Butler BlueSox manager Jason Wuerfel has repeated the same mantra all season.

Monday's Prospect League game against the visiting Slippery Rock Sliders gave him a chance to make the point again.

The BlueSox trailed 2-0 before tying the game in the third inning and tacked on three runs in the eighth en route to a 6-2 victory at Pullman Park.

"The main thing I've been telling the guys all year is it's not how you start, but how you finish," said Wuerfel.

With the win, Butler (27-23) won its fourth consecutive game and remained in the hunt for the Eastern Division championship.

Butler entered Monday 1Z\x games behind North Coast (Ohio) (26-20) and Chillicothe (Ohio) (27-21). The Sliders dropped their eighth straight contest and have lost 12 of 13 to fall into last place.

With the score tied at 2-all, Butler took the lead for good in the sixth inning off Sliders starter Cory Mazzoni.

With one out, Frank Esposito singled and Aaron Ordy walked before Josh Marchinoski relieved Mazzoni and got Brian Billigen to ground into a fielder's choice that moved the runners to second and third.

Marchinoski walked Zach Noonan to load the bases, then Brian Youchak to plate Butler's third run. Jacke Healey popped out to end the inning.

Mazzoni struck out nine and allowed five hits in his 5Z\c innings, but he also posted six walks.

His BlueSox counterpart, James Podgorney, also struck out nine, walked four and scattered seven hits over eight innings. He retired 11 consecutive batters during one stretch.

"James had a tough start," said Wuerfel. "He threw something like 45 pitches in the first two innings. He started to concentrate, hitting his zones, and started getting outs.

"We kept riding him. I had him on a short leash. He's one guy who did not throw a ton of pitches in school this year," Wuerfel added.

Butler broke the game open in the eighth inning when Ordy and Billigen opened the frame with walks off Marchinoski.

Zach Noonan then skied a fly ball, which Sliders left fielder Derek Carr lost sight of before it fell for a two-run error, allowing Noonan to reach third base,

A wild pitch by reliever Matt Zicher allowed the final run to score.

Slippery Rock (21-29) jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Mike Devine had a one-out, RBI single, followed by a Carr ground out that scored the second run.

Butler tied it in the third inning when Youchak had a run-scoring single and Sean Gusrang added an RBI double.

Butler will have an off day today before hosting Chillicothe for two games, then it faces the Sliders for the final two games of the regular season.

The BlueSox also are hoping to grab the playoff berth to face the Western Division champion in a best-of-three series next week.

"Almost to a man, we're peaking at the right time," said Wuerfel. "A lot of these guys have played 100 games counting college games. These guys have upped the level of concentration down the stretch.

"There are 54 games here and you play every day. There are bus rides, sore arms, tight muscles. It's not how you played on Day 1, but Day 54. Who's tired, who's fresh, who's healthy and who isn't? ... Now is the time to put it together."

Sliders manager Chase Rowe was unavailable for comment.

Slippery Rock 020 000 000 — 2 7 1Butler 002 001 03x — 6 5 0W: James Podgorney (8 IP) 9 K, 4 BB.

L: Cory Mazzoni (5Z\c IP) 9 K, 6 BB.

Slippery Rock (21-29): Derek Carr RBI; Nick Spisak 2B; Derek Diruscia 2-1B; Kenny Stoneback 2-1B; Mike Devine 2-1B, RBI

Butler (27-23): Zach Noonan 1B; Brian Youchak 2-1B, 2 RBI; Sean Gusrang 2B, RBI; Frank Esposito 1B

Today: Slippery Rock at Chillicothe (Ohio)

Wednesday: Chillicothe (Ohio) at Butler