MANKATO, MINN. — Honkers’ starting pitcher Larson Kindreich turned in another solid start, but the Mankato MoonDogs (14-19) bested the Rochester Honkers (6-23) with the help of a seven-run sixth inning.

Both teams were held scoreless through three innings before Rochester broke through with the first run of the ballgame. Ryan Wrobleski (Dallas Baptist) drove the run in on what was ruled a single, when MoonDogs’ third baseman Jake Thompson (Oklahoma State) touched the third-base bag with the bases loaded for one out, but sailed the throw across the diamond, allowing Bryce Matthews to trot home.

Mankato wasted no time evening the score in its half of the fourth. Former Honkers infielder Evan Berkey (Cal State-Bakersfield) notched a one-out single and was brought around by an RBI double by Thompson on the next at-bat to make it 1-1.

The double was Kindreich’s only bump in the road until the sixth inning, when he began the frame by hitting Zach Gilles (Central Michigan) — just his second hit batsmen of the season. Kindreich issued a single to Dylan Phillips (Kansas State) before getting Berkey to fly out. Then, Thompson drew a walk for Michael Curialle (UCLA), who promptly singled to right — a play in which Honkers right fielder Pearce Howard (New Orleans) lost his glove en route to the shallow pop fly — giving the MoonDogs a 2-1 advantage and knocking Kindreich out of the game.

A total of 12 MoonDogs came to the plate in the sixth, and seven scored in the frame that saw two hit batters and a trio of bases-loaded walks. Mankato added three more runs with a Phillips homer in the eighth for good measure, officially putting the game out of reach.

Rochester struggled to collect hits yet again, picking up six in the 10-run loss. Wrobleski was the lone Honker to collect two hits with his run-scoring single and a ninth-inning double. It was the eighth time in 10 games that the Team in Teal failed to record more than six hits, and the ninth time in 10 games that Rochester could only muster five hits.

The Honkers will enjoy two much-needed days off on Monday and Tuesday after a stretch of eight games in eight days before getting back at it on Wednesday against the Waterloo Bucks. First pitch from Mayo Field in Rochester is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CST, with Honkers Pregame Live presented by Rochester Toyota slated to begin at 6:30. Catch all the action on portal.stretchinternet.com/nwlhonkers with Simon Williams on the call.

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 Jordan Lank // Jordan Lank is in his first season as Director of Media Relations for the Rochester Honkers.