Top Ten Moments Countdown: #6: A Wild Win in Duluth

Someone once said, “The coldest winter I ever had, was a summer in Duluth.” Those words resonated on a chilly, 52-degree June night in Duluth as the Express traveled to Wade Stadium to take on the Duluth Huskies in the first of eight games to be played between the two squads during the season.

The Huskies got off to a big 6-1 lead after only four innings of play, due in large part to a three-run Michael Tinsley home run in the bottom of the third. The Express would storm back, however, with a six-run fifth inning; highlighted by a Jack Zoellner RBI double and a host of wild pitches and errors by the Huskies.

The Huskies scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim a 9-7 lead over the Express. The Huskies would hold on to that lead until the top of the ninth inning. In the ninth, Tyler Jones hit a no-out single to score Tyler Hermann from second, and Lane Milligan scored during the next at bat on a wild pitch to send the game to extra innings.

During the Express comeback, and on what had not been a good night for pitching on either side, Taylor Duree changed the trend pitching five scoreless innings from the sixth through the tenth to keep the Express alive and in the ballgame.

Things got crazy in the top of the eleventh inning as the Express got the bases loaded with two outs. UW-Stout man and Eau Claire native Brady Burzynski came to the plate and on the first pitch of the at-bat versus Steve Villines, he laid down a bunt that players only dream about down the third base line. The bunt caught the defense, the crowd of 620, the coaching staffs, and the radio broadcasters totally off guard. Huskie third baseman Nolan Johnson charged the bunt, fielded it well, but slipped making his throw to first sending the ball sailing past his first baseman and allowing two runs to score on the play. The Express would add five more runs in the inning, all with two outs, to mark a seven-run eleventh inning and propel the Express to an eventual 16-12 victory over the Huskies.

If you want to view any or all of the wild eleventh inning from that night, click the link below.

Top of the 11th in Duluth 6-10-14

The wild night in Duluth is moment number 6 of our top ten moments of the 2014 Express season countdown.

The countdown will continue after the holidays with moment number 5. Stay tuned!