ST. CLOUD-Minn. The MoonDogs started the first inning with 5 runs but the bats fell silent the rest of the game as they lost to the St. Cloud Rox 7-5 Thursday night at Joe Faber Field in front of 1107 announced attendance. Michael Busch for the Rox went 4 for 5, slamming a solo home run to right center field in the fourth inning. It gave the Rox a 6-5 lead, proving to be all they would need the rest of the way. The Rox pitched a quartet of relievers and all of them had success. Joe Calamita got the win, going 3.2 innings and just one hit while striking out 1. Brent Killam picked up his seventh save for the Rox. He faced four hitters in the ninth, getting Kyle Cuellar to strikeout to end the game.
The first inning started with a base hit by Ryan Kreidler followed by a walk issued to Jake Ortega. After Kyle Cuellar was hit by a pitch, back to back walks with the bases loaded to Logan Busch and Ethan Valdez gave the MoonDogs a 2-0 lead. Then the MoonDogs continued to score runs on two out singles from Brady Pfaadt and Alvaro Rubalcaba putting the score at 5-0. The Rox chipped away at the lead, scoring two in the first and then tying the game in the third on a bases loaded walk issued to Mason Mammarella. After the solo home run by Busch in the fourth, the Rox added one more run for insurance in the seventh. Drew Avans reached on a base hit and scored on a two out single from Michael Busch.
Nick Belzer lasted 1.2 innings in the start for Mankato, allowing 5 earned runs on 5 hits, walking 4 and stiking out 2. With the loss, the MoonDogs (17-10, 37-26 overall) move into a three way tie for first place in the second half north division standing. Eau Claire and Willmar both are 17-10. The Rox and MoonDogs play game four of their four game series on Friday night in Mankato at Franklin Rogers Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit [www.mankatomoondogs.com]or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 23-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.