ROCHESTER, MN — For the first time this season, the Rochester Honkers (5-21) mashed home runs in each of the first three innings of the game, jumping out to a commanding 8-0 lead.

Robert Moore (Arkansas) got the party started in the bottom of the first when, with runners on first and second and two outs, he sent one careening off the wall of the apartment beyond the right field fence. Taison Corio (Cal Poly) would make his lone hit of the night count when he matched Moore with a homer off the wall, this time, though, it only scored one. And, in the third, Kyle Huckstorf (Iowa Western Community) liked the first pitch of the at-bat so much, that he sent it over the fence in left.

Huckstorf, who already singled, stole a base and scored (on Corio’s longball) prior to his jack, would put together his best night at the plate, finishing with four hits in as many at-bats, three runs batted in and three runs scored. He totaled a season-high 13 bases in his breakout night.

Moore, who also tallied a multi-hit night after a third-inning single, upped his season batting average to .323, good for  24th in the pod. The Pig Sooie sophomore would finish with a two-four-three day, adding a walk to his line in the scoresheet.

For the first time in a long time, a Honkers starter had plenty of breathing room.  In what was his sixth start of the season, Charles Harrison (UCLA, 1-0) would hold the visiting St. Cloud Rox (16-11) scoreless in four of his five innings of work. The pitching would get shaken up a bit in the final third of the game, though, as relievers A.J. Campbell (Frostburg State), Kragen Kechely (Dallas Baptist) and Stone Churby (Sacramento State) all would allow runners to score in their respective innings.

Churby came up clutch in the top half of the ninth, though, when he left two Rox on the bases by striking out the dangerous trio of Jordan Barth, Garrtt Delano and Ben Norman, all Rox hitters who got on base and scored runs earlier in the game. They were the righty’s 13th-15th Ks and the save was his second of the season.

The Flock looks to start a new streak tomorrow night, when they play game two of this series against the Rox. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm CST, when MacGregor Hines takes the hill for the Team in Teal. Honkers Pregame Live will get you set for all things Honkers and Rox, starting promptly at 7 on Portal.StretchInternet.com/NWLHonkers.

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!

By Simon Williams