Down 4-1 in the seventh inning, the Evansville Otters scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning to come back from behind Saturday to win 6-4 against the River City Rascals.
The Otters sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, stringing together hits with runners on base to push ahead of the Rascals.
The Rascals scored the first tally of the game in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Branton Martinez off Otters starter Jacob Hill.
Otters went to reliever Ashton Raines in the third inning.
In the third, Martinez hit a solo home run over to left to give the Rascals a 2-0 lead after three, his second RBI of the game.
In the top of the fourth, the Rascals added two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Andrew Penner and Trevor Achenbach to extend their lead to four.
The Otters scored one in the bottom half of the inning when Mike Rizzitello hit a ground ball to Rascals shortstop Tanner Wetrich, who overthrew Martinez at third as Carlos Castro slid in safely. The throwing error allowed Castro to touch home to make the score 4-1.
Raines threw four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.
Anthony Arias entered the game for the Otters and retired the side in the seventh on three-straight strikeouts.
In the bottom of the seventh, a single by Rizzitello and a double by Jack Meggs put runners on second and third with no-outs.
Rascals starter Travis McQueen was then pulled, tossing six innings while allowing three runs – two earned – with three strikeouts. He took a no-decision.
Justin Erby struck out for the first out, but J.J. Gould worked a walk to load the bases.
David Cronin roped a two-run single, scoring Meggs and RIzzitello to cut the Rascals lead to 4-3.
Keith Grieshaber was hit by the first pitch he saw from Rascals reliever Kyle Fimbrez to put runners on first and third, still with one out.
Ryan Long came through with the go-ahead two-run single, scoring Cronin and Grieshaber, giving the Otters their first lead of the game at 5-4.
Carlos Castro hit an RBI single to give the Otters an insurance run, scoring Grieshaber and extending the Otters lead to 6-4.
Evansville’s Drew Beyer pitched a scoreless eighth, and Taylor Wright earned his fifth save of the year and struck out two to seal the comeback win for the Otters.
The series finale Sunday will be at 5:05 p.m. from Bosse Field.
