Pitching prowess

If the Thunder Bay Border Cats are going to salvage what’s left of their season, it’ll likely be on Clint Knoblauch’s back.

Knoblauch, a crafty right-hander who doesn’t try to overpower opposing batters, was masterful again on Saturday, holding the St. Cloud Rox to a single run over seven innings, helping the Border Cats snap a two-game losing streak with a 6-1 Subway Field win.

Knoblauch, who allowed six hits and three walks, while striking out five, won for the third time in four starts.

“I just came out here with the mindset of throwing quality pitches, get us on the winning track,” said Knoblauch, a Wellington, Fla. native and freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University,  a school best known for a surprising March Madness run four months ago.

Knoblauch, who started the season with three straight losses, improved to 3-4 with the win and said the turnaround has a specific origin.
“It’s just throwing to contact, not trying to strike people out, just pitching my game and letting my defence work behind me,” Knoblauch said.

The better he pitches, the more manager Dan Holcomb has faith in the 20-year-old.

“He’s done nothing but good things. That’s four great starts in a row, one of them a nine-inning shutout. Tonight it was seven innings with one run. He’s done nothing but be a force for us on the mound and been able to eat up a lot of big innings which not only gets us wins, but takes the pressure off our bullpen,” Holcomb said.

“He’s kind of that guy we’re leaning on right now, every single time he comes out. We know that our bullpen is going to get a rest and we’re probably going to get a win.”

The Border Cats (3-7) gave Knoblauch the early lead in the third, when Kyle Hann grounded to second for what looked to be the third out of the inning, only to have St. Cloud shortstop Bradley Strong boot the ball, allowing Dylan Becker to score from second.

The Rox (6-4) played small ball to get the run back in the fifth, Clay Williamson employing the safety squeeze to score Daniel Comstock.
The Cats took control against St. Cloud starter Even Wolf in the fifth, forcing from the game after loading the bases with one out.

The first pitch his replacement, reliever Bryce Jackson, threw sailed wide of his intended target, allowing Becker to trot home with the go-ahead run. Philip Lyons followed with a sacrifice fly. Thunder Bay added three more in the sixth on passed ball, a Becker sacrifice fly and a Jason Vosler infield single that plated an on-the-move Tyler Duplantis from second.

Knoblauch retired the side in order in the seventh before giving way to all-star Zach Thiac, who surrendered a lone single in one inning of work. Anthony Pastrana, who entered play with a 25.31 ERA, shut down the side in order in the ninth, striking out a pair to preserve the win.

Cat tracks: Attendance was 765 … With a pair of hits, Hann extended his hitting streak to six games. The Oakville, Ont. native is 9-for-22 over that stretch, a .409 clip. He’s also doing it in the field. In the fourth he made a behind-the-back flip to Lyons to start a 6-4-3 double play, easily the defensive play of the season to date … The Cats hit the road for a season-long eight-game road trip Monday, their first opponent the streaking Waterloo Bucks, winners of nine of their last 10.