After a midweek off day, Rochester came up short in their return to action with an 8-3 loss against the St. Cloud Rox. The Honkers offense could not generate much outside of a three-run fifth in the defeat, leaving eight runners on base.

With rain coming down early, the struggling St. Cloud offense was able to break a thirteen-inning scoreless streak in the second. A Tyson Fisher (Dixie St) walk, and Chris Esposito (Nebraska Omaha) single put two on for Andrew Pinckney, (Alabama) who drove one over the right field wall to give the Rox a three-run lead. The three-run homer was the first of the season for Pickney.

St. Cloud would pad its lead in the third with another big-fly, Tyson Fisher powered a line drive to the right of the centerfield batter’s eye to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

Rox starter Johnny Dow (Georgia Highlands) breezed through the first 4.2 innings on the mound, allowing just one hit and retiring ten straight Honkers. Rochester mounted a two-out rally in the fifth, however, as Hank Bard (McLennan) and Alex Pimentel (Long Beach St) reached. Mike Bolton Jr (Purdue) followed with an RBI double, and Jackson Forbes (San Jose St) came through once again with runners on base, lining a two-RBI single to cut the St. Cloud lead to one.

Rochester threatened to tie the game in the sixth with bases loaded and one out but could not capitalize.

St. Cloud would create some separation in the later innings, taking advantage of Honkers walks and an error to score four over the game’s final three innings.

Johnny Dow earned the win for St. Cloud, with Kenny Lippman (Denison) getting the loss. Michael Portela kept Rochester in the ballgame in the middle innings, tossing 3.2 of one-run ball, walking two and striking out six.

Rochester drops to 5-8 with the defeat, closing out the series with St. Cloud tomorrow at 6:35.

By Nick DeLuca// Broadcasting and Media Relations Intern