Bucks Split Second-Straight Series With 7-3 Victory

For the second time this season, the Waterloo Bucks rebounded from a loss and avoided being swept in a two-game series. The locals recorded their first road win of the season, beating the Kenosha Kingfish, 7-3, in Wisconsin late Sunday afternoon (June 5, 2016).

The victory came less than 24 hours after Waterloo suffered a 2-1 setback in a Saturday night game at Kenosha's Simmons Field that was shortened to five innings because of rain and fog along the shore of Lake Michigan.

Jared Crescentini (2-0) yielded one run on six hits, striking out two and walking one in his second-straight win. Blake Alexander gave the Bucks their first home run of the year with a fourth inning grand slam, while Tyler Curtis finished 3-for-4 with three doubles and an RBI.

Curtis started the fourth inning with the first of his three doubles to left-center field. Adam McGinnis followed Curtis with an infield single to the left side before Jake Hand’s sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. After a Jake Adams walk, Alexander delivered the Bucks first home run of the season with a grand slam to left-center.

Waterloo (4-2) extended its lead to 6-0 with a pair of two-out runs in the fifth. Taylor Boyd led off the frame with a walk before Curtis doubled to left, giving the Bucks runners on second and third. Two batters later, Hand plated in a pair with a two-out, two-run single to center field, bringing in both Boyd and Curtis. Hand’s single also extended his team-best hitting streak to six.

Kenosha (4-2) got on the board with a run in the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Matt Hearn and Wes Weeks gave the Kingfish runners on the corners to begin the frame before Nick Kanavas brought in Hearn on an RBI fielder’s choice.

Daniel Perry drew a two-out walk in the seventh before Curtis doubled to right, bringing around Perry for the Bucks’ final run of the day.

Five straight Kenosha walks -- two with the bases loaded -- cut the Bucks' lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Derek Hendrixson (1) retired six of the seven hitters he faced -- three via the strikeout -- in his first save of the season. Hendrixson has now retired 18 of the 20 batters he’s faced this season and hasn’t allowed a run in six straight innings out of the bullpen.

Aaron Schwark (0-1) was tagged with the loss in his Kingfish debut. The southpaw allowed six runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking two in 4 2/3 innings.

Waterloo concludes its three-game road trip Monday night (June 6) against the Rochester Honkers. Left-handed pitcher Patrick Boyle (0-0, 3.85 ERA) makes his second start of the season for the Bucks while the Honkers have yet to announce their starter. First pitch from Mayo Field in Rochester, Minn., is at 7:05 p.m.

The two-game series against the Honkers concludes in Waterloo on Tuesday, when the Bucks return home for the start of a three-game home stand. Both battles against Rochester are part of the Scheels Highway 63 Cup series. One fan attending Tuesday night's game at Riverfront Stadium will win a pair of tickets to an upcoming Minnesota Twins game.

Story By: Jared Schlensky - Waterloo Bucks​