By: Connor Wachtel
Mankato, Minn. — Errors riddled the Mankato MoonDogs as the home team tripled the visiting St. Cloud Rox in defensive mishap and dropped the game, 9-3, Monday.
The Rox were off and running in the first inning. They took the game’s first lead, 3-0, scoring three unearned runs against the MoonDogs. While getting one hit in the opening frame, the Rox also got help from a pair of errors.
St. Cloud scored another pair in the second. The runs scored on two hits and another pair of MoonDogs errors.
Dylan Phillips had a base knock in the sixth got the Dogs on the board. Michael Curialle scored from second to make it a 5-1 deficit for the Dogs.
After stretching time, Danny Borgstrom scored from third on an errant pitch to make it 5-2.
Danny Borgstrom had the hot stick, Monday. He went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. (Image taken by Mansoor Ahmad)
A four spot in the ninth put all hopes of a comeback to rest for the MoonDogs. The Rox had three hits and got help from another error in the form of Mankato’s sixth defensive mishap of the night.
The Rox held on to win by six, 9-3, after the MoonDogs scored once more in the bottom half. Each team finished with their hits synced up to their run total as the MoonDogs dropped the hit battle, 9-3. Mankato finished their messy night in the field with six errors to the Rox two.
Monday’s win went to the Rox starter, Landen Bourassa (3-0), who threw five frames of shutout, no-hit baseball. The right hander walked three and struck out four MoonDogs hitters. Garret Delano finished the game after coming in to pitch the eighth. He closed it out for his first save of the season. The righty allowed one hit for one run, walked one and struck out a pair.
In his final outing of the 2020 campaign, southpaw Shane Barringer (3-1) pitched six innings. The MoonDogs veteran gave up six hits and five runs (two earned). He walked two and struck out five.
Shane Barringer made his final appearance as a Mankato MoonDogs in 2020, Monday, at Franklin Rogers Park. (Image taken by Mansoor Ahmad)
For tonight’s box score click HERE.
Tomorrow marks the final game of the two-day series between the Mankato MoonDogs (14-20) and the St. Cloud Rox (21-11). The two-day series concludes with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
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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.