Jared Foster lets one fly as the pitcher for Pro Clean in last week’s game against Rotary. Foster was the winning pitcher in a game between two of the teams who were in a three-way tie for first when the week started.

Pro-Clean mounted a furious five-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Rotary and maintain a share of the Minor League lead, May 31.

The two teams entered the game holding a share of a three-way tie atop the Minor League standings with A-1. All three teams entered last week with three losses each and just three weeks left in the season.

Rotary opened the game with three runs in the top of the first on a pair of Pro-Clean errors. Pro-Clean answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own, including an RBI-double off the bat of shortstop Bryce Wallace.

A pitchers’ duel began to take shape over the next few innings between Rotary’s Colton Edmundson and Pro-Clean’s Jared Foster. The two pitchers each struck out the side in the second inning and the strikeouts continued to mount as the night continued.

Foster was especially sharp. In six innings on the mound, he struck out 12 batters, while only allowing seven base hits.

“(Foster was) excellent,” Pro-Clean assistant coach Keith Kimbrough said. “(He) really kept (Rotary) off balance.”

Heading into the top of the fifth, the score remained virtually deadlocked at 5-4 in favor of Rotary. With the bases loaded, first baseman Stephen Pelfrey hit a two-run double to increase the Rotary lead to three runs. Third baseman Latrell Daily would tack on another run on an RBI-groundout, making the score 8-4.

Things looked bleak for Pro-Clean with one-out in the bottom of the sixth and no runners on base. Edmundson had retired six straight batters, and the bottom of the order was at the plate. However, Pro-Clean proved that any ball in play is a dangerous one.

The next two batters each reached on a pair of defensive errors. Foster, then singled in a run to bring the tying run to the plate. Wallace added a two-run single, and, after two more errors by Rotary, center fielder Braxton Woodard knocked a clutch single just past the infield for the walk-off victory, 9-8.

“We just told them to go out there and just have fun in the final inning and hit the ball. If we play like we played tonight, I feel good playing against anybody.” Kimbrough said.

Wallace led the Pro-Clean offense, coming just a homerun short of the cycle. He was 3-3 with a single, double and triple, as well as four RBI and three runs scored. His most important run scored was definitely his last, as he trotted home from third base to win the game.

Rotary was led by Edmundson, who reached in all three of his plate appearances and scored three runs.

The win keeps Pro-Clean tied with A-1 for the league lead.

The Minor League race will likely be decided this week as A-1 takes on Rotary Friday, June 10, at 5:45 p.m. and Pro Clean and A-1 square off Saturday, June 11, at 2 p.m.