THUNDER BAY -- Danny Benedetti says he’s got the Thunder Bay Border Cats offence just about where he wants it.
The pitching, however, is another story.
On Tuesday night at Tbaytel Park it once again it proved to be the team’s downfall, a seven-run fourth sending the Cats crashing to a fourth straight defeat and 19th loss in 20 games, a 10-6 decision at the hands of the visiting La Cross Loggers.
The numbers don’t lie.
Thunder Bay has a 7.78 earned run average; the next closest team, the Rochester Honkers, is at 6.20. No other team is above 5.35.
Benedetti, a catcher in his playing days, said he’s trying to work with the staff to find improvements. It’s the only way the Border Cats will find success in the second half, he said.
He also won't have as much patience going forward.
“Anytime a guy gets on first or second from now on I’m sure you’ll see a guy get going down in the bullpen,” Benedetti said.
“Our stuff’s just not good enough yet to continue us into the game and sometime they lose focus when a guy gets on base. So I might have to get a quick hook and go to the next guy. It’s not a bad thing, I just may have to change the way I coach these guys.”
Right-hander Tom Mullin (L, 0-1) started the game for Thunder Bay, but was chased in the decisive fourth without recording an out.
The Loggers (13-8) loaded the bases on a walk, single and an error before Jake Hirabayashi doubled home a pair of runs to make it 5-0.
By the time Anthony Paesano retired the final out they’d added five more and led 10-0.
Thunder Bay reliever Ben Hoffman took to the mound to start the fifth and tossed five perfect innings in relief, allowing the Cats bats to come to life – although it was tough going against Loggers southpaw starter Mitch Stralsberg (W, 2-2), who allowed just one hit in six innings, walking four in his first start for the Loggers.
The Border Cats first run came courtesy of an Adam Fregia groundout in the fourth. They added two more in the sixth on a balk and an error and one in the seventh when Joe Gellenbeck drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk against La Crosse reliever Jared Liebelt.
However Liebelt got out of the jam when Andy Fregia popped to second to end the threat.
The Cats would add a pair in the ninth, Fregia driving the ball over the fence in left for his team-leading third home run of the season.
Going out on a positive note is something to build on, said left-fielder Shane Shepard, who went 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and two of the eight walks his team drew on the night.
“We’ve been swinging the bat really well these past three games, with eight or more runs every night – other than tonight,” the Wilmington, N.C. native said.
“Tonight we faced a guy that was really good. He located well, had a really good breaking ball and he was tough to hit. I’m just praying the pitching will come around and limit some teams to fewer runs and hopefully we’ll get some Ws.”
Cat tracks: Attendance was 732 ... The two teams meet again on Wednesday night ... Four Loggers pitchers limited the Cats to just four hits .. Thunder Bay's losing streak hit four with the defeat.
