The Minot Hot Tots rarely had the lead on Friday evening against the Bismarck Larks. Despite that, it would be Hot Tots coming from behind to earn a win, 11-10 on Independence Day.

The offenses were rolling right away for both teams. Bismarck put up two runs in the top of the first, to which Minot countered with a run in the second inning. The Larks continued to add on, building a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning.

Minot mounted their first big comeback in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded and already one run across, the Larks went to the bullpen. The first batter that new pitcher Griffin Shearon would face was Henry Allen. Allen hit a line drive over the left field wall for a grand slam. Minot took a 6-5 lead on Henry’s tenth home run of the summer.

The lead was short-lived as Kingston Hangartner would hit a two-run homer right away in the fifth inning, switching the lead back to Bismarck’s favor at 7-6.

At the seventh inning stretch, the Larks had a 9-6 advantage. With few hits on the game, the Hot Tots needed another boost, and that they would get from none other than Allen. To lead off the seventh, Allen cleared the center field fence, cutting the deficit to two. Jonah Shields would pick up an RBI later in the inning to draw Minot within one.

The fireworks show didn’t end there. Bismarck’s leadoff batter in the eighth inning, Kenskey Thomas hit a solo home run, shifting the score to 10-8 Larks.

One run is all Bismarck would get then and called in late-inning specialist Landon Waters to pitch the eighth inning. Waters inherited two baserunners with one out and one-run cushion. He would hit Max Ortega with a pitch to load the bases and then issue back-to-back walks to give up the lead. 

Minot made the switch to closer Pavlos Piperakis in the ninth inning and he successfully shut down the Larks and protected the lead.

The Hot Tots moved to 5-3 against the Larks with the Sky Dancer Casino Big Win and are just two wins away from winning the Dakota Dust-Up series.

Henry Allen was the game’s SportClips MVP. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six runs batted in. His grand slam in the fourth inning also was awarded First Command Play of the Game. Minot drew nine Buffalo Wild Wings, enough to earn you a free dessert tomorrow. CJ Hanson threw the night’s SRT Fastest Pitch of 87 mph.