Rox Walk off to Clinch Second-Half Title, Home-Field Advantage Throughout Playoffs
August 11, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release
St. Cloud Rox celebrate a win
(St. Cloud Rox)
St. Cloud, MN - St. Cloud (48-16) locked up the second-half championship in the Great Plains West with a walk-off, 3-2, win against Rochester (29-34), and will have home field advantage throughout the postseason.
St. Cloud is now first-half and second-half champions in the Great Plains West. The Rox clinched that they will finish the 2021 summer with the best record across the Northwoods League. Now, it is guaranteed that the only road game the Rox will play in the playoffs will be Sunday in Mankato. For the full Northwoods League standings, click here.
In a game that was tied up from the fourth inning until the ninth, the Rox finally broke through for a walk-off victory thanks to a balk with the bases loaded. Easton Waterman (Point Loma Nazarene) came in to score and finish off his great day at the plate with three hits and two RBI's.
Jordan Barth (Augustana) also had three hits in this game and now sits just one behind the all-time career record with 223. With two more hits this season, Barth would become the Rox' career hits leader, while already holding the RBI title.
The Rox bullpen was able to keep the game tied into the late innings. Josh Gainer (Long-Island Brooklyn) has now thrown 22 and two-thirds innings this season without allowing an earned run and he struck out two in the eighth to escape a jam. Connor Barison (Washington State) came out in the ninth inning and retired the side to give the offense a chance to walk it off.
The Rox head on the road for the final time in the regular season on Wednesday for a two-game series with Bismarck. First pitch against the Larks is scheduled for 6:35 pm. St. Cloud returns home for its final regular season series against the Minnesota Mud Puppies on Friday.
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 St. Cloud Rox celebrate a win |
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