The Brandon Cloverleafs won the battle of the bullpens in game one and stole a 7-6 decision over the Reston Rockets in game one of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League final.
The Cloverleafs sent six batters to the plate against Buddy Mayert in the top of the eighth inning and four reached base, two of which came around to score.
Reston starter Luis Avila flirted with disaster all night, walking ten in seven innings of work, although the only inning he got into serious trouble was the top of the fourth when Brandon scored five times.
Cloverleaf starter Sean Dryden was also in and out of trouble for most of the night, leaving after 6 1/3 and getting tagged for six runs. Justin Funk picked him up with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief to earn the win.
Kevin McNeill walked four times for the Cloverleafs, while Garrett Popplestone had a single and double to go along with three RBI.
Reston got a homer from clean up man Tony Isbell. Rory Tycoles had two singles and three RBI.
Game two in the series goes Tuesday night at Andrews Field in Brandon.