By: Kyle Tausk
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — An early lead didn’t last for the Rivets to begin Tuesday’s doubleheader in Traverse City.
In the first of two seven-inning games between the Rivets (8-12) and the red-hot Pit Spitters (13-6) on Tuesday, the Rivets went quiet after jumping out to an early lead, ultimately falling to Traverse City 6-2. The Rivets put together a pitching performance that kept them in the game and largely kept a Pit Spitter offense that has rolled its way to a nine-game winning streak in check, but they were held scoreless for the final six innings and couldn’t dig out of the three-run hole.
The Rivets played as the home team for game one despite being on the road at Turtle Creek Stadium due to Tuesday’s first game being a rescheduled contest of a July 11 rainout at Rivets Stadium. That meant the Rivets had to wait until the bottom half of the first to get their first crack at the plate, of which they got off to a fast start.
The Rivets mounted a two-out rally in the opening frame by stacking three consecutive doubles to plate the game’s first two runs. Harrison Bowman (Troy) got it started by legging out a two-base hit before Gavin Taylor (UNLV) and Cooper Hinson (Marshall) each came through with RBI doubles to put the “home” squad in front early.
Rivets starting pitcher Connor Clark (Butler CC) was sharp for much of his 4.1 inning outing, but the third inning turned out to be one his one true bout of trouble. The Pit Spitters tagged the submarine-throwing lefty for three runs in the third on a trio of hits to erase the early deficit and snag the lead.
Overall, Clark allowed four runs on five hits, striking out five and walking just one. The final hitter he faced laced a one-out triple in the top of the fifth, ultimately coming around to score on an RBI single off Tate Smith (Northern Colorado).
The Pit Spitters added another insurance run an inning later after an RBI single drove in a leadoff walk that had advanced all the way to third on a stolen base and balk. They then stole a run with two outs in the seventh on a pickoff attempt with runners on the corners.
Meanwhile, the offense totally dried up for the Rivets after their first inning flurry. They mustered just four hits during the rest of the seven-inning affair — a second Bowman double, a second hit by Gavin Taylor, a double by Collin Mowry, and a seventh-inning single by Collin Taylor (Los Angeles Valley) — none of whom came around to score. Pit Spitters starter Trevor Landen finished off a shortened complete game, striking out seven over his seven excellent innings against Rockford’s lineup.
After a dominant two-game weekend sweep over the Leprechauns, the Rivets have now lost three consecutive games to begin their road trip. Their two runs in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader was the fewest runs the Rivets have scored in a game since June 29.
They’ll quickly get another crack at the first place Pit Spitters, though, as the two teams will play a second seven-inning game at 7:30 p.m.
Fans can purchase tickets for Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.
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The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 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, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.rockfordrivets.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rivets as your favorite team.