With their season on the line after a heartbreaking, late-inning loss to the Lima Locos in Game One, the Hamilton Joes bounced back in a big way on Friday night. Facing elimination, they hit the road and delivered a commanding 7–3 win to even the championship series and set up a decisive Game Three.

The Joes wasted no time returning to their signature fast starts. Jaxson Christ opened the game with a leadoff double and was promptly driven in by Brett Denby’s RBI single. In the second, Marc Iozzo sparked more offense with a single and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. Mark Rutherford followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 2–0.

Lima responded in the bottom half of the inning in bizarre fashion. After a double and a hit batter, two consecutive balks allowed both runners to score—an unusual sequence that tied the game at 2–2. Still, starter Brendan Mullin was rock solid when it mattered most. In a must-win situation, Mullin pitched over six innings, allowing just two hits and two runs in a strong outing.

The turning point came in the fourth inning. Iozzo, who finished the night 3-for-5, led off with a single. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases with two outs, Christopher Roa came through in the clutch with a two-run single to left. Jackson Wang followed with a two-RBI double, breaking the game open and giving the Joes a 6–2 lead.

From there, Hamilton took control. In the eighth, a hit batter and walk set the stage for Rutherford to score on a wild pitch, padding the lead to 7–2.

Not that the Joes needed much more. Mullin’s dominance was followed by lights-out bullpen work from Dylan Kaiser and Matty Helms. Despite giving up a run in the eighth, Helms escaped trouble and closed the door with a six-out save to secure the 7–3 victory.

This was a defining win for the Joes. With their backs against the wall, on the road, and facing elimination in the final series, they delivered — on the mound, in the field, and at the plate. While the pitching was stellar, the Joes also played a clean game defensively with zero errors and racked up ten hits, marking a complete team effort that pushes this championship series to one final game for all the marbles.

Game Three is set for Saturday, August 2 at Simmons Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with the championship on the line.