EAU CLAIRE – A second-inning error by Thunder Bay’s all-star third baseman Manny Alberto gave the Eau Claire Express an extra life.
They ran with it.
With two on and two out, Vidal Colon reached on the miscue and the next batter up, Alex Hendrickson, uncorked a bases-clearing double. He’d later score on a J.J. Moran single and then Sam Erickson finished off the five-run frame with a bases loaded walk that pushed Adam Salazar across the plate.
The extra batters also chased Ethan Minaker from the game, eight pitches over the league maximum 35 pitches for a pitcher in a single inning.
The five-run rally erased a 1-0 Border Cats lead after one.
The Express added two more in the third and withstood a comeback attempt by the visiting Cats, who scored three in the sixth and one more in the eighth to make it a 7-5 contest. It’s as close as Thunder Bay would get.
The Express added an insurance run in the eighth and went onto an 8-5 triumph, dropping the Cats to 2-5 in second-half play.
Devon Smith, Thunder Bay’s No. 9 hitter, finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI and a home run.
Alberto and Tyrus Hall had the other RBI for the last-place Border Cats.
Minaker (0-1) took the loss, despite not allowing an earned run, giving up three hits and five walks in his two innings of work. Nate Herchock allowed two more runs in the third, walking three more batters, with the back end of the bullpen showing some strength, allowing just four hits and a run over the final five innings of action.
Nick Mascaro homered for Eau Claire.
Starter Max Arlich (2-0) worked six innings of seven-hit ball to earn the win, allowing four runs while striking out six an walking a pair.
The two teams meet again on Tuesday night in Eau Claire.
