Another week-long road trip is only just getting started for the Minot Hot Tots. After two nights in St. Cloud, the Hot Tots take their first day off on a winning note. Despite a 3-0 loss on Monday night, Minot rebounded with an 8-5 victory over the Rox on Tuesday. Read up on how the series went with today’s Roadtrip Recap.

After Sunday afternoon’s game, both the Minot Hot Tots and St. Cloud Rox raced to Joe Faber Field for a Monday evening matchup. It was also the fifth consecutive game between the Tots and Rox, with St. Cloud winning three of the first four.

The Rox, once again, did the early taking. They scored two runs on two sacrifice flyouts to step ahead of the Hot Tots. After the first inning, pitching took over. Kahler Key threw five innings for Minot allowing only the two first-inning runs and one hit. Key picked up five strikeouts, moving his season total up to 16.

St. Cloud took more of a bullpen approach after getting four strong innings for Ethan Felling. Eli Lamb carried the pitching momentum with three relief innings and six strikeouts.

The Hot Tot offense got in position for another late-inning rally, but it gained no traction. St. Cloud’s early offense would hold on, defeating the Hot Tots 3-0 and taking the series.

There was still one more to play on Tuesday night at the Rockpile. The series finale would see the bats come back for both teams. St. Cloud got on the board first with a second-inning double. Minot was quick to respond, plating three in the top of the third. Minot’s new 3-1 lead wouldn’t last long as a Brett White triple tied the score.

Entering the sixth inning, the Hot Tots struck up the offense a second time. Sam Dansky’s first home run as a Hot Tot made it a 5-5 game. Andrew Clapinski drove in the third run of the inning, and put the Tots back in the driver’s seat.

The Hot Tots pitching effort on Tuesday was led by Jacob Galloway, who earned his redemption against his former team with three scoreless frames in which he did not allow a hit. Clayton Stewart and Dylan Leoff, along with two insurance runs, nailed down the road win for the Tots, 8-5.

With a rest day on Wednesday, the Hot Tots sit in a second-place tie in the Great Plains West at 8-8. It is still the best 16-game start in franchise history, leaving lots of room for first-half optimism.

The Tots return to Northwoods League action on Thursday night, starting a two-game series with the Duluth Huskies.