The Waterloo Bucks (29-21, 6-10) earned their fifth shutout of 2021 with a 2-0 victory over the Bismarck Larks (25-23, 7-6) on Saturday evening on the road. Duncan Davitt picked up his third win with 5.0 scoreless innings of four-hit baseball, striking out six and walking none. Anthony Pron, Aaron Treloar and Zach Button combined to deal the final 4.0 frames, allowing three runners on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

Davitt piled up 13 whiffs on 91 pitches, working around three hit batsmen and pounding the zone late in counts to give Waterloo five scoreless frames. Catcher Emi Gonzalez (2-for-3, BB, R) made a tremendous defensive play to end Davitt’s day in the fifth, racing after a wild pitch then turning and firing to his starter, nailing a runner attempting to score from second.

Waterloo opened the scoring in the fourth as Max Jung-Goldberg (1-for-2, R) poked a two-out single down the left field line and advanced to second on a throwing error. Luke Fennelly (0-for-2, 2 BB) and Gonzalez drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, then a balk allowed Jung-Goldberg to cross home.

Pron entered in the sixth and flashed his high-leverage talent, striking out two straight hitters with men on the corners and none out before Jalen Smith (0-for-2, 2 BB, HBP) made a ridiculous diving play to end the inning. The righthander worked 2.0 innings, scattering two hits and striking out two.

Gonzalez singled with two out in the eighth, Sam Biller (0-for-2, 2 BB) walked then Jacob Ruley (1-for-4, RBI) gave the Bucks key insurance with an RBI single to left.

Treloar worked a scoreless eighth, walking one, then Button slammed the door by striking out the side in the ninth.

The Bucks and Larks play game two of their series at 4:05 p.m. CST in Bismarck on Sunday.