Adam McGinnis launched his team-leading sixth home run and drove in five in Tuesday come-from-behind win.
Box Score: http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=365000
By: Jared Shlensky
WATERLOO, Iowa – Two hits and five RBI from Adam McGinnis and four shutout innings from the Waterloo bullpen guided the Bucks to an 8-6 come-from-behind win over the La Crosse Loggers. Tuesday’s game marked the third straight in which the Waterloo defense didn’t commit an error, the longest errorless streak this year.
La Crosse (14-14) took a 4-0 lead after batting around to begin the ball game. Mason McCoy was hit on the hand to begin the game before Cullen Large doubled off the center field wall with one out. With runners on second and third, Grant Fennell brought in the first run of the game with an RBI single to center. Lorenzo Hampton, Jr. made it 3-0 with a two-run double down the left field line, plating both Large and Fennell. Kevin Collard capped off the four-run first with an RBI single to center, bringing around Hampton from second.
Waterloo (19-8) cut the La Crosse lead to one with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Taylor Boyd led off the inning with a walk before stealing second. Two batters later, Tyler Curtis drew another walk. McGinnis then made it 4-3 with a towering three-run homer over the left field wall. The homer for McGinnis was his team-leading sixth and increased his league-leading RBI total to 31.
The Loggers went back in front by three with two more runs in the second. McCoy led off the frame with an infield single before Justin Wylie reached base for the first time on the night with a walk. Large then loaded the bases with an infield single to the left side. Fennell made it 5-3 with a sacrifice fly to left for his second RBI of the game. Collard then extended the Loggers’ lead to three with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Wylie for the final run of the inning.
The Bucks cut the deficit to one with a run in the bottom of the second. Robert Neustrom led off the frame with a single to left. Neustrom then moved up to second on a wild pitch, however, the throw from La Crosse catcher Luis Trevino sailed into center, allowing Neustrom to take third. Daniel Perry made it 6-4 with an RBI single to center, scoring Neustrom.
Waterloo tied the game at 6-6 with a pair of runs in the third. Curtis drew a five-pitch walk to start the inning before Adam McGinnis muscled a single into right-center. Lane Milligan then loaded the bases with a single to left, extending his season-high on-base streak to 12 games. Jake Hand tied the game at 6-6 with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring McGinnis from third.
The Bucks took their first lead of the game with a run in the fourth. Boyd reached on a fielding error by his counterpart to start the frame before a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Curtis and Boyd gave Waterloo runners on the corners. McGinnis gave Waterloo its first lead of the game at 7-6 with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing in Boyd.
Waterloo doubled its lead to 8-6 with a run in the seventh. Alex Boxwell triple to right-center to right-center before McGinnis brought him in with an RBI groundout to second.
Brett Solano (3-1) recorded the win. The right-hander allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over five innings.
Nate Spielvogel (2), Hunter Spencer (2) and Derek Hendrixson (3) each earned holds in the win. The three combined for three hitless innings, walking two and striking out one.
Brandon Downey (8) recorded his league-tying eighth save in as many chances in the ninth. Downey allowed one hit, one walk and hit a batter while striking out in his 11th appearance of the season.
The Bucks continue their five-game homestand on Wednesday with a day-night doubleheader against La Crosse. First pitch in game one is at 11:05 a.m. from Riverfront Stadium while first pitch in game two at Copeland Park in La Crosse, Wis., is at 7:05 p.m. RHP Jordan Accetta (3-0, 2.59) starts for the Bucks in game one while RHP Mark Nowaczewski (2-1, 3.27) counters for the Loggers.
Wednesday’s game is a Twins Ticket Giveaway. One fan will receive a pair of tickets to an upcoming Twins game this season. All Waterloo Bucks games can be heard online with Jared Shlensky on waterloobucks.com.
