Duluth leaves too many potential runners on base as they drop first of two to Rochester
Zach Linfield, zachlinfield@gmail.com
Rochester, Minn. — The Huskies finished the first half of their longest road trip of the season with a 2-2 record against the top dogs in the East. Playing against the first team from the West during the trip, Duluth dropped the first at the hand of the last place Rochester Honkers, 4-2.
The game started in a positive way for the Huskies, taking a 1-0 lead in the 1st off an error and an RBI from Blayne Robinson. The Honkers quickly tied the game off Huskies’ starter, Matthew Craven (ND, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) in the bottom half. The Bellarmine product worked through five innings of stranding potential runners until giving up the ball heading into the 6th, making today his second longest start in his collegiate career. The 6th is where things became tougher for Duluth when Brody Maynard entered the game. Before you could take a breath, Rochester’s J.J. Cruz skied a fly ball inches from the right field line which was ruled a home run by 1st Base umpire, Mason LaBuda. The Honkers tabbed on one more run in the 6th off the second error of the day on Huskies’ 2nd Baseman, Beau Wimpee. The Huskies had a hard time finding solid contact against Honkers’ starter, Brandon Knoll (ND, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K).
Two players had multiple hits for the Huskies. Both players came into the season signed on temp contracts. Continuing his tear, Ambren Voitik followed his Northwoods League Player of the Night game yesterday with a 2-for-5 day including a double and an RBI. Voitik was the final out in the ballgame with a slicing line drive to center field. Kimo Fukofuka was the other multi-hit batter as he recorded a 3-for-5 night, scoring a run and swiping two bases throughout the contest as well. He and Mike Boeve singled in the top of the 9th to try and enforce a rally for the Huskies. Duluth left 13 runners on base, at least one in each of the final seven innings.
With Duluth falling tonight, they have yet to earn a single winning streak 21 games through the season as they fall to 7-14. The Honkers upgrade their record to 6-11. Brody Maynard (0-1) is tagged with his first decision of the season and Honkers’ reliever, Jack Brodsky in turn picks up his first win of the season from the bullpen.
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The Duluth Huskies are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 250 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.duluthhuskies.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Huskies as your favorite team.