MANKATO, Minn. – For the third straight game, the Waterloo Bucks allowed an early run to its opponents and only managed to scratch across a couple of runs against the other team’s starting pitcher. That all changed during the Bucks first road game to Mankato, Minnesota.

The first inning saw the MoonDogs using small ball to score the first run of the ballgame and give the home team the early lead. The leadoff batter Luke Napleton, in his first appearance this season singled to put a man on. A wild pitch and a passed ball later all it took was a ground out to third base to score Napleton as the only baserunner of the inning for Mankato.

However, the Bucks responded the next inning when Jalen Martinez singled, and Kaleb Knox doubled to put two runners in scoring position, it was then the Bucks who used the RBI groundout as Brodie Kresser got the RBI that tied the game at one apiece.

Alec Patino gave the Bucks their first lead of the season when he hit a solo shot to right-centerfield for his second long ball of the season. He’s the only Buck to launch a home run as of Wednesday, June 1^st.

Although the Bucks still held the narrow 2-1 lead, it took until MoonDogs starter Simon Gregersen got relieved by Michael Gurka from Minnesota in the sixth inning. Gurka couldn’t find the strike zone as he walked all three batters he faced, only throwing one strike through his appearance. Mankato went to Bryce Richter who then, walked the first batter he faced scoring the third run of the ballgame for the visitors.

In that inning, the Bucks eventually scored six runs off just two base hits and five walks. Another run was added in the seventh off a sacrifice fly before Mankato was able to scrape across two runs in the bottom of the eighth trying to rally off a sac fly and a single.

The Bucks did not take too kindly to that as they added three more in the top of the ninth to add more insurance. Yet again, it was off the free pass, as the Bucks were walked four times in a row, three of those were with the bases already loaded.

The Waterloo Bucks (1-2) looked to Trent Reddick who moved from third base to the pitcher’s mound to pitch the final two innings and earned its first win of the season taking down the Mankato MoonDogs (2-1), 12-3.

The Bucks will look for a sweep of the Dogs Thursday at 6:35 p.m. from ISG Field in Mankato to work its record back to .500. You can listen in to Thursday’s game at waterloobucks.com.