LA CROSSE – The hits came, but not in bunches.
As a result, despite only being outhit 11-8 on Friday night by the La Crosse Loggers, the Thunder Bay Border Cats watched their opponent scrimp and scrape their way to a 6-1 triumph, dropping the visiting Cats to 1-3 to start the second half of he Northwoods League season.
The Cats and Loggers were tied 1-1 through three innings, with Tyler Talbert on the mound for Thunder Bay, the Cats lone run of the night coming on Calvin Warrillow’s first home run of the season in the top of the second.
After Thunder Bay couldn’t get the clutch hit they needed in the top of the fourth and runners on first and second with two outs, the Loggers opened their half of the inning with a leadoff double off the bat of John Pearson.
Talbert struck out two straight to regain control o the situation, but Aydin Wight singled and though he was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double, Pearson crossed the plate and beat the tag, giving La Crosse a 2-1 lead.
A Max Kalk RBI single in the fifth made it 3-1, with Carter Wall on in relief.
Up 4-1 in the seventh, the Loggers added two more runs to put the game away, Eli Small singling home a pair of runs on a single to centre off of Thunder Bay reliever Rylan Newman.
Aaron England, who started the game for La Crosse, picked up the win, allowing one run on three hits over five innings, striking out six.
Talbert was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs on four hits in four innings of work.
Thunder Bay returns to Port Arthur Stadium on Saturday to host the Rochester Honkers (1-3).
