Rochester, Minn. – Four runs in the second inning were all the MoonDogs would need as Bennett Whitmore and Chris Garrison held Rochester at bay as the MoonDogs avoided the sweep by topping the Honkers 4-3 at Mayo Field Monday afternoon.

Whitmore (Oregon) threw nearly 100 pitches in his five innings, giving way to his Oregon teammate in the sixth. Garrison shut down the Honkers (27-16, 8-3) from there, earning his first save by pitching the final four innings and allowing just one hit. Whitmore moved to 3-1 on the year and Garrison became the fifth different MoonDog (28-15, 5-5) to record a save.

In the big second, KC Serna (Oregon), Ryan Durant (Iowa) and Cody Fick (Evansville) all had RBI singles and Danny Miller posted a sacrifice fly. Rochester would chip away as Tony Thompson (Kansas) drove in a run in the third.

The Dogs dodged a big bullet in the fifth, as Corey Jones (Cal State Fullerton) blasted a line drive home run to right for his 12th of the year to make it 4-2. The Honkers then loaded the bases with one out, but after an RBI groundout by Aaron Johnson (Illinois), Whitmore got out of the jam by striking out Drew Beuerlein (UNLV).

Thompson led all hitters with a 3-5 day and the RBI. Serna was the only MoonDog with multiple hits, going 2-5 with an RBI, as all but two of the MoonDog starters had a hit.

Riley Bevil (Oregon) fell to 1-2 on the season for the Honkers, allowing all four runs and lasting just two innings.

The MoonDogs and Honkers have split six games this season, going 3-3 against each other. All but one of the games have been decided by two runs or less with two extra-inning affairs as well.

The Honkers will be at Brainerd tomorrow for a 7:05 contest with the Lunkers. The MoonDogs will be back at home tomorrow, as they take on Duluth. The game will include the completion of the June 21st game which was halted in the 12th inning. Start time for MoonDog-Husky baseball will be at 6:05 p.m.