Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (7-20) claimed a big victory at home, coming back to win 9-4 against the Lakeshore Chinooks (10-17). The Rafters trailed by three into the sixth inning, but scored eight unanswered to finish the game while the pitching locked it down. The Rafters pitching staff allowed just one earned run in the game, as Tristin Crusenberry went five innings, followed by two from Kenny Schultz (1-3), one from Preston Steiner and one from AJ Buenaseda. Landon Gaz went 3-3 reaching four times while Jake Beauchaine also reached four times, launching a two-run shot as part of his strong night.

The Chinooks were the first team on the board, adding three runs in the top of the third thanks to a wild pitch and a two-run error while Tristin Crusenberry was on the mound for Wisconsin Rapids.

Wisconsin Rapids cut the lead to just two runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Gaz RBI single off Lakeshore starter Dominic Monaco, but that’s all they mustered.

“I was trying to put the ball hard into play somewhere and I got a pitch I could do it with,” Gaz said of his plate appearance in the fourth.

A response came from the Chinooks in the top of the fifth, adding another run on Tristin Crusenberry as Rafters shortstop Royce Clayton Jr. made a throwing error and allowed the score to become 4-1 Lakeshore.

The Rafters finally displayed the offense in the bottom of the sixth, with Wisconsin Rapids’ Beauchaine launching a two-run shot off Chinooks reliever Tristan Arnold to cut the gap to 4-3. Another run came off Arnold on a wild pitch that allowed Wisconsin Rapids’ Hiroto Kobayashi to score, knotting it 4-4. With a runner on third, Lakeshore turned to reliever Nick Heisl (0-1), but Wisconsin Rapids’ Payton Bryant gave the Rafters a 5-4 lead with his first career hit, an RBI single. Bryant eventually came around to score on another wild pitch, capping off a five-run frame to make it 6-4.

The seventh inning saw more runs for the Rafters as Gaz picked up another RBI single, his third hit of the day, bringing the lead to 7-4.

“I was just seeing the ball really well,” Gaz said. “I was able to take good pitches and swing at strikes.”

Luke Skinner finished the inning with a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk from Lakeshore’s Heisl and extending the lead to 8-4.

Wisconsin Rapids added one more run in the bottom of the eighth, as a throwing error by Lakeshore catcher Broc Parmer sent home Rafters’ Kerim Orucevic from third with Carter Szohr on the mound, bringing the score to 9-4.

AJ Buenaseda finished the game for the Rafters, allowing a leadoff single but working a double play and a flyout to finish the game with a three up, three down ninth.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Rafters and was their first home win since July 13. They hope the win will spark a streak as they host the Chinooks once again Friday evening for the second game of the series. It’s the penultimate home game of the season and the Rafters will look to claim the season series against Lakeshore. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. and it will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.