Mankato, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs beat the Rochester Honkers 4-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Franklin Rogers Park. The MoonDogs were carried by Shaun Cooper (Utah) and starting pitcher Alex Blackford (Arizona St.).

Cooper continued his record setting season by setting the MoonDogs single season record for RBI with his 48th RBI of the season on Tuesday. He broke Jeremiah Peipkorn’s previous record, Piepkorn played for the ‘Dogs in 2003. Cooper now holds the MoonDogs single-season triples record, single-season home run record, and the single-season RBI record. Cooper was 1-for-4 on the day with two RBIs and a double.

Blackford pitched his best game of the season thus far, pitching six innings and giving up six hits that scored three runs, only one of them an earned run, and struck out five Honkers. His win on Tuesday afternoon was his first win of the season, and he is now 1-2. Matt Mazzoni relieved Blackford in the seventh inning and pitched three innings of shutout baseball, allowing no runs on zero hits. Rochester starting pitcher Nick Dolsky (Nebraska) suffered the loss for the Honkers and falls to 2-2 this season.

The MoonDogs will travel back to Rochester on Wednesday and will be looking to sweep the Honkers, first pitch is at 7:05 at Mayo Field in Rochester. The MoonDogs will then return home on Thursday for a two game series against the Brainerd Lakes Lunkers.

Thursday is Minnesota Twins Night presented by Buffalo Wild Wings and KTOE. Two-time World Series Champion, former Twins player Gene Larkin, will be the special guest that evening. Larkin is best known for this game winning single in the 1991 World Series that scored Dan Gladden in the bottom of the tenth inning that won the World Series for the Twins. There will be a pre-game autograph session starting at 5:30 at the Hilltop Buffalo Wild Wings. TC Bear and Twins’ organist Sue Nelson will also make appearances at the game.