BISMARCK, N.D. – Looking for their first sweep of the season, the Bucks rode into Bismarck Municipal Ballpark to take on a much different-looking Larks team.
After a slow start for both sides in the first, the Bismarck Larks (7-13, 18-36) took off with five runs in the first inning off four hits that chased Waterloo Bucks (5-13, 14-38) starter Campbell Holt from the ballgame.
It was a quick response from Waterloo scoring two the next inning, helped by three Lark errors and three hits itself. Both runs in the inning scored off Lark errors to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
Overall, Larks starter Carter Rost was lights out pitching through six complete without allowing an earned run while striking out 11. He returned for the seventh, but Waterloo would plate a run with Liam Critchett scoring on a wild pitch that put the Bucks within two runs.
Keeping the Bucks in the ballgame was reliever Matteo Sollecito. Only expected to go about two to three innings, Sollecito dealt four scoreless before allowing a couple of runs in his fifth inning of work in the seventh.
But that’s where the Larks pounced and pulled away. Seven runs scored in the seventh off five hits and two errors in the field putting Bismarck ahead 12-3 with just two innings to go.
In the eighth, the Bucks were able to get two aboard on a hit and an error but Andrew Paten out of the bullpen shut the inning down.
Despite the nine-run lead, the Larks didn’t stop scoring two more in the bottom of the eighth on an Adam Axtell two-RBI double to bring the score to the eventual final of 14-3.
In the ninth, Chris Hernandez came in to slam the door for the Larks earning two strikeouts to end the ballgame as the Larks salvaged a single game of the four-game series.
Carter Rost earned the win, his fourth in four starts. Meanwhile, Campbell Holt falls in another decision now 0-6 on the season.
After the series win over the Larks, the Bucks turn their head to the Great Plains-leading St. Cloud Rox in their first matchup with the Rox since May.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud to kick off the final series of the road trip.
You can listen to Thursday’s game against the Rox, as well as all Bucks road games, at waterloobucks.com.
