LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford Rivets failed to get the bats going Thursday in a 6-1 loss to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Rivets Stadium.

Three Wisconsin Rapids pitchers combined to five-hit Rockford. Starter Chris Cooper (4-0) scattered a run on three hits over six innings for the win.

The Rafters broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth inning and tacked on three more in the seventh. In the sixth, Rockford lifted starter Ethan Howard with two runners in scoring position and two outs. Reliever Quinton Forrester’s first pitch was wild and brought home Dustin Woodcock with the go-ahead run. Ben Fisher then came home on a passed ball by Jesse Wilkening.

Howard (0-1) struck out four, but gave up nine hits and took the loss.

Ben Fisher, who was 5-for-5 Thursday, broke the game open with a three-double in the seventh.

The Rivets and Rafters will return to Rivets Stadium on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. It’s Cheap Trick Bobblehead Night and Human Cannonball Night. Broadcasts and live streams can be found at NorthwoodsLeague.com. 

The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, 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 (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rockfordrivets.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Rivets as your favorite team.