Huskies shut out for third time this season, Honkers record five runs with two outs.

Duluth, Minn – Timely hitting proved dividends for the Rochester Honkers on Monday night.

The Duluth Huskies fell short at Mayo Field, losing 5-0 to Rochester on Monday night. The Huskies dipped to 1-5 on their eight-game road trip, shut out for the second time in five games.

The Huskies gave the ball to Pat Miner for his fourth start of the season, starting 2-0 with a 4.24 ERA. After retiring five of the first six, Rochester pounced early on Miner, with Michael Brown putting an RBI double to left field to score Tyler White from first base.

Rochester led 1-0 after the second, and Honkers starter Noah Rooney started the night exceptionally. Rooney set down the first eleven Huskies, without getting his first strikeout until the fourth inning. Eduardo Rosario recorded the first hit for the Huskies with a bloop single, but Duluth stranded two after a groundout by Ambren Voitik.

It became a Pitcher’s Duel in the middle innings, similar to game one’s 5-2 win for Duluth (11-10). Honkers starter kept the Huskies off the scoreboard through his first five innings. Rooney, a rising Sophomore at Minnesota, surrendered just three hits in his first five innings.

Miner, despite retiring nine straight Rochester, surrendered three consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the fifth. Colby Wilkerson and Alex Ritzer recorded back-to-back base hits, with the UNC Tar Heels combining to give the Honkers (8-12) a two-run lead. Kevin Dowdell and Theo Hardy followed up with a pair of doubles back up the middle, giving the Honkers a 4-0 lead going into the sixth.

Rooney set down the Huskies in order in the sixth, finishing his fourth start of the season throwing a season-best six shutout innings with three strikeouts. He handed the ball off to a pair of right-handed relievers, with Cam Holycross and Troy Wentworth each throwing a pair of shutout innings.

Miner closed his outing throwing back-to-back 1-2-3 frames, closing his day giving up four runs across seven innings of work. Caden Edwards tried to preserve the 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the eighth, but Rochester were able to get some much-needed insurance. Dowdell led off the inning with a single, and Nico Regino was able to poke an RBI single to left field to stretch the lead to five.

Thaniel Trumper closed out the Huskies in the ninth to secure the eighth win of the season for Rochester, and their seventh at Mayo Field. Duluth dropped to 4-8 away from Wade Stadium. Noah Rooney earned his first win of the season for the Honkers, while Miner was handed the loss for the Huskies.

The Huskies will wrap up their eight game road trip with a two-game set at La Crosse against a Loggers team that has won eight in a row. First pitch from Copeland Park is scheduled for 6:35 tomorrow.