The Honkers woes continued on Thursday night when they fell in ten innings to Thunder Bay for the third time this year.
Rochester jumped ahead in the first when Thunder Bay starter Kansai Sugimoto walked in a run. After that, Sugimoto was able to work 5.2 innings and allow just three earned runs.
Thunder Bay took the lead in the second and added two more in the fifth.
The Honkers found the counter punch in the sixth thanks to a two-RBI single from Dom Rodriguez that put them ahead 5-4. Aaron McCurley was phenomenal out of the bullpen, going four innings and allowing just one unearned run. That run proved to be costly as it tied the game in the eighth.
The Border Cats plated four runs in the 10th, paving the way for their win.
Rodriguez, Mattie Thomas and Agusto Mungarrieta all had three hits, accounting for nine of Rochester’s 11.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow, first pitch is scheduled for 6:35.
The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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, over 350 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit northwoodsleague.com/rochester-honkers 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.
