DULUTH, Minn. – A strong start only goes so far in baseball.
It’s a lesson the Thunder Bay Border Cats learned the hard way on Wednesday, jumping out in front of the Duluth Huskies 6-1 through four innings, only to collapse in the second half of their Northwoods League contest and dropped a third straight decision, this one by a 10-6 count.
The Huskies, who hosted the contest but were officially listed as the visitors as the Border Cats hit Day 9 of a 17-day road trip, scored four in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth with a two-spot.
Brett Milazzo and Isaac Collins each drove in a pair of runs for Duluth, whose bullpen was the true star of the show.
After the Cats (3-6) forced starter Ryan Losman from the mound after giving up six runs on 11 hits in four innings of work, a trio of Duluth Huskies relievers shut down the Thunder Bay offence from that point on, allowing just two hits and two walks the rest of the way.
Gaylon Viney, who took over from Losman was credited with the win.
Jesse Bogacz took over from started Ricardo Garcia with one out in the fifth and took the loss. Garcia allowed five runs, four of them earned, on six hits and three bases on balls.
J.Q. Folena had three hits and an RBI for the Cats, while Colin Rosenbaum added a pair of hits and also drove one in.
Stephen Yancey earned the save for Duluth (6-3), who jumped into a tie for second with the win, a game behind St. Cloud.
The Border Cats will remain on the road until June 17.
