La Crosse, WI – The Waterloo Bucks lost a thriller on Sunday, June 15, at Copeland Park to the La Crosse Loggers, losing in walk-off fashion 8-4.

With the score tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, La Crosse first baseman Mateo Gray mashed a grand slam over the left field wall, winning the game for the Loggers with his second home run in as many days. This defeat marks only the third time this year the Bucks have blown a lead and lost the game.

Eli Pillsbury delivered the fifth quality start of the year for Waterloo, extending seven innings and allowing just two earned runs. The North Carolina State University southpaw allowed nine hits and three walks while punching out six, exiting the contest with the Bucks ahead by one.

Brandon Rice struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth, working around a walk in the process.

Caleb Parker contributed with the lone extra-base hit of the evening for the Bucks on an opposite field double down the third base line in the inaugural at-bat of the contest. The leadoff hitting second baseman also earned the only multi-hit performance of the day for the Bucks, reaching base safely a team-high three times.

Marcus Heusohn drew a pair of walks for the eighth time this season, improving his on-base streak to 16 games.

The Bucks play the Rochester Honkers in a doubleheader back at Riverfront Stadium tomorrow, Monday, June 16, with game one beginning at 12:05 pm (CDT) and game two commencing at 6:35 pm (CDT).

BOXSCORE