Loves Park, Ill. – The bats went cold late for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (9-19) as they fell to the Rockford Rivets (13-13) Monday night 13-12 in extra innings on the road. It was the first of a six-game road trip for the Rafters, and after leading 10-5, they couldn’t keep the good vibes to the end. The Rafters managed just two runs in the final six innings of the game after scoring 10 in the first four innings. Ashton Poole, Brent Gallegos and Jafet Martinez combined to go six innings allowing two earned runs while Erik Parker, Pat Costin and Gunnar Myro each had three hits in the game.
The Rafters offense took flight early, with three runs coming across in the top of the first off Rivets starter Danny Cercello thanks to a pair of RBI singles from Andre Modugno and Jack Guerrero before an error sent another run home to make it 3-0.
The hosts responded with a two-run inning, cutting the lead to 3-2 on Cade Climie and Conner Cunnigham’s RBI singles off Rafters starter Seth Spencer.
Another three runs came across for the Rafters in the top of the second, with Madden Ocko and Andre Modugno hitting back-to-back home runs off Rockford reliever Aiden Adams and extending the advantage to 6-2.
Once again, the Rivets sent home two more runners on RBIs from Jackson Forbes and Harrison Bowman on Rafters’ Spencer, cutting the lead back to 6-4.
Mason Onate kept the offense thriving for the Rafters in the top of the third, picking up a two-RBI double off Rockford’s Adams before Wisconsin Rapids’ Ocko had an RBI sac fly off Rivets reliever Jake Gibson, bringing the gap to 9-4.
The Rivets scored one run in the bottom of the third and the Rafters one more in the top of the fourth to make it 10-5, but then Rockford stormed back. The home team managed five runs in the bottom of the fourth, starting with a leadoff homer before a couple of RBIs and a passed ball knotted it 10-10.
The fifth was the first shutout inning for either team, and the two squads mirrored each other up until the end of the game from there. Both scored one run in the sixth and eighth, and after a shutout ninth inning, it headed to extras tied at 12-12.
The Rafters had a shot to score in the top of the 10th, but left the go-ahead runner at third before Tony Torres (1-1) came into the game to try and send it to the 11th. Torres fielded a comebacker and unfortunately, made a throwing error trying to get the lead runner, allowing him to score and finishing the game in walk-off fashion.
The Rafters remain in sixth in the Great Lakes West after the loss while the Rivets improve back to .500, along with claiming a lead in the season series. The Rafters will try to even the series Tuesday evening as they run it back for the second game of the road trip at Rockford. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on ESPN+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.