CHICAGO (Interstat) — Dominic Kibler drove in three runs and John Hadley VI and Cade Palkowski each homered as the Milwaukee Panthers defeated the Illinois-Chicago Flames 12-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium.

Kibler, the designated hitter, went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs. Hadley, the first baseman, also went 3 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs. Palkowski, the left fielder, was 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Milwaukee, which improved to 18-29 overall, jumped ahead early. In the top of the first, Marion singled and later scored on a single by Schmidt. The Panthers broke the game open in the second inning. With two outs, Ross singled and Marion singled to load the bases. O’Connell doubled down the left-field line, scoring two. Kibler followed with a double to right-center, driving in two more, and Milwaukee led 6-1.

Illinois-Chicago, which dropped to 20-25, answered with a solo homer from left fielder Ashton Kampa in the bottom of the first and a solo shot from Will Flanigan in the third, cutting the deficit to 6-2. But Milwaukee responded in the fourth. After a single by Marion and a stolen base, Kibler grounded out to move Marion to third. Schmidt walked and stole second, and Hadley launched a three-run homer to right field, pushing the lead to 9-2.

The Flames continued to battle. Kampa hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, a solo shot. In the fifth, Kampa crushed another homer, this time a two-run blast that scored Flanigan, making it 9-5.

Milwaukee rebuilt its cushion in the sixth. Kibler singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Holmes. Palkowski then hit a two-run homer to right-center, scoring Hadley and extending the lead to 12-5.

Illinois-Chicago scratched across one run in the seventh. Kampa doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lucas Smith, cutting the margin to 12-6. But Milwaukee pitching held the Flames scoreless over the final two innings.

Mason Weckler earned the win for Milwaukee, pitching four innings of relief and allowing one earned run. Alex Vander Loop started and went five innings, giving up five earned runs but striking out five. Charlie Taczy, Keegan Luxem, Jared Lessman and Payton Barton pitched in relief for Illinois-Chicago.

Kampa had a historic performance, going 5 for 5 with three home runs and four RBIs. He homered in the first, fourth and fifth innings, becoming the first UIC player this season to hit three homers in a game.

The victory was Milwaukee’s second in its last four games after a stretch of three losses in four contests. Illinois-Chicago had won four of its previous five entering the game.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Illinois-Chicago 6, Milwaukee 5, and its ELO system gave the Flames a 70.20 percent probability to win.