Rafters Fall to Chinooks 7-5

Rafters Fall to Chinooks 7-5

Lakeshore brings across three in ninth to move back to .500 in 2022

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – After a 15-1 rout of the Lakeshore Chinooks last night, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters dropped a close one tonight at home to the Chinooks 7-5.

Rafters starter, Michael Lindsey, struck out the first two Chinooks he faced in the top of the first and then danger struck.  After a one out walk, Caleb Bartolero put a double into the right center field gap which put runners on second and third.  Left fielder Mathias Haas put Lakeshore ahead with a two-run double 2-0.  The very next batter, Aidan Longwell, hit an RBI triple that put the Chinooks up 3-0.  However, the Rats bats came alive in the bottom half bringing home two runs via an RBI double from Chase Call and an RBI single from Brendan Bobo to make it a 3-2 game.

Chinooks left fielder, Jack Firestone, hit a solo homer in the top of the second to put Lakeshore back up by two, 4-2.  The Rafters were held scoreless in the bottom halves second and third, while Lindsey held the Chinooks scoreless in the top halves of the third and fourth.  However, in the home half of the fourth, Harry Owen struck gold with a solo homer, his third of the season, to bring the Rafters back within one, 4-3.  Lindsey’s night was done after four innings of giving up four runs on seven hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.

Jacob James entered the game for the Rafters in the fifth and threw a 1-2-3 inning.  A two-run two-out double from Garrett Broussard gave the Rafters their first lead of the night in the home half, 5-4.  James threw another 1-2-3 sixth, as well as throwing a scoreless top half of the seventh.  He finished his night after three innings while giving up no runs, no hits, one walk, and struck out four.

The Rafters brought in Connor Kurki to throw the eighth inning, and he retired the Chinooks in order 1-2-3.  However, the Rats bats were held scoreless in the eighth for the third straight inning.  Preston Howey entered the game with a save opportunity in the ninth.  However, the Chinooks were not ready to go down without a fight and they instead took the lead.  After the first five batters reached in the inning and three runs came across to make a 7-5 Lakeshore lead, Howey stranded two runners in scoring position as he got back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout to end the inning.  The Rafters would be retired in order in the bottom of the ninth.  Preston Howey received the loss and blew his first save opportunity of 2022, and Calvin Bickerstaff picked up the win for Lakeshore.

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