ROCHESTER, Minn. – Two nights after the Bucks walked off their ballgame in front of their home fans, the Honkers returned the favor.
The Rochester Honkers (10-12) did the same thing they did on Tuesday night by jumping out to a large, early lead. Two runs in the first and five in the second allowed the Honkers to take a 7-1 lead through two innings.
However, this time the Waterloo Bucks (5-17) wouldn’t go down quietly. A Ryan Grabosch third-inning sac-fly cut the deficit to five. In the fifth, three hits and a Honker error allowed four runs to score, it was 7-6 with the Bucks within one.
The Honkers didn’t take too kindly to the Bucks’ comeback attempt as they plated a run in the bottom of the sixth when Alex Pimentel hit an RBI single to push the score to 8-6.
The very next inning, the first Buck batter Colin Kasperbauer launched a leadoff shot to right field, landing in front of the apartment building that takes over the Mayo Field right side fence… 8-7.
Later that inning, it was Kyle Huckstorf’s turn to collect another RBI as he laced a single into left that scored Liam Critchett from third, 8-8, a tie game.
The next few frames were quiet, taking both teams to the bottom of the ninth with Waterloo hoping to force extras, and Rochester praying for another ninth-inning walk-off at its home stadium.
The Honkers would get their wish, as with runners on first and second, Theo Hardy singled to left field to score the game-winning run as Rochester walked off victorious 9-8.
For the Bucks, it was a taste of their own medicine, as two nights prior the Bucks walked off the Loggers by the same score. The Bucks have now lost eight in a row on the road.
For Waterloo, a five-game road trip continues with a two-game series with the Duluth Huskies starting tomorrow from Wade Stadium. It will be the Bucks’ final two games from Wade Stadium in the 2022 regular season. As with all Bucks road games, you can listen in live at waterloobucks.com
First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Campbell Holt is expected to start on the mound for the Bucks.
