Rox Top Border Cats For Third Straight WIn

St. Cloud, Minn. –  In a tightly contested game at Joe Faber Field on Saturday, the St. Cloud Rox (14-6, 38-17) topped the Thunder Bay Border Cats (7-14, 13-42) by a final score of 2-1 for their third straight win.

The victory keeps the Rox atop the North division for both the second half, and overall standings. The Rox also hold the best record in the Northwoods League for either division. The Rox magic number to clinch a playoff spot was lowered to nine with the win.

St. Cloud’s pitching staff was solid all night. Starter Logan Salow (Kentucky) lasted 7.0 innings and struck out six batters, earning his fourth win of the season. Salow’s six strikeouts pushes his season total to 64, which is second best in the Northwoods League. He has struck out at least five batters in eight of his nine starts this year.

Bobby Gauvreau (Minnesota State, Mankato) had his second straight quality relief outing coming out of the bullpen. He pitched the final two innings Saturday, not allowing a hit and getting two strikeouts to earn his first save of the year. In his last two appearances, Gauvreau has thrown 5.0 innings with four strikeouts.

The Border Cats opened the scoring by getting a run in the second inning. The Rox would respond in the third by tying the game. Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State) hit a one-out single to start the rally, and was followed by Luke Ringhofer (South Dakota State), who extended a franchise record with his 52nd walk of the year. Michael Strem (Boston College) would single to load the bases and a Denis Karas (Cal Berkeley) sacrifice fly would allow Ramirez to score.

St. Cloud struck again in the fifth inning to take the lead. Mark Skonieczny (Illinois) singled to lead off the inning and Ramirez quickly did the same. Two batters later it was Strem coming up big again, hitting a single to bring home the eventual game-winning run.

Thunder Bay only managed to get three baserunners on in the final five innings of the game. Salow highlighted the game with an 11 pitch sixth inning in which he struck out the side.

The Rox and Border Cats will meet again on Sunday at the Rock Pile. It is Rox Team Poster giveaway presented by Bella Rose Photography. All fans will receive a poster. Coborn’s Kid’s Day. Kids have the opportunity to run the bases after the game and get autographs on the field. It will also be the makeup of the quarter drop that was originally scheduled for July 16. Kids 12 and under will have the opportunity to pick up 4,000 quarter on the field after the game.

Tonight’s St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Logan Salow for his six strikeouts and impressive overall outing. For more coverage of the Rox during the 2016 season visit www.sctimes.com.

For more stats and information about the game, here is the boxscore.

Single game tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.stcloudrox.com, by calling (320) 240-9798 or by visiting the Rox ticket office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex.

The St. Cloud Rox are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.stcloudrox.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.