THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats were in control, but the bullpen couldn’t rein in the La Crosse Loggers on Saturday night.
The Cats (10-17) led the Loggers 3-2 heading into the eighth inning, but a lead-off single by Jacob English off Thunder Bay reliever Carlos Lequerica came back to haunt the home side.
English went first to third on a J.T. Schwartz single and scored on a Brady Allen sacrifice fly to even the score 3-3.
The Loggers won it in the ninth against closer Aaron Kern, who managed to get two outs before things unravelled.
Levi Usher walked on five pitches and pinch hitter Ryan Holgate doubled to plate what proved to be the game-winning run in a come-from-behind 4-3 La Crosse triumph.
Thunder Bay took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Ryne Edmondson RBI single that scored Conor Allard from third, then doubled their lead when Nick Seamons came home on a Jake Engel groundout to second.
La Crosse got to Border Cats starter Peyton Burks in the fourth, thanks to RBI singles from Tony Bullard and Matthew Stinebiser, but Burks settled down to retire the next three hitters to end the threat and the game was tied 2-2 into the sixth.
That’s when Thunder Bay jumped in front for the second time, Edmondson racing home on Soriano’s sacrifice fly, the first batter to face reliever Andrew Zimmerman, who took over from starter Nick Eaton.
The two teams meet again on Sunday afternoon.
Game time is 1:35 p.m. at Port Arthur Stadium. Matt Kennedy is expected to get the call for La Crosse (13-14), while Tyler Hansen will go for the Border Cats.
