MANKATO, Minn – Back-to-back doubles in the 10th did in the Thunder Bay Border Cats on the road on Saturday night.
Mankato’s Shane Barringer hit a two-bagger to lead off the first extra frame and Taylor Jackson knocked him home with his second double of the night to lead the MoonDogs to a come-from-behind 4-3 win.
The Cats took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t hold it.
A stolen base and a passed ball led to a Mankato run in the seventh, Nick Novak scoring after singling and taking second on a ground-out.
Reliever Carlos Lequerica, who took over from starter Austin Breazeale with two outs in the seventh, then loaded the bases in the eighth, Dayton Dooney singling in the equalizer with the bases loaded. The Cats also gunned down a pair of scoring attempts at the plate in the inning, Lacquerica getting Jackson streaking home from third for the second out of the inning and left-fielder nailing Damon Maynard on Dooney’s hit to end the threat.
Thunder Bay’s Nicholas Fazzari, getting a rare start, scored on a wild pitch in the third to get the Border Cats on the board.
Tied 1-1 in the fifth, they got to Mankato starter Reece Calvert for a second time, Tyson Fisher singling with the bases loaded and two out to plate Thomas Grilli.
The added another in the seventh with Cole Hoskins on the mound.
Grilli doubled and took third on an error by Mankato right-fielder Jacob Sniffin that set up a Jakob Newton sacrifice fly.
Lacquerica took the loss, giving up four hits and two runs, one of them earned, in 2.1 innings of work. Breazeale allowed seven hits and two walks in 6.2 innings.
Barringer tossed a perfect 10th to earn the win for the MoonDogs (6-6). The Cats fell to 3-9 with the loss, their second straight.
Thunder Bay travels to Eau Claire on Sunday afternoon to take on the Express.
