A solo home run by Jeff Corsaletti in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the Honkers 4-3 win Wednesday afternoon in Rochester.

Rochester got off to an early start in the first inning by scoring one run, then capitalizing on a fielding error, producing two unearned runs that staked the Honkers to a 3-0 lead.

The top of the fourth inning was drama filled, including two controversial plays, a 10-minute delay, an ejection of Rochester’s Head Coach David Parra, and the MoonDogs scoring two runs.

With one out in the inning, Rochester thought they had an inning-ending double play on an illegal slide at second base by Adam Frank. Instead, the MoonDogs scored their second run of the game on the force play at second base, and Coach Parra was ejected after 10 minutes of disputing the call.

Starting pitcher, Justin Gracia, was cruising along until the bottom of the seventh, when Corsaletti hit his third home run of the season to put Rochester up 4-2.

That run proved to be crucial, as Mankato strung together three straight hits in the top of the eighth to score a run. Unfortunately, pinch-hitter Brandon Fromm’s line-drive was snared out of the air by Honkers shortstop, Toby Gardenhire, who then doubled off Matt Falk at first base to end the inning.

Mankato had one more chance to tie or take the lead in the ninth. With runners at first and second base, Aaron Grant sent a base-hit to left field, but Ryan Chiarelli was thrown out at home plate to end the game.

After the first inning, Garcia settled down and finished the game pitching 7.2 innings, allowing 4 runs (2 unearned) on 6 hits, walking 1 and striking out 3, while Ryan Chiarelli went 3-5 at the plate.