field that looked like a sure double, but Brainerd left fielder Blake Denischuk made a diving catch to preserve the two run lead and end the inning.
The Mighty Gulls then put the game away in the sixth with three runs on three hits and an error off Mallard reliever Ryan Bennett to make the score 7-2. Only one of those runs were earned off Bennett.
Koehler (0-1) took the loss for the Mallards as he pitched five innings total, allowing the damage in the first. The Mallards played an overall bad game, committing four errors and making numerous mental errors in the field and at the plate. They also left nine runners on base.
In game 2 on Friday night, the Mallards once again fell in a hole early on. The Mighty Gulls scored single runs in the first and second innings off Mallards starter Phillip Martinez. Martinez settled down and allowed only an unearned run in the sixth. In his six innings of work, he allowed six hits on the two earned runs while striking out three.
The Mallards scored their only run in the fifth as designated hitter Jaime Martinez led off with a single and came around to score on a passed ball. That was it for the Mallards offense on the night, as they tallied only three total hits. Brainerd scored again in the seventh off reliever Bill Bernabei to make the final score 4-1.
Omar Rivero, Tyson Hanish and Steve Adams combined for three runs, six hits and two RBI?s for the Mighty Gulls in game 2, as they improved to 6-8 on the season and 3-1 on the season against the Mallards.
The Mallards (6-9) look to try and rebound tonight in the first of a two-game series here at Warner Park against the Alexandria Beetles. Cody Hall will make the start as the Mallards tonight as they look to end their two game losing streak.