Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Another game came down to defensive mistakes for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (7-13) as they fell to the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (10-9) Sunday afternoon 10-9. The Rafters had a 9-5 lead entering the eighth inning, but, the final four runs of the game all came across unearned due to errors. It was the fourth loss in a row for the Rafters, even though they continued to show bright spots. Drew Thompson allowed just one run over two innings in his start while Espn Simpson allowed just one earned run in 2.2 innings and Mason Onate picked up four RBIs.

The Dock Spiders were the first to score, working up the pitch count of Wisconsin Rapids’ Thompson and taking the 1-0 lead on Marcus Romero’s RBI fielder’s choice.

The response came in quick from the Rafters with Mason Onate ripping a two-RBI double off Dock Spiders starter Mason Weckler in the top of the third, snatching a 2-1 advantage.

Fond du Lac knotted it up in the bottom of the fourth against Rafters reliever Zach Crotchfelt, making it 2-2 on Kelsen Johnson’s RBI single.

The bats woke up in the top of the fifth inning for both teams, starting with the Rafters adding three runs on Mason Onate and Gunnar Myro’s RBI singles and Onate’s steal of home off Fond du Lac’s Weckler.

The lead didn’t last long for the Rafters as the Dock Spiders tied it up 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth when Matt Hansen picked up an RBI double and scored on a wild pitch from Wisconsin Rapids’ Crotchfelt before Kelsen Johnson had an RBI double of his own off Rafters reliever Cannon Restine.

Once again, the Rafters offense came alive in the top of the seventh, putting up four runs off Dock Spiders reliever Tannis Lange to claim a 9-5 lead. Mason Onate picked up his fourth RBI of the game on a grounder before Noah Ruiz had a two-RBI single and Royce Clayton Jr. scored on a wild pitch.

Wisconsin Rapids’ Espn Simpson relieved Cannon Restine to start the bottom of the sixth and kept the game 9-5 into the eighth. The Dock Spiders finally started to get to him in the top of the eighth when James Hankerson Jr. had a two-out RBI single to make it 9-6. After Simpson walked the next batter, the Rafters turned to Tony Torres with runners on first and second. Unfortunately, Wisconsin Rapids shortstop Erik Parker made a throwing error on Matt Hansen’s grounder, allowing Hankerson Jr. to score before TP Wentworth came across on a wild pitch to make it 9-8.

After the Rafters went three up, three down in the top of the ninth, they looked to Jafet Martinez (1-3) to close out the game. Martinez was able to work two outs before he loaded the bases, but another error from Wisconsin Rapids’ Parker that could have ended the game allowed the tying runner to cross and kept the bases loaded. Once again, Matt Hansen came up clutch for the Dock Spiders, sending the walk-off single into right field to win it 10-9.

The Rafters sit alone in sixth place in the Great Lakes West after the loss, half a game back of the Chinooks. The Dock Spiders improved to a game over .500 but remain half a game behind the Rockers in fourth. Monday, the Rafters will return home for the first of three straight games at Witter Field. Monday night’s game against the Traverse City Pit Spitters has first pitch scheduled for 6:35 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.