TRAVERSE CITY -- Kalamazoo used four multi-run innings to defeat the Traverse City Beach Bums 9-6 on Friday.
The win reduces the Kings' magic number to one in the Eastern Division.
Neither starter was very effective, as TC's David Nathanson gave up five earned run and 10 hits in six innings and Kalamazoo's Tommy Mejia was roughed up for eight hits and four earned runs in 4.1 innings.
B.J. Hagen and Jared Locke came on for TC and each gave up two runs in an inning of work.
Kalamazoo scored three times off Nathanson in the five-hit first inning.
Traverse City got a run back in the second inning. Jorge Araiza doubled in a run to knock in his first run with the Beach Bums on his first extra-base hit.
The Beach Bums tied the game in the fourth with two outs. Robby Alcombrack and Araiza each singled before Mike Epping tripled them in.
Brian Lapin scored a run in the fifth after doubling to put Traverse City ahead 4-3.
The Kings scored twice in the sixth to grab a 5-4 advantage before Traverse City tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Mike Epping bunted his way on and scored from second on a single by Michael Campbell.
The Kings scored four unanswered in the seventh and eighth off Hagen and Locke to take control of the game. Brown hit his second homer of the game in the seventh inning off Hagen.
Andrew Franco singled in Lapin in the ninth for the final score.
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