LIMA, OH (WLIO) — The Flag City Sluggers spoiled the Lima Locos annual Fourth of July celebration Friday, earning a 9-2 win at Simmons Field.

The Locos, who entered the game atop the GLSCL standings, got off to a promising start in the second inning. Luke Mottola opened the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line, plating Evan Holstein. Brecken Menuet followed with a nearly identical hit down the third base line to score David Falloon, giving Lima a 2-0 lead.

But Flag City responded in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Trey Gardner drove in Jaxon Brown with a single, Brayden Curlis followed with an RBI double to tie the game, and Brett Reed chopped a ball through the infield to give the Sluggers a 3-2 advantage. Three errors in the inning proved costly for the Locos, who struggled to recover afterward.

In the sixth inning, Brett Reed drove in another run as the Sluggers loaded the bases—before Tanner Powell capped another three-run inning with an RBI single, stretching the lead to 6-2.

The Sluggers scored seven of their nine runs with two outs, and only three were earned. They totaled 11 hits, while Lima tallied six errors.

Flag City starter Cameron Baker allowed just two runs over five innings to earn the win. The loss dropped Lima to 16-8, while the Sluggers improved to 13-10 and moved within two games of second place in the GLSCL North.

The loss marked the Locos' third straight Fourth of July defeat.

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