(6/15/06) Chris Brown hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning and Dane Secott threw a five-hit shutout to lead the Mankato MoonDogs over the Eau Claire Express on Thursday afternoon, 2-0.

Brown’s line drive cut through a stiff wind blowing in from right-center field to get over the left field wall. Bobby Verbick had led off the inning with an infield single.

That was all the run support Secott needed on the day, as he won the matchup with his Minnesota State-Mankato teammate, Eau Claire’s Jon Bjelland. Brown’s home run marked the first two earned runs Bjelland has given up in his three starts this season.

Secott (1-1) threw the MoonDogs’ second complete game in as many days, and his second complete game this season including a rain-shortened seven-inning outing last Friday. Secott finished with six strikeouts and did not allow an Express baserunner to advance past second after the first inning.

For Brown, his first hit of the season could not have come at a more opportune time for the MoonDogs. Battling an injured knee, Brown was 0-for-13 with 10 strikeouts before the home run.

Mankato shortstop Chris Henault made a fine play with the score tied in the fourth inning, making a diving catch over his shoulder in shallow left field to rob Eau Claire’s Bryan Frew of a base hit.

The wind played defense for much of the afternoon. Ryan Addison and Brandon Davis both hit fly balls into deep left-center field, but they were held up by the wind and fell for long outs.