After torrential rains halted play on Wednesday evening at Franklin Rogers Park, the game between the MoonDogs and the Woodchucks was resumed Thursday night in Wausau.

In a continuation of Wednesday’s game, lineups remained the same and the game resumed where it was stopped when the rains hit Mankato. The MoonDogs remained the home team and took the field with a 2-0, starting the game in the top of the 3rd inning. Those two runs had come off the bat of Matt Falk, whose 1st inning double scored both Ryan Chiarelli and Aaron Grant on Wednesday night.

Manny Bishop, who started the game on Wednesday, gave way to Justin Garcia who got the nod to pick up where Bishop had left off. Going for five innings, while giving up only 2 unearned runs, Garcia allowed the MoonDogs to build a lead they would never relinquish.

The middle of the MoonDogs lineup produced all 6 runs, as Matt Falk, Brian Stienmeyer and Barrett Rice were each 2-4, with 2 RBI apiece. Aaron Grant, the MoonDogs right-fielder, scored three of the MoonDogs six runs.

In the eighth and ninth innings, the MoonDogs looked to the bullpen once again, to ensure a victory. Neil Wagner was nearly perfect in the eighth, allowing just one base runner and Kevin Dixon finished off the Woodchucks in the ninth for a MoonDogs 6-5 victory.

In the nightcap of Thursday’s doubleheader, the MoonDogs found themselves to be the victor for the third consecutive game against the Woodchucks, 6-4 in 10 innings.

Starting for the Woodchucks was Lance Broadway, a flame-throwing righty, who threw a no-hitter in his last start against the Alexandria Beetles. Shutting down the ’Dogs for 6 innings, Broadway allowed only 1 unearned run and struck out 9.

Knowing how tough of a game this would be, the MoonDogs Skyler Young took the hill, pitching three solid innings and keeping the score close, before turning the game over to Cole DeVries. Showing masterful control, DeVries allowed just 1 run and struck out 11 Woodchucks, as the MoonDogs rode his arm into the 10th inning.

Heading into the top of the 7th, the final scheduled inning, the MoonDogs were down by 2. Tony Gonzalez singled, and then with 2 outs, Aaron Grant drew a pinch hit walk to bring Grant Rembert to the plate. Rembert solved the enigma that was Broadway, with a 2-out double, scoring both runners and tying the game.

The MoonDogs put up another 3 runs in the 10th and then called upon Scott Sharpe to finish off their sweep of the Woodchucks.

The same two teams will battle for the 4th and final time of the 2004 season tonight in Wausau, before the MoonDogs head to Rochester for the first half of a home-and-home series with the Honkers.

They return home Sunday, July 4th, at 6:05 p.m. for the start of a 9-game home stand. Come enjoy some old fashioned Americana with outdoor, wood-bat baseball and the 4th of July with the MoonDogs. Your ticket stub not only guarantees you a great seat at Franklin Rogers Park but also one at Blakeslee Stadium for Mankato’s Fireworks Extravaganza.