WATERLOO, Iowa — Danny Mayer drove in two runs and reached base for the 18th consecutive game, but the Waterloo Bucks scored twice in the sixth inning and held on for a 5-3 win to salvage a series split with the Stingers on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium.

Willmar (26-22, 8-4 second half) scored twice in the fourth inning to take a brief 2-1 lead, but the Bucks (28-19, 6-6) responded in the bottom half of the same inning to tie the score and took the lead for good in the sixth.

Coming into his six start of the year on the heels of four consecutive wins, Tyler Hanson (Minnesota) struck out a season-high nine batters, but allowed four runs in his six innings of work. Hanson still gave the Stingers a chance to win, scattering seven hits and yielding just one walk.

But in the sixth inning, Waterloo strung together three straight doubles to push home two runs, including the eventual game winning tally.

Willmar battled back once more with an immediate response in the top of the seventh inning. The Stingers put the first three batters on board to start the seventh, as Danny Pardo (Montevallo) led off with a walk. Greg Lambert reached on an error, and then Mayer drove in his second run of the game with an RBI single to center field. Mayer finished with a 2-for-4 night.

Some misfortune prevented the Stingers from tying the game in the seventh, as an untimely double play ended the frame. Willmar left the tying run at that point in the game stranded at second base to end the inning.

Waterloo added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Stingers again attempted to mount a comeback when they came to the plate in the ninth. Quincy McAfee walked to lead off the ninth and bring the tying run to the plate. But Pardo grounded into a double play to quickly erase the threat.

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Danny Mayer. CDI is your local medical imaging provider. It’s your choice where you go for medical imaging, for MRI, CT, mammograms and pain injections, choose CDI. Visit online at myCDI.com/CentralMN.

The Stingers now have off for three days for the Northwoods League All-Star break. Willmar returns home on Thursday to host La Crosse for Relay For Life Night presented by Southern Minnesota Sugar Beet Cooperative. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Thursday.

The 2016 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.