BOX SCORE – Huskies 4, Wausau 1

The Duluth Huskies, riding high after a walk-off win Friday night, defeated the league-leading Wausau Woodchucks, 4-1, Saturday night at Athletic Park.

In doing so, the Huskies (16-15) held down one of the best offenses in the league in the Woodchucks (24-8) to just one run, tied for the second-fewest allowed by Duluth this season. 

The game belonged to Brayden Curtis, who was nearly untouchable through eight magnificent innings. The eight innings is the longest start by a Huskies pitcher this season. Curtis allowed just one run, allowing six hits and striking out five. Furthermore, Duluth’s defense did its job behind him, delivering their first clean game in the field since June 21.

Offensively, Duluth got all of their work done in two innings: the sixth and the eighth. Duluth struck for three in the top of the sixth, stringing together productive at-bats and base hits in the process. After a productive out with the bases loaded by Brady Sullivan scored the first run of the game, Ethan Gonzalez delivered a big-time two-base knock to give Duluth a, 3-0, lead. 

Wausau would respond with their only run of the game in the bottom half of the inning. However, in the eighth, the Huskies got it right back. Charlie Sutherland knocked out his second home run of the season to restore the three-run lead, 4-1. 

With the way the pitching staff went for Duluth, it would prove to be all they would need. Jackson Smith came in and rebounded from a turbulent outing two days ago against Waterloo, throwing a shutout ninth to record his first save of the season. 

The win gave Duluth its first win over the Woodchucks this season. Three games remain in the first half, the next of which is the final game in the season series with Wausau tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 pm tomorrow.