Home sweet home

There’s nothing like a little home cooking to cure a four-game losing streak coming off a gruelling 12-game road trip, the likes of which the Thunder Bay Border Cats have never before seen.

After resting up in their own beds most of the day, the Cats took out their vengeance on the Mankato Moon Dogs (9-15) at Port Arthur Stadium Tuesday night. They slammed their North Division rival 11-2 in front of 560 faithful fans not suffering baseball overload two days after the culmination of the World Junior Baseball Championship.

“It’s just good to be home,” said Cats DH Ben Scheffer, whose bases loaded, first inning double cleared the bags and gave starter Conner Little a 3-0 lead he’d never relinquish, earning him his first win in four decisions with the Border Cats.

“It’s been a long road trip, so it’s good to get a win. It was long. Every night we were on the road, in a different hotel every day. So it was pretty rough,” Scheffer said following his four-RBI performance.

Little, who struck out six and only allowed five hits, said there’s no doubt about it, the Cats like being at home.

“It’s always nice to be in front of a crowd that cheers for you, not for the other team. Definitely all the fan support we get out here is great. And we definitely hope more people come out now,” said Little, improving to 1-3 on what has been a trying season in Border Cats land to date.

For manager Mike Steed, gazing upon the grass at Port Arthur Stadium was a sight for sore eyes after going 4-8 on the road trip and all but falling out of contention the Northwoods League’s North Division, starting the day six back of Willmar and St. Cloud when Tuesday began.

The Cats (8-15) are still holding court in the basement, but it’s amazing what one win can do for their confidence.

The three-run first off Mankato starter Alex Blakford, who fell victim to the league’s revamped 35-pitch rule, set the tone early in this one, said first-year manager Mike Steed.

“Coming in here we knew Mankato had a long travel day today and it was important to jump on them early. We weren’t sure what they were going to get out of Blackford. We thought it might be a little bit better. Fortunately for us he was a little bit off tonight and our guys stayed with the approach and Sheffer came up with a big hit early,” Steed said.

The Cats added another in the second, Evan Mistich’s double off reliever Tim Fangman plating No. 9 hitter Kenny Battiston. 

Fangman fared a little better than Blackford, retiring seven in a row and eight of nine after taking over to start the seond. But the Cats jumped on him in the sixth. Scheffer doubled for the second time, then Tanner Nivens reached on an error by 3B Jordan Steranko. Tyler Wosleger hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.

After Taylor Honeycutt walked, Battiston singled to load the bases. Leadoff hitter Jeff Deblieux grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Nivins and then Sean Miller Jones singled and took second on an errant throw by Steranko, a play that saw Honeycutt cross the plate.

Little came out in the seventh, replaced by a largely ineffective Matt White. The North Division all star scatted five hits and a run in one-and-a-third innings of work.

Thunder Bay added three more in the eighth off reliever Zach Calhoon to wrap up the scoring. Newcomer Brian Voigt pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the lopsided win.

Cat tracks: Tyler Wosleger went 0-for-4 but managed to drive in runs on three different at bats without benefit of a hit. He knocked one in during the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly, a grounder to second in the seventh and a fielder’s choice in the eighth ... The Cats have added pitchers Jake Nystrom and Voight to the lineup.