MoonDogs Chip Away at Rox
June 24, 2023 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Mankato MoonDogs News Release
The Mankato MoonDogs continued their winning ways, but instead of the bats coming alive as they have been during this hot streak, it was the pitching that led the way in a 3-0 victory over the St. Cloud Rox, Saturday night at ISG Field.
After MoonDogs starter Derrick Smith put a couple zeroes on the board, the home team came to bat in the bottom of the second inning and immediately got to work. A walk and a hit by pitch gave Kai Roberts a couple of baserunners to work with, and he did not disappoint, yanking a double down the right field line, to bring in the first run of the game. An RBI groundout by Kip Fougerousse gave the Dogs a 2-0 lead after two innings.
As it turns out, this would end up being all the run support Smith needed. The righthander pitched six innings, scattering four hits and keeping the Rox quiet and scoreless. He would give way to Grant Garza in the seventh, who picked up right where Smith left off. The Rox mounted a threat in the eighth inning, putting men on first and third base with nobody out, but three straight fly balls to Nolan Tichy in left field kept the shutout intact.
The MoonDogs would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning, on a bases loaded walk to Joe Hauser, to extend the lead to 3-0. Mitch Casperson finished it out in the ninth for the Dogs, picking up his first save of the season and giving the team their sixth straight win.
With the victory, the MoonDogs improve to 16-10, while the Rox fall to 15-10 with the loss. The teams will square off again on Sunday, this time in St. Cloud. First pitch is at 4:05 at Joe Faber Field.
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