BISMARCK, N.D. – Losing streaks to start the season are nothing new for the Thunder Bay Border Cats.
A year after an 0-15 start to the 2016 campaign, the Northwoods League team dropped its third straight begin 2017, edged 7-6 on the road by the expansion Bismarck Larks.
They did it to themselves.
After taking a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth on a Colin Rosenbaum sacrifice fly, the Cats were done in by a wild pitch that scored Michael Pereznegron with the tying run and an error by catcher Austin Ledin that brought home Noah Sadler with the winner.
Thunder Bay jumped in front in the first, Jared McCunn doubling home Josh Norlin and then scoring on a J.Q. Folena single to right.
The Larks struck back in the bottom of the second, collecting a pair off Border Cats starter Ricardo Garcia, who would give up two more in the third, the home side jumping ahead 4-2.
Thunder Bay’s bats came alive in the fifth, Norlin starting the rally with a leadoff walk before coming home on a wild pitch.
Folena lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Colin Rosenbaum and the Cats retook the lead on a Braden Mosley RBI groundout to third.
It was a short-lived lead.
Carson Sellin, who took over in the fifth, went five innings in relief to pick up the win. The loss went to Thunder Bay’s Jesse Bogacz.
The Border Cats stranded runners on second and third in the ninth.
The two teams tangle again on Friday. The Cats (0-3) are one of two teams remaining without a victory. Bismarck improved to 2-1.
