The first and ninth innings held all the scoring for the Minot Hot Tots on Wednesday night, but that was not enough to top the Mankato MoonDogs. The final score of the series finale went 9-3 in favor of the MoonDogs.
Wednesday’s game started similarly to Tuesday’s with the Hot Tots scoring first. Jacob Pearl was hit by a pitch and would score all the way from first on a Blake Cavill double. Still in the first inning, an odd play would occur, plating another Minot run. Matt Toomey hit a ground ball to Mankato pitcher Sam Stockman. Stockman ran to Cavill who was trying to score and tagged him out. As that part of the play developed, Toomey took off for second base, drawing a throw from Stockman, but it ended up in left field. When all the dust settled, the other base runner, Ethan Reader, had scored and the Tots led 2-0.
The MoonDogs started their comeback in the third inning. Each of the first six batters reached base, resulting in three runs. Stockman would keep the Hot Tots under control, allowing no runs in the remaining four innings of his start. No team would put up a score again until the top of the sixth was led off by a Collin Jennings home run.
Mankato’s 4-2 lead stood despite two separate bases-loaded situations for the Minot offense. Runners left on base would be one of the telling tales of the night. The Hot Tots finished the game with 14 stranded runners to Mankato’s four.
The MoonDogs kept capitalizing on free base runners. Second baseman JoJo Williamson launched his first home run of the summer in the seventh inning. It was a two-run shot that followed a leadoff walk. In the top of the eighth, Mankato was walked four times and the help of an error pushed the lead to 9-2.
Minot gave one last shot in the ninth, but only came up with one run. The Hot Tots had their three-game losing streak snapped, but still finished the homestand with a 3-1 record. They won’t be back in Minot until Saturday when the Badlands Big Sticks pay a visit.
Justin Rumfield reached base three times and was the game’s SportClips MVP. Ryan Castro flashed the leather again at shortstop, making a sliding catch in the seventh inning as the First Command Play of the Game. The SRT Fastest Pitch was clocked at 86 mph. Lastly, the Hot Tots drew seven Buffalo Wild Wings Walks.
