For the City Times 

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The first-place Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (20-10) built an early lead and never looked back in a 9-3 win over the Kokomo Jackrabbits (10-21) on Aug. 4.

Jake Dunham posted an RBI single in the bottom of the first to put the Rafters on the board first. Richie Schiekofer tacked on another run with an RBI single an inning later to make it 2-0.

Matt Oldham launched the first pitch he saw in the third inning over the right-field wall for a three-run homer that put Rapids on top 5-0 heading to the fourth. Kokomo clawed their way back into the game with one run in the fifth and two in the sixth

Leading 5-3 in the seventh inning, the Rafters put the game out of reach with RBIs by Osvaldo Tovalin, Noah Thigpen and Edarian Williams in a three-run frame. Davion Downey capped off the scoring with a leadoff solo homer in the eighth.

Starter Jack Sinclair gets the win for Wisconsin Rapids, striking out four batters in 5.2 innings of work. Winston Allen closed the game with no hits in the ninth. Lucas Folmar is credited with the loss as the starter for Kokomo.

The Rafters are now three games ahead of Fond du Lac with a magic number of three to clinch a spot in the 2019 Northwoods League playoffs and home field advantage.