(Mankato, MN) A small shuffle in the MoonDogs batting order seemed to make a difference as far as hit production went for the visitors on Friday, but the team struggled to come up with the big hits leaving seven runners on base and falling to the suddenly unbeatable Rochester Honkers 5-2. The win is the third in a row for the Honkers and the third straight against a division leader having swept a two-game series with St. Cloud on Wednesday and Thursday.

Bobby Munoz (St. Leo’s), Wes Freie (Iowa), and Tony Strazzara (San Diego) each had three hits in the contest, with Munoz adding the only two runs batted in for Mankato on a bases loaded single, but the MoonDogs couldn’t do anymore than this.

Rochester bunched four hits and an error together in the bottom of the third inning against starter Jimmy Dale (MSU-Mankato) to jump out to a four-run lead. This would prove to be all Dale would allow to the Honkers as the right-hander pitched six innings allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits. Kolby Wood (Michigan) took over in the seventh inning and allowed one "insurance" run to Rochester on two hits. Scott Matyas (Minnesota) pitched a perfect eighth for the MoonDogs.

The win moves Rochester to 7-5 in the second half and 25-20 overall. Mankato drops to 6-5 in the second half and 26-19 overall. The two teams will continue their two-game series on Saturday evening at Franklin Rogers Park with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.