Rafters homer four times en route to 45th win
FOR CITY TIMES
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — On a night where the theme was “Share Your Superpower” at Witter Field, a player who has been borderline superhuman all season long accomplished yet another towering feat. Brendan Bobo hit his 14th home run of 2022, a new Rafters single-season franchise record, in the team’s 11-6 over the Lakeshore Chinooks July 28.
Chase Call started the home run derby in the bottom half of the first inning, crushing a two-run blast, his third long ball of the season, to put the Rats up 2-0 early.
The Chinooks tied the game in the top of the second inning, on a two-run dinger of their own. They added one more run to grab a 3-2 lead.
The Rafters countered in the bottom of the second. Aidan Brewer continued his recent hot streak with an RBI single that tied up the game at 3. Three batters later, Call launched his second two-run homer of the game, his fourth round-tripper of the season, to put the Rafters up 5-3.
Andrew Semo hit his second double of the night in his Witter Field debut, which brought across Nate Nankil in the bottom of the third to give the Rafters a 6-3 lead.
The Chinooks went yard in the top of the fourth to pull to within two. However, the Rafters added on three more runs in the bottom half of the inning. A pair of RBI doubles from Call and Bobo, as well as an RBI single from Nankil, gave the Rafters a 9-4 lead. Brewer then launched a solo shot, his third of the season, to give the Rats a commanding 10-4 lead.
A two-run Lakeshore bomb in the seventh brought the Chinooks to within four.
But with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Bobo sent a 2-1 fastball deep into the night sky for his 14th homer of the season, a new Wisconsin Rapids Rafters single-season record. On a night where heroes reigned supreme, Bobo rounded the bases with his hands held high above his head after the historic shot, as he put the Rafters ahead 11-6.
Malakai Vetock recorded his fifth victory of 2022, as his record is now 5-0. Call, Bobo, Nankil, Semo, and Brewer all had multi-hit nights.
