ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Milwaukee baseball team fell behind by six runs before scoring the next seven to take a 7-6 lead in the fourth inning. However, the Panthers were not able to hold onto the one-run lead as Milwaukee fell to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies by a 12-8 score in the second game of a three-game set in Eastern Michigan.
 
"We had some brutal weather conditions today and they just did a better job of handling it on the mound than we did," said head coach Scott Doffek post game. "I loved the fight the team showed today in battling for all nine innings, but we just didn't execute enough to win."
 
"We have to come out tomorrow and find a way to win this series," Doffek added.
 
Milwaukee was led on the day by Aaron Chapman, who tallied three hits including a double while driving in two runs. Mark Connelly had another multi-hit effort and led the team with three RBIs. Ty Olejnik and Jake Novak also had multi-hit afternoons with Novak picking up a double and driving in one and Olejnik added an RBI.
 
After going down in order in the top of the first inning, Oakland came out of the gates quickly with six runs on three hits as starter Luke Hansel was lifted from the game after only retiring two batters. The Panthers were able to limit any further damage in the opening inning by stranding the bases loaded.
 
Milwaukee started the fight back into the game in the top of the second as Nate DeYoung singled and moved up to second on a passed ball. Jack Thelen reached on an error allowing DeYoung to score all the way from second for the first Panther run.
 
Eliot Turnquist came on in the bottom of the second and walked the first batter before getting a double play around the horn before getting the third out on a foul pop fly.
 
The Panther offense got back to work as Nathan Ebersole walked followed by a single off the bat of Luke Seidel. Olejnik grounded out to advance the pair before Connelly connected on a two-run single to plate the duo. Chapman was up next and doubled to score Connelly as Milwaukee was back within two at 6-4 heading into the bottom of the third.
 
Turnquist ran into a bit of a jam as he had the bases loaded with one down but was able to get another double play behind him to bring the Panthers back to bat in the fourth inning.
 
Jake Novak reached on an infield single with one down before Seidel reached on a two-out error. Olejnik singled to pull Milwaukee within one before Connelly tied the game with a single pulled into right. After a pitching change, Chapman brought Olejnik around with a single to give the Panthers their first lead of the day at 7-6.
 
The first three batters walked for Oakland in the bottom of the fifth inning, which ultimately led to five runs as the Golden Grizzlies took back the lead at 11-7.
 
Milwaukee also got the first three batters on in the top of the seventh as Justin Hausser singled followed by a Thelen Walk and a Novak double to drive home Hausser, but the Panthers were unable to keep the line moving.
 
Oakland scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth to add insurance to its lead at 12-8, as the Golden Grizzlies were able to strand the bases full of Panthers in the eighth before keeping Milwaukee off the board in the ninth for the four-run win.
 
Turnquist ended the day with three innings pitched as he took the loss allowing two runs over his outing. Sam Mathews recorded five outs between the fifth and sixth innings, while Andy Neu went the final two innings and allowed one run while tying his career high with three strikeouts in the inning.
 
Milwaukee will play the rubber game of the three-game set on Sunday at Oakland Baseball Field with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m. (CT).