Waterloo, IA – The St. Cloud Rox took game one by a score of 4-3 over the Waterloo Bucks in tonight’s doubleheader before falling 5-2 to the Bucks in the second game at Riverfront Stadium after yesterday’s postponement. The Rox led 2-1 heading in to the bottom of the sixth of the seven-inning contest in game two, but could not stop the Waterloo rally as the Bucks totaled four runs off three hits to put them ahead and split the series.

In game one, Kenny Anderson took the mound for the Rox and managed to shut down the Waterloo offense and earn the victory (2-1) after each team posted three runs in the first inning. The Rox tallied three runs on three hits in the top of the first, thanks in part to a leadoff double from Bradley Strong and singles from Clay Ardeeser and Mitchell Kranson that brought in runs to give them the early lead.

After Waterloo retaliated with three of their own in the bottom of the first, Anderson was lights out for the Rox, giving up just two hits in the final six innings and striking out three in the process. The Rox recorded the game-winning run in the second inning when Ardeeser singled again, this time bringing in Morgan Phillips to give St. Cloud the decider. Anderson gave up one hit in the second and one more to start the third, but then completely dismantled the Waterloo offense, retiring the final 15 batters of the game to give the Rox a 4-3 victory in game one.

Game two saw the starting pitching of Josh Taylor for the Rox and AJ Puk for the Bucks, who each went five innings as Taylor allowed one run on four hits in that span while Puk gave up two runs on just one hit. The lone Rox hit came in the first inning as Ardeeser doubled to score Strong and Paul, who walked earlier in the inning to give the Rox two runs in the first inning once again. Ardeeser finished the night 3-for-6 at the plate while picking up three RBIs to lead the Rox offensively.

Taylor’s lone run given up came in the third inning off two singles as he earned the no-decision in his fourth start of the season. The score remained 2-1 until Waterloo’s big inning in the sixth, where they brought in four runs off St. Cloud reliever Ben Lumsden (L, 0-2) to pull of the late-inning comeback and defeat the Rox 5-2, bringing St. Cloud’s record to 15-12 on the 2014 season.

Tonight’s game one’s box score can be found at http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=222118 and game two’s box score at http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=210369.

The Rox now return to Joe Faber Field tomorrow night for one game with the Alexandria Blue Anchors before traveling to Alexandria on June 25^th and returning to the Rock Pile on June 26^thfor a five-game home stand, including a two-game series with the Rochester Honkers and Eau Claire Express. The first 400 fans into tomorrow night’s contest will receive a Rox can koozie, presented by Andy’s Towing.

Single game tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.stcloudrox.com, by calling (320) 240-9798 or by visiting the Rox ticket office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex.

For more coverage of the Rox, visit sctimes.com