Mankato, Minn. — Two seventh inning runs proved the difference Sunday night, as Mankato came back to beat the Stingers at Franklin Rogers Park.

For the second straight night, the Stingers (36-20, 13-9 second half) and MoonDogs went back and forth, as the two teams traded runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

After the Stingers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Mankato answered with a pair of runs, which was the eventual difference in the game. With two outs in the inning and runners at second and third, Craig Nennig doubled to left field to bring home both runs and give the MoonDogs the 4-3 advantage.

In the eighth inning, the Stingers fell just short of tying the game, as they loaded the bases with two out. Luke Becker, making his Stingers’ debut, walked to start the scoring chance, Dan Motl singled, and Storm Wilson walked to load the bases. But Reagan Fowler then bounced into an inning ending fielder’s choice, with Wilson barely put out at second to end the threat.

Even in the loss, the Stingers offense continued to hit the ball well, and Eddie Estrada’s hot stretch kept going in a big way. Estrada tied the mark for most hits in a game this year by a Stingers’ player with his four, extending his season-high hitting streak to eight games.

Estrada started the first two scoring rallies for Willmar, with singles in the fourth and sixth innings. He would go on to score runs both times, the second time giving the Stingers a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Then in the seventh, Estrada singled home a run, giving him an RBI in nine straight games.

The Stingers finish out the five-game road trip Monday night in Alexandria, and then return home for a five-game homestand starting Tuesday night.

The 2015 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com. 

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Eddie Estrada. CDI is your local medical imaging provider. It’s your choice where you go for medical imaging, for MRI, CT, mammograms and pain injections, choose CDI. Visit online at myCDI.com/CentralMN.

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com.