THUNDER BAY – As unusual as it may seem, Danny Benedetti is more than ready for his Thunder Bay Border Cats to hit the road.
After dropping their fifth game of a six-game home stand and third straight, a 10-5 decision to the Alexandria Blue Anchors on Saturday, it’s clear Tbaytel Park at Port Arthur Stadium isn’t the friendliest setting right now.
“We have to get out of here and forget about this home stand,” the skipper said after the loss. “This is just embarrassing in itself but I think it’s good we can get away and hopefully get on a bit of a roll and do what we do.”
It’s not like the time had a lack of opportunities.
A lack of clutch hitting victimized the home side, as the Border Cats stranded 16 runners on base during the course of the game, including two separate unfulfilled chances with the bases loaded, only driving home the five runs with three coming in the final frame.
“I think a lot of them are afraid to get out and that doesn’t really work well,” Benedetti said. “I think they’re putting a lot of pressure on themselves.”
After three scoreless innings the Blue Anchors got to Thunder Bay starter Yuji Suzuki, plating a pair of runs in the fourth before adding three more in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single by Matt Duce.
The Border Cats got one back in the bottom half before Alexandria exploded for five runs in the sixth, with three different pitchers taking the mound in the inning. Matt Hopfner and Luke Petterson each brought home a pair.
Thunder Bay made things interesting late but it was too little too late.
Border Cats centerfielder Mike Palladino finished the contest driving in three runs.
With the loss, Thunder Bay (11-13) slides to four games back of the North Division leading Willmar Stingers.
The two teams are back it on Sunday, this time in Alexandria.
