St. Cloud, Minn. – Two big swings of the bat were the difference in a battle of playoff teams on Thursday at the Rock Pile, as the St. Cloud Rox (22-11, 46-22) launched two home runs to top the Madison Mallards (20-13, 43-26) by a final score of 5-3.

The Rox win coupled with a loss by the Mankato MoonDogs puts the Rox back atop the North Division second half standings. If the Rox hold on to win the second half they will clinch a home game in the first round of the 2016 Northwoods League playoffs. The Rox have the best overall record in the North Division as well, meaning they would also host a home game on the second night of the playoffs.

Macus Carson (Kentucky) hit his second home of the season, and Denis Karas (Cal Berkeley) hit his fourth, which sealed the Rox win.

Carson sparked the Rox offense early Thursday, hitting his home run on the fifth pitch in the bottom of the first inning. Carson would impress at the plate all night, reaching in every plate appearance with two hits and two walks.

The Rox would strike again in the first inning. Michael Strem (Boston College) hit a one out single and stole his eighth base of the season to stand on second with one out. Brett Pope (Western Carolina) would lace a double later in the inning to bring home the second run of the game.

Doug Van Dyke (Dubuque) had his longest outing of the season, lasting 5.1 innings allowing three runs on three hits and striking out a batter.

Madison chipped away at the Rox lead, eventually going up 3-2 in the sixth inning. The Rox would answer in the bottom of the inning. Pope and Karas led off the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State) would then lift a sacrifice fly to plate Pope, tying the game.

            In the eighth inning of the game on Turn Back the Clock Night, Mason Mamarella (Kent State) manufactured a good old fashioned run. He reached first on a hit by pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, third on a bunt, and scored on a wild pitch to put the Rox in front.

            Five pitches after Mamarella scored, Karas hit a rocket to left center that hit the scoreboard for the second Rox home run of the night, and the fifth, and final, run of the game for the home team,

            Chris Martin (Kent State) threw the last 3.2 innings of the game for the Rox, earning his sixth win of the year. He tied his longest outing of the year, and did not allow a hit for the sixth time this season.

           The Rox and Mallards will meet once again at the Rock Pile on Friday Night at 7:05 p.m. It's the final regular season home game of the season for the Rox! Fan Appreciation Night presented by Texas Roadhouse. Numerous giveaways all night long! The final, and biggest, Friday Night Fireworks show of 2016!

Tonight’s St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Marcus Carson for his night at the plate. 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.