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Border Cats fall short in high-scoring affair

Thunder Bay brings tying run to the plate in the ninth, but drop an 11-9 decision to visiting Bismarck on Friday night.
Connor Centala
Cats starter Connor Centala throws to the Rochester Honkers on Saturday, June 16, 2018. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY – An eight-run second inning did in the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Friday night.

But they made things interesting in the end.

The host Border Cats brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but Brandon Trammell grounded out with a runner on third and his team went down to an 11-9 defeat at the hands of the Bismarck Larks.

The Larks took three of four from Thunder Bay, the Border Cats falling back to .500 at 5-5 in second-half play.

Thunder Bay starter Conner Centala was hit hard in the 1.2 innings he lasted, giving up nine hits and a walk that led to nine runs crossing the plate.

To their credit, down 9-0, they battled back quickly, scoring five of their own in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 9-5.

Trammell singled home the Cats first run, then Willie Bourbon came home on a wild pitch.

Cam Pearcey then cleared the bases with a three-run shot off starter Bruce Bell, who would depart before the third inning was complete.

After surrendering another run in the third, the Cats clawed closer with another pair in their half of the inning.

Bourbon had an RBI double and Trammell, who was 3-for-5 on the night, singled in another to make it 10-7.

The Cats pulled to within a run in the fifth, Daniel DeSimone driving in Bourbon with a sacrifice fly and Brandon Bossard doubling in another, but a Ripken Reyes sacrifice fly plated another Bismarck run in the sixth, putting the game out of reach.

Centala (2-2) took the loss, the win going to Larks reliever Frank Greco (1-1).

The Cats take to the road for a pair in La Crosse on Saturday and Sunday and return home for two against Duluth on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Attendance was 990.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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