THUNDER BAY – A little small ball helped get the Border Cats back in the win column.
After blowing a three-run lead in the ninth inning, the Cats took advantage of the designated runner in the 11th.
Duncan Key was brought into pinch run, Corey Morro bunted him to third and Dylan Snead delivered the winning run, hitting a sacrifice fly that delivered a 4-3 triumph over the Rochester Honkers at Port Arthur Stadium.
Thunder Bay had blanked Rochester over the first eight innings, then held them off the scoreboard in the 10th and 11th.
The Border Cats did much of their damage in the first.
Jeremy Sheffield led off with a double and Ayden Hadley singled him to third.
The next batter, Calvin Warrillow, doubled them both home for an early 2-0 Thunder Bay lead.
Warrillow plated the Cats third run of the game in the third, his sacrifice fly once again scoring Sheffield from third.
Braden Gluth got the start for Thunder Bay, throwing six innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Will Humphrey got them through the eighth unscathed, but veteran reliever Peter Fusek was not as effective, giving up three runs, in the ninth, including a two-run homer to Tommy Eisenstat, the second batter to come to the plate in the inning.
Allan Camarillo tied the game on a double to centre, scoring Payton Knowles from first.
Carso Priebe tossed a scoreless 11th and picked up with win.
The Cats and Honkers meet again on Sunday afternoon. Game time is 1:35 p.m.
