Rox Battle Back to Earn Series Split against Larks

July 17, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release

St. Cloud Rox second baseman Otto Kemp
(St. Cloud Rox)

St. Cloud, MN - St. Cloud (33-11) fell behind by four runs early but erupted late in the game to take home a 10-5 win over Bismarck (22-21) on Friday night.

This win keeps the Rox atop the Northwoods League standings, now three-and-a-half games ahead of Mankato in overall standings and three games up on the MoonDogs and the Larks in the second half. For the full Northwoods League Standings, click here.

The offense was keyed by all-stars Otto Kemp (Point Loma Nazarene) and Caleb Ricketts (San Diego) who both came up a triple shy of the cycle. Kemp started the scoring with a two-run home run out to left field, while Ricketts' two-run homer gave the Rox the lead for good.

Jack Steil (Nebraska) also broke out for his first big game as a member of the Rox. Steil went two-for-four and was able to drive in a run on an RBI double to help St. Cloud continue to stretch its lead.

The bullpen cleaned up after a tough pitching performance early in the game. Josh Gainer (Long Island-Brooklyn) came through in the sixth and the seventh, retiring six straight batters to end his outing.

The Rox' two closers finished it off to get St. Cloud back in the win column. Connor Barison (Washington State) worked tossed a scoreless eighth inning and then Kevin Davis (USC Upstate) finished it off in the ninth.

St. Cloud will travel to Waterloo to start a two-game series with the Bucks on Saturday. First pitch from Riverfront Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 pm. The Rox return home to the Rock Pile after the all-star break to start a four-game homestand on Thursday, July 22.

Images from this story

St. Cloud Rox second baseman Otto Kemp

Northwoods League Stories from July 17, 2021

Stingers Take Game 1 of Series Opener in Bismarck - Willmar Stingers
Booyah Magic Runs Short - Green Bay Rockers
Rox Fall Late in Waterloo, Keep League's Best Record - St. Cloud Rox
Mallards Shut-Out Chinooks in First of Two-Game Set - Madison Mallards
Rafters Valiant Rally Falls Short, Drop First Game to Woodchucks - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Four Run Sixth Inning Helps MoonDogs Take Game One over Huskies - Duluth Huskies
Clutch Hits Lead MoonDogs Back to Win Column in Duluth - Mankato MoonDogs
Woodchucks Efficient in Win over Rafters - Wausau Woodchucks
Winning Streak Comes to End for Traverse City - Traverse City Pit Spitters
Mallards Look to Bounce Back in Mequon - Madison Mallards
Kingfish Split Series with Kokomo - Kenosha Kingfish
Logan Lee Named to All-Star Team - Green Bay Rockers
Booyah Welcome Division Leaders - Green Bay Rockers
Loggers Head into All-Star Break in 3rd Place After Loss - La Crosse Loggers
Rivets Stun Growlers in Comeback Win, Split Series - Rockford Rivets
Growlers Lose Series Finale 7-5 to Rivets - Kalamazoo Growlers
Mankato Falls Victim of Another Two-Game Sweep to Eau Claire - Mankato MoonDogs
Comeback Kids at It Again - Duluth Huskies
Booyah Walk-Off Again, Sweep Mallards - Green Bay Rockers
Sixth Inning Explosion Leads Rochester to Series Split - Rochester Honkers
Rafters Lead Disappears in Narrow Defeat to Chinooks - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Rox Battle Back to Earn Series Split against Larks - St. Cloud Rox

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