Rochester Silences Bucks’ Offense In Shutout Victory
In the only game on the Northwoods League schedule, Rochester blanked the Waterloo Bucks, 2-0, at Riverfront Stadium Monday night (July 25, 2016).
Rochester starter Alex Fagalde pitched a complete game shutout. The right-hander from California-Riverside allowed just four hits and two walks, while striking out six batters.
The Honkers (7-10, 14-38) scored their first run with two out in the third inning. Alex Fitchett led off the inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a single by Turner Buis. Rochester added an insurance run in the ninth, a frame that started with Joey Czarske's double. Jackson Thoreson eventually brought Czarske home with an single to right field.
Waterloo (7-10, 29-23) struggled offensively for the second time in three games. The Bucks never sent more than four batters to the plate in any one inning and didn’t have a single base-runner reach third on the evening. They managed just four hits, two of which were from Alex Boxwell. Zach Weatherford went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk and was the only other Waterloo player to reach base twice on the night.
Jonathan Buckley (1-1) was charged with the loss for the Bucks in his first start of the season. The right-hander yielded just one run on five hits, striking out three and walking one in a season-high 6 1/3 innings.
Fagalde (2-1) retired nine of the first 10 hitters he faced and set down seven in a row at one point, while throwing Rochester's first complete game shutout of the year.
The game was the final match-up of the season in the SCHEELS Highway 63 Cup Series. Despite the loss, Waterloo retained the travelling trophy that goes to the series winner. The teams split the eight-game series this year, so the Bucks keep the cup since they had possession at the start of the season.
UP NEXT: Waterloo opens a two-game series against Thunder Bay in Canada tonight.
Story Contributor: Jared Schlensky - Waterloo Bucks