After dropping a 15-7 decision to Nimrod, the Perham Pirates were hoping to return to the win column when they took to the road for the only time during the 2020 season when they traveled to Park Rapids to take on the Esox on July 26.

The Pirates used a nine-run eighth inning to rally from behind for a 16-10 victory over Park Rapids in the high-scoring affair.

The Esox led 3-1 in the third, 8-6 in the fifth and 9-6 in the seventh before the Pirates took control in the eighth. The two teams put 43 runners on base while combining for 28 hits.

After Dawson Stevens’ solo home run in the second gave Perham a 1-0 lead, the Esox countered by scoring three times in the third. Riley Massie led off with a double and scored on Ty Karger’s two-out homer. Brendan Kruchowski followed with a single and scored on Zach Hocking’s RBI double to put Park Rapids in front.

An RBI double by Stevens and Eric Hendrickx’s sacrifice fly gave Perham a 4-3 lead in the fourth before the Esox tied it at 4-4 in the bottom of that inning when Massie reached on a two-out error and scored when Nick Jasmer was caught in a rundown.

Carter Mulcahy’s RBI double gave Perham a 6-4 edge in the fifth, but the Esox responded to claim an 8-6 lead in the bottom of the inning. Cody Schirmers led off with a double and Kruchowski reached on an error. TJ Erickson’s RBI single, Jed Ryan’s two-run double and Massie’s RBI single made it 8-6.

A single by Hocking, a bunt single by Erickson and Massie’s RBI single gave Park Rapids a 9-6 advantage in the seventh before the Pirates rallied in the eighth.

RBI singles by Gavin Biegler, Andrew Smith and Stevens; a bases-clearing double by Chris Ruther; an RBI double by Biegler; and two errors sparked that pivotal inning.

The Pirates added another run in the ninth before Park Rapids concluded the scoring in the bottom of that inning when Erickson doubled and scored on Ryan’s RBI single.

Stevens finished with four hits, including a home run to pace the Pirates. Ruther finished with three hits and three runs scored. Biegler added three hits in the game, while Smith, Jace Kovash and Mulcahy added two hits each in the win.

TJ Erickson suffered the loss on the mound for Park Rapids. He allowed 15 runs, 12 earned, on 12 hits and four walks in seven plus innings of work. He fanned three batters. Jed Ryan finished the game in relief for Park Rapids. He walked two and gave up a run, while fanning two batters.

Hendrickx started on the mound but did not factor in the decision. He allowed eight runs in six plus innings of work. Biegler allowed one run in relief and picked up the win for the Pirates.

The Pirates close out the regular season with a pair of home games. They will host the Deer Creek Shockers on July 31 at 7:30 p.m., before taking on the Bluffton Braves on Aug. 2 at 2 p.m.

The Region 14C Tournament is scheduled to begin on Aug. 7 in Perham and Deer Creek with a pair of play-in games.

Nimrod rolls Perham

The Nimrod Gnats cruised to a 15-7 victory over the Pirates on July 24 in a Region 14C contest.

The Gnats scored the game’s first 10 runs and kept the Pirates at bay throughout the long contest on a hot and humid evening.

The Gnats scored three in the first, three in the third and continued to add to its lead with four more in the fourth.

Perham rallied for three in the fourth and three in the fifth, however, the Gnats continued to pull away from the Pirates whenever they would get close.

Mulcahy had three hits and three runs scored in the game for Perham. Ruther added a pair of hits and a run scored, while Biegler finished with a pair of doubles.

Ruther took the loss on the mound. He pitched the first three innings before Kovash, Sam Still and Gabe Pankonin logged innings in relief.

Vance Carlson of the Park Rapids Enterprise contributed to this report.