By: Connor Wachtel
St. Cloud, Minn. — The Mankato MoonDogs lost their first game in over a week to the St. Cloud Rox, 15-5, on the road Monday night.
Big seventh and eighth innings for St. Cloud propelled them clear past Mankato, who have been among the hottest teams in the Northwoods League. After the Rox scored three times in the seventh, MoonDogs third baseman Jake Thompson, launched his fourth home run, a two-run shot to cut the deficit in half to 7-5. More so, it fueled St. Cloud’s offense and they went on to bat around in the bottom half for eight runs on six hits. They also got help from two errors in rounding out their 15-5 win.
The MoonDogs scored first Monday. Michael Curialle got them on the board first with a single to left in the second to score Thompson and Tanner Craig. Curialle stole second before scoring in the next at bat on a Zach Kokoska RBI single. The MoonDogs led 3-0 after the top half of the second.
In the bottom half, the Rox had a counter for the Dogs early surge. They one upped the visiting MoonDogs with four runs on one hit. Walks were an issue for Mankato and the second inning ended with St. Cloud leading, 4-3.
From that point on it was entirely the Rox game aside from Thompson’s eighth-inning blast. Ultimately, the MoonDogs six-game heater came to an end, 15-5, Monday evening.
The box score saw a hot night for St. Cloud on the basepaths as the hosting Rox stole five bases. They also outhit the MoonDogs, 14-6, and played stauncher defense with one error to Mankato’s three.
Landen Bourassa earned St. Cloud’s win Monday. In relief, Bourassa pitched scoreless, no-hit baseball from the third on through the seventh inning. He walked and struck out a pair along the way.
MoonDogs starter, Deylen Miley, got the loss Monday. Miley’s fourth start saw him pitch two innings. In the second, he allowed four runs and a hit for two knocks total on the night.
For tonight’s box score click HERE.
The Mankato MoonDogs (9-13) return to Franklin Rogers Park tomorrow to take on the St. Cloud Rox (10-9) and close out the two-game, home-and-home, series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
###
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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.
