ROCHESTER, Mich.  – Oakland rallied for eight runs on five hits in the fourth inning to top the Milwaukee baseball team 9-3 on Saturday afternoon.
 
"I thought Densmore did a wonderful job of pitching the baseball," head coach Scott Doffek said. "He was really sharp and repeated to both sides of the plate. We let one inning get away from us and that's the game. Have to come out tomorrow and find a way to get the series."
 
Panthers' starter Eliot Turnquist was solid through three innings allowing just two hits with two strikeouts, but Oakland got to him in the fourth.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (20-21, 10-8 HL) belted three home runs in the inning and put up eight runs on five hits in the frame.
 
Aaron Chapman opened up the fifth with a single and later scored on sacrifice fly from Jack Thelen to get Milwaukee on the board.
 
The Panthers (16-22, 5-11 HL) added another in the seventh as Zach Nogalski singled in Chapman but Oakland got it right back in the bottom half.
 
In the ninth, Chris VandenHeuvel recorded his first hit in a Panthers' uniform, an RBI double to right center, but MKE could not plate any more and fell in game two of the series.
 
The Milwaukee bullpen did a solid job in relief of Turnquist, allowing just three hits in 4.1 innings of relief.
 
Oakland's Densmore went 7.2 innings strong and struck out eight batters while scattering just five hits and walking none.
 
Chapman and Nogalski each had two hits for Milwaukee.
 
The weekend series finale is scheduled for 12:00 pm CT from Rochester, Michigan on Sunday. Live coverage links available on MKEPanthers.com.
 
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