Berkey Provides Heroics, MoonDogs Extend Winning Streak with Walk-Off Win over Honkers for Series Sweep
June 20, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Mankato MoonDogs News Release
MANKATO, Minn. -ÃÂ Father's Day at ISG Field saw more late-game heroics in favor of the Mankato MoonDogs (12-6) who scored twice in the ninth inning to upend the Rochester Honkers (5-11) 4-3, Sunday at ISG Field.
Evan BerkeyÃÂ (Cal State Bakersfield)ÃÂ was Mankato's hero in the ninth. His opposite-field single to right scoredÃÂ Adam FogelÃÂ (Hawaii) from third to clinch the MoonDogs fourth straight victory, upping their home record to 10-1 at ISG Field in 2021.
JJ CruzÃÂ gave Rochester the game's first lead, Sunday night. His bloop single to right with the bases loaded in the second inning scored one to put the Honkers in front, 1-0. Then,ÃÂ Alex PimentelÃÂ added another run to extend the Honkers lead to 2-0 with an RBI single up the middle in the third.
The MoonDogs came within one of the Honkers in the bottom half of the third inning before eventually tying the game 2-2 in the sixth after Berkey scored from second after an errant throw by the Honkers' third baseman.
After the Honkers reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh, the MoonDogs final chance to make something happen saw them show urgency to win the game.ÃÂ Preston CliffordÃÂ (Washington State) provided the tying run on a wild pitch as a pinch-runner before Berkey slapped the game-winning hit the other way to right which scored Fogel. The MoonDogs were 4-3 walk-off winners Sunday night at ISG Field.
Mankato prevailed late with three hits and a pair of runs in the ninth. All in all, both sides tied in the hits department with eight knocks while Rochester had the game's only pair of errors.ÃÂ
Vince ReillyÃÂ (Grand Canyon) was the MoonDogs' winning pitcher in relief after his debut, Sunday. He pitched in the eighth and ninth, posting back-to-back shutout innings with no hits allowed while walking two and striking out three. His brother,ÃÂ Blake ReillyÃÂ (Grand Canyon) was the MoonDogs starting arm on Father's Day and threw four frames of two-run baseball. He was hit off seven times while walking and striking out two along the way.
The loss went to Rochester's relief pitcherÃÂ Jay ThompsonÃÂ who blew the save in the ninth. Thompson came in for the eighth before working into the ninth. He surrendered four hits and two runs while walking two and recording one strikeout.
Up next, the Mankato MoonDogs head to Willmar to take on the Stingers, Monday at 7:05 p.m.
• Discuss this story on the Northwoods League message board...
Northwoods League Stories from June 20, 2021
- Huskies Dominate in Wet Conditions - Duluth Huskies
- Rivets Fall Behind Early, Drop Fourth Straight Loss - Rockford Rivets
- Honkers Lose Heartbreaker in Walk-Off Loss to Mankato - Rochester Honkers
- Berkey Provides Heroics, MoonDogs Extend Winning Streak with Walk-Off Win over Honkers for Series Sweep - Mankato MoonDogs
- Stingers Beaten by Waterloo - Willmar Stingers
- Rafters Shutout Pit Spitters, Finish 4-1 on Five Game Road Trip - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Mallards Comeback Stifled by Rain - Madison Mallards
- Dune Bears Declawed against Rafters - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Dollander's Phenomenal Performance Leads Rox to Victory - St. Cloud Rox
- Booyah Stumble in Extras - Green Bay Rockers
- Kenosha's Three-Run Seventh Leads to Bombers Sixth Straight Loss - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Woodchucks Defeat Rockford Behind Offensive Barrage - Wausau Woodchucks
- Loggers Win Wild Affair, Top Duluth 10-9 - La Crosse Loggers
- Booyah Fall in Kokomo - Green Bay Rockers
- Growlers Sweep Double Header against Chinooks Thanks to Dominance on the Mound - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Rochester Comeback Effort Falls Short in Loss to Mankato - Rochester Honkers
- MoonDogs Hold on to Open Series against Honkers with Win - Mankato MoonDogs
- Rivets Pitching Outdueled in 2-1 Loss at Wisconsin - Rockford Rivets
- Glassey's Scoreless Outing Not Enough in Chinooks' 1-0 Loss - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Bombers Go Quietly for Fifth Straight Loss - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
