The Waterloo Bucks (13-39, 3-14) outlasted the Mankato MoonDogs (30-22) in an exciting 5-3 series finale.
After a 3-run second keyed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Greg Anderberg (0-1, RBI, BB, SAC) and a 2-run single off the bat of Trey Leonard (2-4, 3 RBI), Mankato brought the game to 3-3 with runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh. Waterloo responded with back-to-back RBI singles by Leonard and Kevin Welsh (2-4, RBI) in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead for good at 5-3.
Joshua Culliver (W, 1.1 innings, 0 R, 1 H) and Justin Mulvaney (SV, 1.0 inning, K) combined to finish off Mankato in the later frames. Matt Perea twirled 6.0 innings of 2-run ball (1 earned) against a talented MoonDogs lineup.
The Bucks open a 2-game home set with the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Saturday at 6:35 p.m.