The Mankato MoonDogs came home last night after a three-game stretch in St. Cloud against the Rox, only to face the Rox again on Friday, this time at Franklin Rogers Park. After dropping the previous two games in St. Cloud, the MoonDogs were looking to get back on track at home. Unfortunately, a lack of hitting and a few mistakes on defense cost the team their third straight game, falling to the Rox once again, 10-3.
MoonDogs pitcher Blake Tritch made his first start on the mound for the season, after mainly being used as a late-innings reliever. He escaped a couple jams early in the game, including a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the second inning. Two outfield assists by rightfielder Jake Shepski kept the Rox scoreless and Tritch’s shutout intact.
A leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning by Ethan Valdez gave the MoonDogs the first run of the game. But an unearned run in the top of the fifth tied the score at one. Tritch exited the game after the inning, having given up zero earned runs on five hits.
The MoonDogs relievers had a tough time continuing the success that Tritch had been enjoying, however. Four pitchers combined to surrender nine runs in the final three innings, putting St. Cloud’s total at ten.
Eager to reciprocate the scoring, the MoonDogs loaded the bases in the eighth inning for Valdez. A dropped third strike brought Daniel Amaral in to score, but the MoonDogs were unable to capitalize any further, stranding three more baserunners.
The MoonDogs accrued only five hits on the night, including two from Ryan Kreidler. Valdez and Shepski gave the home team their only RBIs. The loss drops their second-half record to 17-11. The MoonDogs will stay home for the weekend to host the La Crosse Loggers, starting Saturday at 6:05.
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit [www.mankatomoondogs.com]or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 23-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
