DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Huskies (8-15, 24-34) fell 9-4 to the Rochester Honkers (12-12, 31-27) in the final game of the season series between the Minnesota foes. Duluth was doomed by six two-out RBI from Honkers hitting.
Starting pitchers Michael Zunker and Owen Myers both delivered perfect innings to begin the game, but Rochester struck in the second on a two-out RBI double by Ryan Drumm. The home team earned the lead in the bottom of that stanza thanks to an RBI two-bagger from Dax Hardcastle and an Andrew Ermis sacrifice fly. Rochester squared the game in the third when Seth Thompson recorded a sacrifice fly.
The Geese extended their lead in the fifth frame, a two-out walk bringing Thompson to the plate with a pair of baserunners. The third baseman slugged a three-run round-tripper to open up a 5-2 lead for the travelers. The Huskies made it interesting in the sixth, as Anthony Cepeda, Jalen Smith, George McIntyre and Dax Hardcastle rapped out consecutive hits to plate two runs, but Andrew Ermis was robbed of a potential game-tying hit by a superb stab from Myers.
Another two-out, run-scoring hit from Drumm – this one a triple – put the Honkers up 7-4, and an insurance run in the ninth put the game beyond reach. The Huskies stranded nine runners, six of which were in scoring position.
Zunker delivered 5.0 innings, conceding five runs and taking the loss. Jayden Andrade allowed two runs in 3.0 innings in relief. Both of those pitchers performed better than those lines might suggest, however. Jude Sunquist allowed a run in his inning of work
Cepeda went 1-for-3 with a run and two walks. He extended a hit streak to eight games, tied for the longest by a Husky this year. Jalen Smith finished 1-for-4 with two runs. George McIntyre scalded two singles while recording a run and RBI. Dax Hardcastle doubled and singled to plate two runs.
Up Next
Duluth concludes its longest homestand of the season with a two-game series against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters tomorrow and Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 6:35 p.m.