BATTLE CREEK, MICH – The Rockford Rivets pulled off an amazing comeback Sunday afternoon, helped massively by a lack of Battle Creek control from their bullpen in stealing the final game of the two game series, 7-6, at C.O. Brown Stadium.

 

Entering the seventh inning, the Rivets trailed 6-0 and were being no-hit by Bombers righty Felix Minjarez.  But David Cronin singled and Cade Bunnell doubled him home to make it 6-1.  In the eighth, Battle Creek lost the strike zone.  Walks to Gavin Johnson, Hunter Steinmetz, and Michael Smith, coupled with an error and two wild pitches made it 6-3.  A Cronin groundout made it 6-4 going to the ninth.

 

In the ninth, Josh Hauser was hit as a pinch hitter, Vander Wal and Steinmetz both walked and Michael Smith tied it with a two-run single.  The go-ahead run scored on a passed ball on catcher Truman Brown.

 

Cory Wright (2-0) picked up the win by throwing three innings of relief, while Cody Puckett (1-1) suffered the loss by not retiring a hitter in the ninth.  Zach Olszewski earned his third save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.

 

The Rivets will open a split two game series against the Kenosha Kingfish in Kenosha on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.  Broadcasts and live streams can be found at NorthwoodsLeague.com. 

 

 

 

 

Rockford is a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets), Lucas Duda (Mets) and Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com. For more information, visit RockfordRivets.com.