Bucks bits …

Score: Bullfrogs 3, Bucks 2

Bucks record: 1-1 second half, 11-24 overall

Stat leader: Manchester native Phil Keppler went 2-for-3 for Waterloo.

Game-changer: Green Bay scored two runs with two outs in the fourth, seizing a 3-2 lead.

On deck: After today's idle date, the Bucks return to action Monday, hosting La Crosse at 7:05 p.m.

WATERLOO - All too often this season, when they've needed a batter to step up, the Waterloo Bucks have wilted.

Saturday was more of the same, as Green Bay applied the heat before performing cooly in the clutch and dealing the Bucks a 3-2 loss.

Inning-ending double plays brought a swift halt to Bucks threats in both the sixth and seventh as the hosts' offense fizzled on the Fourth of July. Poor situational hitting, said Waterloo skipper Pete Lauritson, has been a common theme for his club of late.

"If you look at the top offensive teams in the (Northwoods League), two-out hitting almost (coincides) right down the line from the best teams in the league to the bottom teams in the league," Lauritson explained.

"You saw it tonight - we didn't get it done with runners in scoring position."

As a result, Waterloo is now 5-14 (.263) at home this season and is on pace for its worst record ever at Riverfront Stadium. Currently, the Bucks' worst home record for a full season was a 12-20 (.375) mark in 2003.

Green Bay (1-1) inched in front in the fourth inning Saturday, thanks to a two-out rally. Number-nine hitter Tony Jandron put the Bullfrogs up, 3-2, by blasting an RBI double to the wall in left field.

"They just came up with the hits when they needed to," said Bucks designated hitter Tyler Robbins. "We're hitting the ball hard - just at people."

It's been feast or famine at the plate of late for Waterloo. After a modest, three-game scoring surge late last month, the Bucks have now averaged just 1.83 runs per game in their last six contests.

Thus, Lauritson has shuffled the deck, altering his lineup.

"We've been playing around with the lineup," said Lauritson, "maybe to take pressure off guys. We're trying to find ways, with our lineup, to get guys in a groove."

If Waterloo can receive consistently solid pitching, as it got Saturday, Lauritson still likes his team's chances in the Northwoods League's second half. Bucks starter Scott Williams pitched 7 2/3 innings, yielding just two earned runs and two walks.

"If we can establish our pitching here," said Lauritson, "you'd like to believe your offense can score more than two runs a game."

Bucks banter

Bob Lackovic, a second-year Buck who was expected to anchor Waterloo's pitching staff this summer, has been forced to stop playing in the Northwoods League by his college coaching staff at Creighton. Reportedly, Creighton wants all its pitchers to rest their arms for the duration of the summer. Lackovic, a mid-season NWL all-star in 2008, was 1-1 with a 3.64 ERA this season in Waterloo.

Fourth of July festivities at Riverfront Stadium Saturday included a third-inning hot dog-eating contest, which included Bucks hurler Chris Pack. Joey Chestnut he's not; Pack, a 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, ate just 2 1/2 wieners in roughly one minute.

Green Bay ab r h bi Waterloo ab r h bi

Kuhn,cf 4 0 0 0 Argo,cf 4 1 1 0

Henricks,2b 4 0 1 0 McCool,2b 4 1 0 0

Andreoli,lf 2 1 1 0 Giller,1b 3 0 1 0

House,rf 4 0 1 1 Krizan,rf 1 0 1 1

O'Shea,1b 3 0 1 0 White,3b 4 0 0 0

Hutter,dh 4 0 0 0 Griffiths,c 4 0 0 0

Argyrop.,3b 4 1 1 0 Robbins,dh 4 0 2 0

Torrente,c 4 1 1 1 Keppler,lf 3 0 2 0

Jandron,ss 4 0 2 1 Williams,ss 2 0 0 0

Conway,pr 0 0 0 0 Hall,1b 2 0 0 0

Robinson,rf 0 0 0 0

Totals 33 3 8 3 Totals 31 2 7 1

Green Bay 100 200 000 - 3 8 1

Waterloo 002 000 000 - 2 7 2

E - Torrente; Keppler, Giller. DP - Green Bay 2. LOB - G.B. 6, Waterloo 9.

2B - Jandron, Henricks; Keppler. SB - Conway, Andreoli.

CS - Conway, Jandron. SH - Andreoli; McCool.

Pitching summary

Green Bay IP H R ER BB SO

Ebinger(W,2-0) 5.0 5 2 1 3 3

Anderson 3.0 2 0 0 2 0

Schmarzo(S,1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0

Waterloo IP H R ER BB SO

Williams(L, 2-3) 7.2 7 3 2 2 3

Ryan 1.1 1 0 0 0 0

PB - Griffiths.

U - Jon Burzynski (plate), Kyle Cothran (bases).

T - 2:21. A - 1,001.