The Waterloo Bucks (33-21, 10-10) displayed incredible heart in a 5-3 win over the Mankato MoonDogs (36-18, 12-9) on Thursday night, earning their fifth straight victory. Dylan Gotto earned the win with 2.2 innings of relief, striking out three and allowing just one run on three hits and three walks while the Bucks came back from a 2-0 deficit and took advantage of Mankato mistakes to plate three in the eighth. Tristan Gomes (3-for-4, R, RBI) gave Waterloo a three-hit night in the win.

Down 2-0 after two, Gomes and Chris Seng (0-for-3, BB, R) led off the third with a single and a walk respectively. Liam Critchett (1-for-3, 2 BB, 2B, RBI) belted an RBI ground-rule double then Jalen Smith (0-for-3, BB, HBP, RBI) plated Seng with a groundout to tie the game.

Brycen Mautz took a no-decision after giving Waterloo 5.0 frames of two-run ball, scattering four hits and four walks while striking out a pair. Decker Stedman fired a three up, three down sixth to keep the game tied at two.

Jackson Lyon (1-for-3, BB, R) singled with one away in the eighth then Johnny Tincher (1-for-5, R, 2B) doubled down the right field line. After a strikeout, Dalton Chandler (0-for-2, 2 BB, R, ROE) reached on an error that scored Lyon and gave Waterloo the lead. Gomes laced an RBI single back up the middle to provide insurance, then Seng brought home one more by beating out a fielder’s choice.

Tincher threw out two runners during the game to keep things tied, then Zach Button entered with the bases loaded and two down in the ninth to earn his third save of the season by inducing a fielder’s choice.

The Bucks and MoonDogs play game two of their series on Friday evening at 6:35 p.m. CST.