The Madison Mallards? Luck of the Irish finally wore off in the 13th inning as they lost 4-3 against the Express in Eau Claire tonight, June 5, 2006. It was the Ducks? third straight one-run game.

The loss dropped the Mallards? record to 2-3, and raised the Express record to 3-2.

Both teams held tough throughout the game and into extra innings until, of all things, a catcher, Jordan Wolf, who had not pitched since at least high school, was called out to the Mallards bullpen. He came in during the 13th inning, and with a full count after a couple of fouls, surrendered a walk to Express center fielder Kraig Binick.

Brian Frew, who played a number of roles, including pinch hitter, right fielder and first baseman, then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Binick to second base. Binick reached home by way of catcher Nevin Ashley?s single down the first-base line in front of a dwindling group at Carson Park that had began as a crowd of 1,507.

Ashley was a major performer for the Express. He got Eau Claire on the board in the sixth inning when, with two outs and none on base, he hit a home run. At the time, it was only the third hit of the game for Eau Claire, but, it set tracks for many more Express hits ?12 in all.

Madison was much more efficient. The team only connected on four hits, but led the game twice.

Despite giving up the home run to Ashley, Jake Sullivan (pictured above) tossed an impressive first start for the Mallards, especially since the home run was the only run he gave up. Over six innings, five of them scoreless, Sullivan gave up only one walk, struck out four and allowed four hits. Furthermore, he retired the first 10 batters he faced.

The Mallards first took the lead in the third inning as right fielder Jordan Comadena drew a two-out walk and then went all the way to home on a Blaine Rutledge double. Rutledge (pictured below, left), the left fielder, was caught trying to stretch the double into a triple on a 9-3-2-5 defensive play.

The Mallards got one more hit in both the fourth and sixth innings, but would not get another hit until the 12th inning.

However, that did not keep the Ducks from scoring. After Ashley?s home run for the Express in the sixth inning, and another run for the Express in the seventh that came by way of a single, a sacrifice bunt along with error that was somehow ruled a hit, a hit batsman and a fielder?s choice play that put Eau Claire up 2-1, the Mallards reached home again just in time.

After Express starter Jordan Zimmerman who walked two, gave up three hits and surrendered one earned run ? walked Rutledge in the top of the ninth inning with no outs, he was replaced by Nick Fellman. Fellman promptly walked third baseman Mike Rohde after Rutledge reached second on a passed ball. Then, Ryan Bond (pictured below, right), who sparkled at the plate, on the base paths and at shortstop, laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away and ruled as an error on the first baseman. On the play, Rutledge reached home, and Rohde came around to the plate as well, but was called back to third as the ball had gone out of play.

C.J. Thieleke, Mallards manager, was visibly unhappy about the call. But the run at least got the Mallards into extra innings.

Although both teams threatened in the 10th inning, neither scored.

In the 11th, however, the Mallards regained the lead by way of a gutsy move when Ryan Bond demonstrated crime can pay as he stole home plate after reaching on a fielding error. He was on third with two outs, and took off for home in a go-for-broke move while Express pitcher Emerson Trager was in his windup and not watching the runner.

Unfortunately, the Express would answer in the bottom of the 11th after a series of hits and wild pitches.

The Mallards got another hit in the 12th inning, their first since the sixth, meanwhile proving that putting the ball in play can provide results equal to those of getting clean hits.

Tomorrow, the Mallards will look to get back to .500 against Eau Claire at 7:05 p.m. Casey Baron will start for the Mallards, and Patrick Criss will take the hill for the Express. Hear every pitch on Madison?s Fox Sports Radio 100.5 FM as Aaron Sims brings you all the action.

The Mallards return to Warner Park on June 7 to face the Wisconsin Woodchucks on Quench Gum Guaranteed Win Night presented by WB 57. If the Mallards somehow lose to the Woodchucks, all fans will receive a free ticket to a future game. Great seats are still available. To order, call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or visit www.mallardsbaseball.com.