The Waterloo Bucks (2-1) plated nine runs during the sixth inning to lock up a 14-8 road victory over the Rochester Honkers (2-1) on Wednesday night, closing out their season-opening three-game road trip with a winning record. Thanks to Bismarck walking off Duluth, the Bucks are now alone in first place in the Great Plains-East standings. Waterloo drew seven walks, pounded out 10 hits and went 7-for-13 (.538) with runners in scoring position.

Blake Corsentino served as the opener for Waterloo, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings on 30 pitches, allowing a hit and striking out one. The righthander racked up six swinging strikes for a 20.0% whiff rate.

The Bucks struck first in the opening frame as Garrett McGowan (1-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 ROE) reached on a throwing error that allowed him to take second, was moved to third on a Tavan Shahidi (0-for-4, BB, R) groundout then scored on a wild pitch.

Rochester plated a pair in the home half of the fourth but Waterloo promptly responded, picking up back-to-back singles by Gabe Baldovino (2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, SB) and Blaine Marchman (1-for-3, HBP, 2 R, RBI) to open the fifth. Aaron Treloar (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) blasted a three-run home run off the scoreboard in right-center, giving Waterloo a 4-2 lead.

Jordan Nelson gave the Bucks a gutsy effort in relief, firing 5.0 innings of six-hit, two-walk baseball while allowing four earned and striking out six. He picked up the win, racking up 12 whiffs on 76 pitches and working at a 65.8% strike rate.

Emi Gonzalez (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI) and Daniel Irisarri (1-for-4, BB, R, 2 RBI) drew one-out walks in the sixth, followed by a Baldovino single that loaded the bases. Marchman was hit by a pitch, scoring Gonzalez, then a Treloar tapper to third led to a wild play. Rochester’s third baseman threw wildly to home in an effort to cut down the lead runner, instead permitting both Irisarri and Baldovino to cross home safely. Now leading 7-2, Paul Steffensen (1-for-5, BB, R, RBI) and McGowan each rapped RBI singles. Shahidi drew a walk to reload the bases, then two batters later Gonzalez rifled a double down the right field line, plating a par. Irisarri capped off the nine-run frame with a two-run single poked down the left field line.

Waterloo added one more in the eighth as Baldovino walked, moved to second on a passed ball and scored thanks to a Gonzalez RBI single.

The Bucks and Honkers wrap up their series on Thursday at Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium as Waterloo celebrates their 2021 Home Opener. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CST, with the first 500 fans through the gates receiving a free 2021 Waterloo Bucks Poster containing the team’s 2021 schedule.