You have to say one thing about the Alton River Dragons: they don’t quit.

Despite winning only four games this entire season and after losing to the same Burlington Bees team by 17 runs the night before, the River Dragons seemed to play some of their best baseball of the year Saturday night at Community Field.

Plus, you have to admire the fact that they didn’t give up, despite trailing, 12-2, after four innings.

Alton chipped away at the Bees’ lead to the point that it took a game-ending double play to finally dispatch the River Dragons, 12-9.

Despite Saturday night’s game, which only a mother could have loved, the Bees have now won seven games in a row.

Alton slipped to 4-38 on the year.

So, even with the victory, was Burlington Bees manager Owen Oreskovich pleased with the night?

“Not how it ended,” Oreskovich said. “Not at all. Credit goes to them for not giving up.”

So, instead of putting the River Dragons away by going home early with a 10-run rule victory perhaps, the game kept dragging on and on and on. Each team surrendered at least 10 walks. Four Bees were hit by a pitch. Three River Dragons were tagged by Bees’ pitching.

The game was delayed by 30 minutes as the field crew had to remove the tarp from an early shower. Then a claustrophobic strike zone for both teams caused the game to last nearly 3 1/2 hours.

So to say that there were lulls in the action would be an understatement.

“We didn’t seem awake and ready to go,” Oreskovich said. “That can’t happen.”

The Bees were able to reach Alton starting pitcher Nick Castellanos for eight runs in the first three innings, but the offensive momentum swung decidedly to the River Dragons for the latter innings.

Early on, Burlington received offensive punch from Kade Knock, a late addition to the Bees from Mount Mercy University, who smacked two doubles and had two RBIs. Adam Kudronowicz and Dalton Miller also had a double. Kudronowicz went 2-for-4.

“K.J. is a ballplayer,” Oreskovich said. “He’s a guy I love to have out there.”

Alton outhit Burlington, 9-8.

Tate Slagle reached his pitch limit for the Bees and couldn’t be credited with the win, but he did give the Bees four fairly solid innings of work.

Burlington will play again at home on Sunday afternoon when they face the Quincy Doggy Paddlers.

“ I’m glad we got the ‘W’, but we aren’t really glad about too much after that,” Oreskovich said.