SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — On a day to honor the brave men and women who have fought or are currently fighting the good fight against cancer, the Schaumburg Boomers took down the first-place River City Rascals 6-5 at Boomers Stadium Saturday evening.

The Boomers wore special pink jerseys on Cancer Survivors’ Night presented by Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) and auctioned them off for charity during the game with a silent auction and ­saved a few for a live auction after the game as well. Jersey sales totaled around $1,500 with proceeds benefitting a pair of NCH charities in the Cancer Patient Assistance Fund and the Gift a Mammogram Program. Survivors’ were honored on the field during a special pregame parade and luminaries dotted the infield after the game.

On the field, it was the last two men in the lineup who led the charge for the Schaumburg offense. LF Sean Mahley collected a career-high and franchise-record four runs batted in and fellow outfielder Nate Baumann had himself at day at the plate as well, collecting three hits including a pair of doubles and home run.

LHP Jose Rodriguez was solid in his second professional start as the Boomers first-round selection in the Frontier League Draft allowed just two hits and one run over his four innings before yielding to Dave Whigham in the fifth. The Boomers righty picked up the win to improve to 1-0 while allowing two runs in his two innings of work.

LHP Adam Tollefson pitched a scoreless eighth for Schaumburg before surrendering a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to Gerardo Avila of the Rascals. RHP Patrick Mincey hung on to the one-run lead and clinch his third save of the season for the Boomers, striking out North Park University alum Zach Deutscher for the game’s final out.

Schaumburg struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second with the first crossing the plate after solid execution by the Boomers offense. Karexon Sanchez reached on a hit by pitch and stole second base. Catcher Ty Nelson sacrificed Sanchez to third and the Boomers second baseman score on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Mahley. The next batter, Baumann, belted his second home run of the season over the wall in right center to put the Boomer in front early.

River City cut the Schaumburg advantage in half with a sacrifice fly by Eric Williams in the third and took the lead on Jason Patton’s two-run home run in the top of the sixth. However, the Boomers took the lead right back in the home half of the sixth on a single by Mahley that drove in Jereme Milons and Chad Mozingo.

The Boomers added what proved to be some much needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth, picking up a pair of runs to take a 6-3 lead. Another RBI-single by Mahley allowed Mozingo to score, and it was Mahley’s turn to cross the plate on Baumann’s second double of the night.

PECKS

• The Boomers have not lost back-to-back games at home so far this season
• The Boomers improved to 7-0 in games where they have not committed an error
• 3B Frank Pfister drew his first walk of the season
• Rookie backstop Ty Nelson gunned down two would be base stealers

The rubber match of this Frontier League West Division showdown will feature RHP Robby Donovan (2-1, 4.30) and LHP Justin Edwards (1-2, 4.22).

Join the Boomers Sunday afternoon for a 1 p.m. scheduled first pitch for the first Daily Herald Family Day of the Schaumburg Boomers Inaugural Season. Clip the coupon in the Daily Herald for a special family deal – four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of chips, four sodas, two kids zone passes for $56! If that’s not enough to sway you, you’re welcome to stick around for another Boomers Sunday tradition, the Post-Game Autograph Session presented by Wintrust Community Banks!

Tickets are available now by visiting www.boomersbaseball.com, calling 847.461.3695 or by stopping by the Boomers Box Office.