THUNDER BAY – The Border Cats lost another one in the late innings.
The Waterloo Buck scored twice in the top of the ninth inning on Thursday night, breaking open a 2-2 tie, and went on to double up their hosts 4-2 at Port Arthur Stadium.
It was the third straight loss for the reeling Border Cats, who started out the season 10-2, but have gone 2-8 in their previous 10 games and surrendered top spot in the Northwoods Leauge’s Great Plains Division.
Reliever Tanner Vaughn didn’t do himself any favours.
He hit Larry Edwards to open the ninth, then tossed a wild pitch that allowed the Bucks runner to advance to second. Edwards took third on an Adam Benes sacrifice bunt, then scored on a Matthew Martinez single.
With two outs and Matthews on third, Vaughn uncorked another wild pitch, giving Waterloo a two-run cushion.
Lucas Terilli singled to start the Border Cats ninth, but Waterloo closer Chaney Trout shut the door, retiring Kyle Morrison and Cole Ketzner to end the contest.
The Border Cats took a 1-0 lead in the fifth in support of starter Caleb Bunch, who allowed just two runs on two hits and five walks over 6.2 innings.
Brody Chrisman delivered a one-out single and scored on an error by the catcher on Greg LaChance’s single.
The Cats went on to load the bases, but reliever Landen Harless was called on to face Morrison and stuck him out on a 3-2 count.
Waterloo took its first lead of the night when Brennan Hudson hit a lead-off homer off Bunch to open the seventh. Then, with runners on first and second, a wild pitch advanced them both 90 feet. Evan Morrison subsequently crossed the plate on an error by third baseman Ty Brooks, his ninth in 16 games.
The Border Cats first two batters reached to open the bottom of the seventh, and they made it count, the Bucks allowing LaChance to score on a Lucas Terilli 4-6-3 double play.
Ganon Archer got the stat for Waterloo (13-9), allowing one run on two hits and three walks, striking out seven.
Thunder Bay managed just four hits on the night against five Waterloo hurlers. Ethan Alexander was credited with the win, getting one out to close out the eighth.
The Cats conclude their homestand at Port Arthur Stadium on Friday and Saturday night against the Duluth Huskies. Thunder Bay has split six games with Duluth this season.
Thunder Bay (12-10) has dropped to fourth in the Great Plains East, a game behind Waterloo and half a game behind Duluth (13-10) and La Crosse (12-9).
