The host Mankato Moondogs used the long ball on Monday to send the Thunder Bay Border Cats to their season-high fifth straight defeat.
Cody Ferrell bashed a two-run shot off Border Cats starter John Lally and Shaun Cooper nailed a three-run blast off reliever Brad Delatte in the eighth as Thunder Bay fell to 9-16 with a 5-0 loss.
Blake Schwartz didn’t do the Cats any favours on the mound for the first-place Moondogs, giving up just two hits and striking out an impressive 14 en route to the complete game shutout.
Thunder Bay fell 7.5 games behind Mankato, with just 10 games left in first-half play.