WAUSAU, WI – After trailing 5-3 in the ninth inning, the Wisconsin Woodchucks rallied back to defeat the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders by a final score of 6-5. The Woodchucks won on yet another walk-off. This time, Javier Rosario was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to walk in the winning run.
The game started with the Woodchucks striking first in the third inning when the Dock Spiders committed an error at third that allowed Kenny Rodriguez to score the first run of the game. This gave the Woodchucks an early 1-0 lead.
The Dock Spiders responded in the fifth inning by scoring two runs. This gave them their first lead of the game at 2-1. These were the first runs that Woodchucks starting pitcher Beau Nichols allowed. He tossed seven innings and allowed four total runs on eight hits. Nichols walked zero and struck out two.
The Woodchucks also scored in the fifth inning. Kenny Rodriguez hit a solo home run that tied the game. This was his fourth of the season. The Woodchucks reclaimed the lead at 3-2 after Adam Frank then drove in Alejandro Gonzalez.
The Dock Spiders scored three more runs in the seventh and eighth inning to obtain the lead. One of those runs was allowed by Woodchucks right-handed relief pitcher Tom Ambrosino, who came on in the eighth. He pitched a scoreless ninth that gave the Woodchucks an opportunity to rally back and win the game.
The Woodchucks came back in the ninth. Leadoff hitter Alejandro Gonzalez reached base and was driven in by Adam Frank. This brought the Woodchucks within one run of the Dock Spiders. Then, with the bases loaded, the Dock Spiders walked a run home to tie the game. Finally, Fond du Lac’s closer hit Javier Rosario to walk in the Woodchucks winning run, leading to a final score of 6-5.
Top Performers
Kenny Rodriguez hit a solo home run that tied the game in the fifth inning. This was his fourth of the season. Rodriguez finished 2-3 with two runs, one walk, and one RBI.
Byron Murray needed just a home run to complete the cycle. The 2019 All-Star went 3-4 with a single, double, and triple.
2019 All-Star Adam Frank went 2-5 with two RBI, including an RBI single in the ninth inning that brought the Woodchucks within one.
Next Up
The Wisconsin Woodchucks will continue their three-game homestand tomorrow on Tuesday, July 9th as they host the Lakeshore Chinooks at 6:35 PM. It will be Military Appreciation Night. The Woodchucks will honor our Military by offering a free ticket to active and retired Military personnel. A Military ID or proof of service can be presented at the Woodchucks ticket office to receive the free ticket. For tickets, call us at 715.845.5055, stop by our front office, or visit woodchucks.com.
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The Wisconsin Woodchucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.woodchucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Woodchucks as your favorite team.