THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats modest two-game winning streak is in the history books.
The Rochester Honkers scored twice in the eighth inning on Sunday to snap a 3-3 tie, then held on for a 5-4 triumph over the host Border Cats at Port Arthur Stadium.
Cats reliever Luke Malone loaded the bases in the eighth, then hit Austin Schell to give Rochester a one-run lead. Taylor Adams then lifted a sacrifice fly to centre to provide a two-run cushion.
It turns out the Honkers needed it.
Hot-hitting Calen Schwabe cranked a two-out RBI single that scored Clayton Bodine, who singled with one out and took second on an error.
Rochester’s Joshua Ibarra escaped potential trouble in the ninth to earn the win. Willie Bourbon drew a leadoff walk, but was erased on a Dylan Caplinger groundout. Caplinger was subsequently caught stealing, trying to move into scoring position for Gunner Hellstrom, who grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.
Logan Denholm homered for Rochester (14-16).
All-star Billy Cook was 1-for-3 with two runs scored for Thunder Bay, while teammate Gunner Hellstrom drove in a pair with a single in the first to give the Cats an early 2-0 lead, in a game that marked the return of local Bryce Jorgenson to the Border Cats lineup.
Jorgenson, who attends Minnesota-Crookston, was 0-for-3 in his 2018 debut, reaching on a hit by pitch.
Connor Centala allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of work for Thunder Bay, while right-hander Nick Smalk had a similar line, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out one.
The Cats (8-22) hit the road on Monday, taking on the last-place Waterloo Bucks. They return home on Saturday and Sunday to round out their 16th season against the Willmar Stingers.
