Someone finally scored against the Kenosha Legion Post 21 Merchants, but not until after the state’s third-ranked team had built a comfortable lead.

Shawn Miller’s bases-loaded triple in the fifth inning broke open what had been a close game as the Merchants cruised to a 9-1 victory over Janesville Post 205 in a Lakes Area Legion League game Wednesday night at Simmons Field.

It was the first meeting between the teams since Janesville, ranked eighth in the state poll, defeated Kenosha 10-8 in the Class AAA Region 7 championship game last year at Beaumont Field.

The Merchants (14-1, 5-0 LALL) scored first when Miller’s RBI double plated Brenden Schulz, who opened the game with an infield single. It stayed 1-0 until the fifth when Kenosha scored six times. Nathan Welch drove in the first run with an RBI single and Cody Miller drew a bases-loaded walk before Miller’s drive into the gap in left center cleared the bases.

“Shawn’s hit was huge,” Post 21 manager Peter DiGaudio said. “It was a competitive game up until that point. He just crushed the ball. It might have gone out if the air hadn’t been so humid and heavy.”

Schulz drove in Post 21’s final runs with a double in the sixth.

Dustin Proud was the beneficiary of the offense, tossing a six-hit complete game. Proud, who started and pitched three innings of Post 21’s 15-0 victory at Darien on Tuesday, blanked Janesville through six innings.

Janesville (6-3, 4-1) scored an unearned run in the seventh to end Kenosha’s scoreless streak at 24 innings. Post 21’s streak of four consecutive error-free games also came to an end.

“I can’t say enough about what Dustin did,” DiGaudio said. “He only threw 42 pitches last night, so we were comfortable bringing him back again. He stayed ahead of hitters and didn’t let their big guys do any damage.”

In Tuesday’s victory at West Field in Darien, Post 21 broke the game open with a 10-run third inning as Welch, Schulz and Jon Atkins all had two-run singles in the inning. Welch had three hits and drove in four runs.

The Merchants face fifth-ranked Beloit Post 48 at 7 tonight at Pohlmann Field.

Tommy Johnston allowed only one earned run in 62/3 innings as the Genoa City RedDogs toppled the West Allis Nationals 7-3 in a Langsdorf League game Tuesday night.

Johnson (2-0) helped Genoa City improve to 6-3 in the Langsdorf and 15-6 overall.

Johnston helped his own cause by leading off the third with a double to the wall. After a West Allis error, Jimmy Sanew tripled and Drew Roberts doubled to make the score 3-1. In the fourth, Jade Boettcher led off with a single and Johnston and Sanew followed with singles. Cooper Sniatysnki walked and Roberts doubled to pad the lead.

The RedDogs host the Milwaukee Angels 7:30 tonight at Torstenson Field in Genoa City.