THUNDER BAY – Kevin Biondich had his hand in just about every facet of the Thunder Bay Border Cats 11-inning win on Thursday night.
The Cats designated hitter homered in the first, singled home the tying run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings and hit the grounder that led to an errant throw on a double play attempt that allowed Colin Rosenbaum to cross the plate with the winning run, delivering a 7-6 triumph over the visiting La Crosse Loggers at Port Arthur Stadium.
He also collected the win, throwing three innings of two-hit relief for a team whose staff was decimated by injuries and worn out from Wednesday’s double-header in Duluth.
“It was just a crazy game. We started off pretty hot there, scoring five in the first three and then kind of slowed it up a little bit. With two yesterday, it’s good to come out with a win today, especially with our bullpen a little depleted right now,” Biondic said.
“It was good, I kind of helped out with that and so did Billy Cook today.”
Cook, an infielder, faced two batters in the seventh, retiring both.
In the early going, it looked like the Border Cats might run away and hide. Noah Strohl jacked a two-run shot in the first, Biondic following with a shot of his own over the left-field fence, the home side taking an early 3-0 lead after one at bat.
After Mark Venice gunned down Jorge Guiterrez trying to leap over Border Cats catcher Nick Ciandro in the top of the third, the home side added two more in the bottom of the inning, Strohl and Brendan Dougherty delivering RBI singles that upped the lead to five.
But the Loggers came storming back in the fourth. Dave Villar crushed a Centala offering to the deepest part of the ballpark with two aboard, the ball barely climbing over the fence in centre to pull La Crosse within two. Shortly afterward Ryan Mantle singled home Garrett Christman to cut the deficit to one.
The Cats held the lead until the eighth, when Evan Johnson, the lone full-time reliever to enter the contest, walked four batters, Mantle driving in the game-tying run with the bases-loaded walk.
Thunder Bay had plenty of chances to put the game away in the latter innings, but was unable to get the timely hit they needed.
Strohl was thrown out at the plate to end the ninth. Two innings later Dougherty and Ciandro reached to start the 11th, but Mark Venice couldn’t get the sacrifice bunt down, Dougherty was gunned out at third and the threat sizzled.
Biondic surrerendered the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, Villar plating Jake Hirabayashi with a single.
Border Cats manager Mitch Feller said both Biondic and Cook were clutch when needed, saving an already overworked bullpen.
Feller said the win, which improved Thunder Bay’s record to 9-11, is a sign things are starting to go right on and off the field.
“I think everyone’s just starting to have fun. Some of the guys have to go home because of injuries and they’re starting to realize the season is almost over and the grind is almost through. They’re having a lot more fun and trying to push us and potentially play for that postseason.
Reliever Andrew Owen, who took the loss for La Crosse (9-13), walked Rosenbaum and Strohl to start the 11th, setting the stage for Biondich’s hereoics. Loggers starter Cody Ebert survived five innings, giving up five runs on nine hits.
