Rochester, MN — Honkers starter Tanner Cunha (Nevada) came into tonight looking to find a groove, but was promptly met with the Bucks’ big bats, in the first of two multi-run innings by the road team that kept the Honkers from striking distance in the 10-6 defeat.

The Bucks sent 16 hitters to the plate in the first two innings, scoring five runs on seven hits and an error, most notably back-to-back homeruns by Patrick Ferguson and Tristan Peterson.

Cunha was able to make it through the next two innings without giving up any more runs, setting up a fourth inning where the Honkers showed some signs of life, down 5-1.

Bryce Matthews (Arkansas) led the frame off with a single — his second in as many at-bats, en route to a two-for-four night — and would come around to score after his college classmate Robert Moore (Arkansas) knocked a single to right.

The ensuing inning got the sellout crowd of 250 at Mayo Park back in it, when Tanner Tweedt (Sacramento City College) lifted over the left-center field fence for his third homer of the season. He improves his batting average to .273 while shooting his on-base plus slugging (OPS) to 1.006.

Another offensive outburst awaited the host Honkers in the top of the sixth, though, when the Bucks scored five runs on four consecutive free passes (two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and another walk, respectively) and a bases-clearing double by third baseman Drew Bianco.

The lead was insurmountable at that point, as the two runs scored in the bottom of the sixth and one in the seventh were responded to with shutdown pitching by the Bucks’ latter third of relief.

Tomorrow night, the Honkers finish the home-and-home series with the Bucks with a 6:35 first pitch. Charles Harrison (UCLA) is set to take the start for the Team in Teal. Join Simon Williams for “Honkers Pregame Live!” at 6:30 on www.Mixlr.com/HonkersBroadcast.

Be sure to connect with the Honkers on social media by liking them on Facebook and following them on twitter @RochHonkers and Instagram @HonkersBaseball. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #UnlockTheFlock!