MINOT, ND – The Minot Hot Tots returned to Corbett Field on Monday afternoon to open up a two-game series against the Minnesota Mud Puppies. Despite a tough start to the game, the Hot Tots took control from the fourth inning on to win 6-3.
The visiting Mud Puppies acted quickly to take the lead. With one out in the first inning, Brayden Kohls hit a solo home run to start the scoring. Minot bounced back with a two-out rally in the bottom half. Micah McCoy, Tyler Arnold and Alex Altmann strung together hits to tie the game.
In the third inning, Minnesota was back on the board. Number nine hitter, Pete Johnson, tripled down the left field line to plate Max Pederson from first base. Two batters later, Kohls would record another RBI, this time on a sacrifice fly.
The Hot Tots trailed 3-1 after going down in order in the third inning. Minot’s fourth inning was led off by an Altmann double. After stealing third, Altmann would find his way across home plate thanks to an Adrian Dominguez RBI groundout.
Both starting pitchers would finish five innings. Ayden Sauerbrei tossed for the Tots allowing three runs while striking out two. Freshman right-hander Carson Walker allowed five hits and three walks for the Mud Puppies, but still left the game with the lead.
In the battle of the bullpens, Minot struck first. It was Altmann leading off with his third hit of the day in the sixth inning. A Dominguez bunt and Tyler Humphrey single brought Altmann around the score and tied the game at three.
A well-schemed baserunning play by the Hot Tots put them in the lead for the first time. With runners at first and third, Humphrey drew Minnesota’s attention on his way to second base, which allowed Jaxon Goldberg to sneak home from third base. Humphrey was somehow able to avoid the tag and every runner was safe. That magic act was deemed First Command Play of the Game.
Minot came right back in the seventh inning with two more runs. A single play that contained two Mud Puppies errors scored both of the runs and stretched Minot’s lead to three.
Hot Tot relievers Lance Mittelman and Clayton Stewart kept the lead locked down and nailed down a Sky Dancer Casino Big Win.
Alex Altmann’s three-hit day was deserving of SportClips MVP. Clayton Stewart’s 92 mph fastball was the SRT Fastest Pitch.
