An explosion of runs turned into a down-to-the-wire finish on Tuesday night. The Minot Hot Tots grabbed the lead in the second inning and would latch on to it, defeating the Mankato MoonDogs 12-10.

The scoring started with the Hot Tots’ second batter, Blake Cavill, at the plate. A two-run home run to right put two runs on the board. Mankato would flip the script in the second inning, scoring four on three hits.

That lead didn’t last long. Two outs into the bottom of the second, Matt Toomey walked up with the bases loaded. On the first pitch, Toomey would not miss. He crushed a grand slam to right field and the Tots went back up 6-4. Three more runs would be scored on three straight doubles, bringing the tally to 9-4 Minot.

Eventually, the pitchers would find success of their own. Parker Cadacio tossed four innings of relief, allowing two runs in the back end. Those two runs scored on a Miken Miller home run and would prove to be big for the MoonDogs, starting the late-inning rally.

Down 12-6 going into the seventh inning, Mankato needed a heaping of runs to stay in the contest. A two-run home run from Collin Jennings  cut the deficit to four and consecutive RBI singles later in the frame brought the score to 12-10.

Minot had the lead still, but with the MoonDogs coming back, the win was still in question. For the last eight outs, the Hot Tots turned to Josh Livengood, their dependable late-game arm. Livengood shut out Mankato in the eighth inning, using the help of a double play to do so. In the ninth, still pitching in a 12-10 game, Livengood recorded two strikeouts including a swing-and-miss strike three to end the game.

With Tuesday’s Sky Dancer Casino Big Win, the Hot Tots have now won three in-a-row at home. They will finish a four-game home stand on Wednesday against Mankato. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm CT.

Four Minot players finished the game with three hits, but it was Matt Toomey with two that took home SportClips MVP. His grand slam was a nominee for the First Command Play of the Game, but Jacob Pearl was the winner of that award with a sliding catch in right field. Minot drew four Buffalo Wild Wings Walks in the game.