Alexandria (MN) The Waterloo Bucks hit three homer runs and defeated the Alexandria Blue Anchors 7-1, for their ninth straight victory on Tuesday night. Waterloo is the first Northwoods League team to reach 30 wins on the season, and have opened the second half with a 6-0 mark.

Connor McClain, Kyle Pollock and Will Sparks each hit their first home runs of the season.

Jake Stone made his pitching debut for the Bucks, earning the win going the first five innings, allowing a single run, Gerrion Grim threw three scoreless innings and Blake Hickman fired a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Waterloo scored first on Pollock’s second inning solo shot to right centerfield. The Bucks added to the lead in the third inning starting with McClain’s lead off homer down the right field line.

Then with one out and David Kerian at first, John Ziznewski ripped a hit-an-run line drive to centerfield.  An errant throw to third base in a misbegotten effort to get Kerian sailed into the Alexandria dugout allowed him to score and make it 3-0.

Pollock drove in Ziznewski with a base hit and it was 4-0.

Alexandria got a run back on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third but wouldn’t get closer.

In the sixth inning, Marcos Calderon walked and then scored on Sparks’ homer to centerfield to give the Bucks a 6-1 edge.

Waterloo then made it 7-1, scoring a run on an infield error in the eighth inning.