Rochester, MN – Seth Thompson mashed a pair of solo home runs and had four hits, Angel Santiago had a couple of knocks for three RBI, and three more Honkers each posted two hits and two RBIs in a complete offensive showcase as Rochester took game one 15-8 over Waterloo.

After getting swept by La Crosse, the Bucks took the lead in the top of the first in game one against Rochester. Collin Brightwell singled with one out, then stole second and third before he scored on a wild pitch to give Waterloo a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Honkers made things even. After a fielder’s choice and a walk, Ryan Drumm stole third in front of a Mike Polubinski sacrifice fly to knot the score, 1-1. 

In the bottom of the third, Rochester sprang ahead with a Seth Thompson solo home run to propel the Honkers to a 2-1 lead. 

In the home half of the fourth, Rochester padded their lead. Ryan Drumm reached on an error, and moved up to second on a walk. One batter later, a fielder’s choice and a throwing error allowed Drumm to score to make it 3-1. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Honkers broke the game open. A walk and a single got the party started, then Ryan Drumm ripped a two-run double to left to grow the lead to 5-1. A walk and a single loaded the bases, then Matt Maize worked a walk to force a run in to make it 6-1. Next man up, Angel Santiago served a single to right to plate a pair to make it 8-1. On the next pitch, Thompson muscled a base hit to right to put one more marker on the board, 9-1. Finally, Cooper Kruk laced a double to left to bring home two more to cap off an eight run inning to put the advantage at 11-1.

In the last of the sixth, Rochester put the game out of reach.A one out single and a walk set the table for Polubinski to drive a run in with a single to make it 12-1. One batter later, Maize pulled an RBI single to right to balloon the lead to 13-1. After a walk, Thompson roped a single to right to bring the run in from second to puff the lead to 14-1. 

Although the Bucks fought back with seven runs late in the ballgame, the deficit was too much to overcome as the Honkers took game one of the series 15-8. 

With the loss, the Bucks go to 24-35 overall and 10-15 in the second half of the season. Game two of the two-game set is scheduled for Wednesday night at 6:35 pm. Matt Milke takes the mound for Rochester opposite Nate Berzonski of the Bucks.

https://northwoodsleague.com/baseball/game/?id=6366