
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – It was another loss for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2-4) Sunday afternoon as they fell 15-3 to the Madison Mallards (4-2). The Rafters stayed in it for the early part of the game, but the Mallards slowly but surely drew ahead with consistent offense and pitching. Despite the score, Junior Barajas stayed hot, hitting his third home run in six games while reaching three times, but the pitching couldn’t handle the Mallards offense.
The Mallards didn’t score until the top of the second, but added two runs there and two more in the third off Rafters starter Noah Marschke (1-2) to make it 4-0.
Switching to the bullpen, the Mallards made it a 7-0 ball game in the top of the sixth on Rafters reliever Brent Gallegos.
The Rafters stayed in the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh thanks to Junior Barajas, but with runners on first and second, the Mallards got out of the inning still up 7-2.
In the top of the eighth, the Mallards added another two runs on Rafters reliever Jafet Martinez to make it 9-2.
That was followed by a Rafters rally in the bottom of the eighth, but it was short-lived as they managed just one run on Carson McEntire’s RBI single and left the bases loaded down 9-3.
The offense kept rolling for the Mallards in the top of the sixth, scoring six runs off Rafters relievers AJ Buenaseda and Tony Torres to make it 15-3.
The loss puts the Rafters two games back of first place in the subdivision while Madison moved into a three-way tie for that spot. Next up, the Rafters will take on the Wausau Woodchucks for the first of back-to-back games with them. Monday’s game will be hosted at Witter Field and Tuesday’s at Athletic Park in Wausau. Monday’s game will have first pitch at 6:35 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on ESPN+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.