The Butler BlueSox managed two rallies Monday night.

They made the second one stick.

Trailing the Butler Iron Bucks 4-3 in the top of the ninth inning, Josh Kiefer hit a high fly ball to center field where Ben Kosbie lost it in the lights, allowing Dan Williams and Alex Altmire to score.

The hit came off of reliever Ian Balquist, but the runs were charged to eventual losing pitcher Dan Morgano as the BlueSox pulled out a 5-4 victory at Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park.

The Sox (2-2) scored just one unearned run through the first five innings off of Iron Bucks' starter Holden Martin, but tallied four runs on seven hits over the final four innings.

“The bats are starting to come around a bit,” said Sox manager Dan Helgert. “We just started and the guys are still looking to find their spot. We're due to have a break-out game.”

“It hurts,” Bucks' manager Matt Morrone said of the loss, which dropped his team to 1-3. “These guys played their butts off. Both teams played well, but some things just didn't go our way.”

Nash Bryan earned his first save of the season by stranding runners at first and second in the ninth, striking out the side.

“My fastball was working and I stayed with it,” said Bryan, a 2018 Butler High graduate who is a closer at Seton Hill University. “It feels great to help us get this win. I love this team and Matt (Schitroma, starting/winning pitcher) did a great job for us tonight.”

Schitroma overcame a shaky start, giving up an RBI-triple to Jake McCaskey and a run-scoring single to John Malagise in the first inning. The hurler then blanked the Bucks over the next six innings before allowing two more runs in the eighth thanks to a run-scoring triple off the bat of Noah Ross and a sacrifice fly from Malagise that put the Sox down, 4-3.

Schitroma, however, finished the inning and was the pitcher of record when his teammates took the lead in the next half inning. He finished the game with seven strikeouts and two walks.

“We talk to our (current) pitchers between innings,” said Helgert. “Matt said he felt good, so we let him go.”

Martin, a Karns City graduate, did not allow a hit until Ryan Lynn's two-out single in the fourth. The former gave up his first earned run in the sixth when Josh Johnson's shot to deep center led to an inside-the-park home run that tied the game at 2.

Martin worked out of a jam at the end of the frame, leaving two runners on with a pair of strikeouts, but was pulled one batter into the seventh after giving up a single to Tyler Hettich, who would later score on Nick Reynosa's double. He struck out 10 and walked just one before being relieved by Greg Geis.

“Holden pitched an absolute gem,” said Morrone. “He deserved better.”

Martin was on the hook for the loss until the Bucks' two-run eighth inning. The no-decision did not keep him from taking a lot of positives from his outing.

“My fastball, curveball, everything seemed to be working today,” said Martin, who had not pitched since mid-March for Muskingum University. “With all the time off, I was able to get in the weight room and get stronger.

“Everybody's out here to get work in. That's what summer ball is all about and today was a positive step for me.”

BlueSox 000 101 102 — 5 10 3

Iron Bucks 200 000 020 — 4 11 4

W: Matt Schitroma 8 IP (7K, 2BB). L: Dan Morgano 1/3 IP (0K, 0BB). S: Nash Bryan 1 IP (3K, 0BB).

BlueSox (2-2): Josh Johnson HR, Jake McNabb 2-1B RBI, Josh Kiefer 1B 2RBI, Nick Reynosa 2B RBI

Iron Bucks (1-3): Ben Kosbie 2B R, Jake McCaskey 1B 3B R RBI, Dylan Kingan 2-1B, Brody Cowen 2-1B R, Noah Ross 1B 3B R RBI

Thursday: Allegheny Black Sox at BlueSox

Saturday: Iron Bucks at Creekside (Ohio)