(Rochester, Minn.) – Alex Baeza (Hawaii) served as the hero as the Rochester Honkers walked off the Duluth Huskies 2-1 on Saturday at Mayo Field. Baeza launched a double over the right fielders head in the eleventh inning to bring in the game-winning run. The walk-off gives the Honkers their first second half win as they improve to 1-3 and 18-22 overall. The Huskies fall to 3-1 and 27-13.
Honker’s starting pitcher Chad Tworek (Keiser) twirled a gem despite receiving a no decision. The right-hander allowed one run on seven hits in eight innings of work. Tworek struck out four and walked just two. Josh Ibarra (Concordia-Irvine) held the Huskies at one run working a scoreless ninth inning. Zach Sundine (Lamar CC) picked up his first win after working two scoreless innings.
Andy Armstrong (Oregon State) paced the Honkers on offense going 3-for-4 and driving in a run.
Duluth got on top in the first inning as Nicholas Sogard (Loyola Marymount) reached on a fielder’s choice and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
The Honkers fought back to tie the game at one in the sixth. Casey Dunlap (Point Loma Nazarene) reached on a double and was driven in on a single by Armstrong.
Baeza then gave the Honkers their fourth walk-off win of the season driving in his 10th run of the year with a double.
Logan VanWey (Missouri Southern) took the loss in the contest for Duluth. VanWey surrendered one run on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
The Honkers host the Eau Claire Express on Sunday for Renaissance Day at Mayo Field. The first 300 adults and 200 kids will receive free Minnesota Renaissance tickets. Additionally, it is Slider’s Kids Club Day, kids eat free on the deck and run the bases after the game. Cole Quintanilla (Texas) is scheduled to make his seventh start for the Honkers. The right-hander has 0-1 record and a 6.14 ERA. Quintanilla will be up against Justin Slaten (New Mexico) for the Express. Slaten has been one of the best pitchers in the Northwoods League posting a 4-1 record and a 0.75 ERA.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.
