Fresh off their third straight win to start the year, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (3-0) return to Herr-Baker Field to take on the Green Bay Rockers (1-2) in an 11:35 a.m. start. The game can be seen live through ESPN+.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
WELL, THAT WAS WILD: The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders used a season-high 13 walks to fuel a ninth inning explosion to take down the Green Bay Rockers 15-9 on Wednesday night at Capital Credit Union Park. The Dock Spiders fought back from down 9-7 after leading 6-5 in the third inning. Nick Mitchell laced a game-tying two-run home run to right-center in the seventh to tie it at nine, and then the Dock Spiders tallied six runs in the ninth off three hits, four walks and two hit batters. In total, Fond du Lac sent 11 men to the plate in the ninth after sending 10 to the plate during a five run third inning. The bullpen locked down the Rockers after a go-ahead grand slam off Kenny Campbell in the sixth, allowing just one hit over the final three innings with six strikeouts.
PILING ON THE RUNS: With 15 runs on Tuesday night, the Dock Spiders have now scored double-digit runs in each of their first three games to start the year, In total, they’ve scored 36 runs on the year, six clear of second place Willmar. It’s the first time the Dock Spiders have tallied at least 10 in three straight since they reached the mark in six straight from August 7 to August 13, 2020. Fond du Lac scored 78 runs over the span, an average of 13 runs per game.
KING OF THE WALK: Dock Spiders catcher Tommy Stevenson continues on a torrid stretch of walks to start the summer season. On Tuesday night, Stevenson drew a career-high four walks against the Rockers on the road, including an RBI walk to drive in the go-ahead run in the ninth. Stevenson is currently tied for the Northwoods League lead with seven walks, which is one behind Nick Mitchell’s league-leading eight hits. Stevenson has drawn a walk in 41% of plate appearances this year.
HE REALLY DOES IT ALL: After smashing his first home run of the year on Wednesday, Nick Mitchell is now the only Northwoods League player to have tallied a single, double, triple and home run this season. Mitchell also leads the league in hits with eight and has tallied multiple hits in every game. Dating back to his college season at Western Illinois, Mitchell has hit safely in 42 of his 49 games played during 2022.
KEEPING IT IN THE WIN COLUMN: The Dock Spiders are now one of two teams in the Northwoods League off to a 3-0 start, joined by the St. Cloud Rox. It’s the first time the Dock Spiders have started 3-0 in franchise history. No Dock Spiders team has ever started 4-0 since the franchise’s first season in 2017. Their 36 runs scored in the first three games are also a franchise-best.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP
RHP ANDREW POGUE (FDL): The Fighting Illini righty takes the mound in the second home game for the Dock Spiders. Pogue was used as a starter last year with the Orange County Riptide in the Cal Collegiate League, but was used in the bullpen this year at Illinois, making just one start.
RHP BRYCE CRABB (GB): Crabb makes his first start of the season with the Rockers after spending the 2021 season with the traveling Minnesota Mud Puppies. He had a 3.00 ERA in 12 starts with Northwestern (MN) in 2022.
