Wausau, WI – July 28, 2008. Troy Frazier’s two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th, his second of the night, gave the Mallards their ninth straight loss and powered the Woodchucks to a 5-3 victory Monday night in Wausau. The Mallards and the Woodchucks needed extra innings for the fourth time in seven meetings this season, and the home team has won each of the contests. Brant Combs (Missouri State) took the loss and fell to 4-5 on the year. Brad Riddle pitched the 10th and 11th for the Woodchucks to pick up the win. The Mallards fell to 7-15 in the second half with the defeat.
Brandon Wikoff (Illinois) and Luke Stewart (UAB) had two hits for the Mallards, who banged out nine on the night. Frazier was 2-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBIs for Wisconsin.
Neither team could get much offense going until the bottom of the third, when Kyle Bubak doubled home Jake Waddle to put the Woodchucks ahead 1-0. Mallards starter Joe Yermal (Charlotte) allowed another run in the bottom of the fourth, before Madison broke through in the top of the sixth to tie the game at two.
In the sixth off Woodchucks starter Brad Allen, Wikoff singled and advanced to second on a one-out single by Aaron Bray. Trent Soares (Fresno State) came through with a single of his own that scored Wikoff and moved Bray to third. That was all for Allen on the night, as he was relieved by Rob Currie. Currie gave up a single to Don Lambert (Baylor) that scored Bray to tie the game.
The Mallards took the lead 3-2 in the top of the seventh, when Lyerly doubled home Wikoff. That was all the scoring in the game until the bottom of the ninth, when Reed Woytek (Baylor) entered the game to try for the save. He got a quick out before giving up a home run to center by Frazier to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Madison left three runners on base in the 10th and the 11th, and Frazier broke through with his second home run of the night with a runner on base to end the game and extend the Mallards woes.
The two teams will shift the series to Madison tonight, as the Mallards will try to end the franchise-record nine-game losing streak. It will be Maynard G. Mallard Bobblehead Night at the “Duck Pond,” courtesy of U.S. Cellular. The first 1,000 fans will receive the Maynard figurine. Fan 4 Ever will also be handing out 2008-2009 Green Bay Packer schedule magnets.
