Seven-run seventh does in Border Cats at home

THUNDER BAY -- The Thunder Bay Border Cats used almost as many pitchers on Wednesday night as they had in their starting lineup.

That’s usually a sign something has gone very wrong.

But things didn’t start to really go bad until the seventh inning at Tbaytel Park at Port Arthur Stadium, when the visiting Eau Claire Express erupted for seven runs to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 10-5 Northwoods League victory.

Cats reliever Kyle Von Ruden was tattooed in his debut appearance, surrendering six earned runs on six hits and two walks, unable to record a single out to take the disheartening loss in front of just 411 fans.

Daulton Varsho delivered a two-run triple that scored Sam Mrstik and Brady Burzynski, Von Ruden then loading the bases before being lifted for Nate Steger.

An error by Cats third baseman Kyle Comer led to another pair of runs.

Thunder Bay took an early 3-2 lead in the fourth on an error by winning Express pitcher Griffin Jax to score Tyler Coolbaugh, a Nate Nolan single that plated Grant McKown and a Joe Gellenbeck fielder’s choice that allowed Mikael Mogues to cross the plate.

After Eau Claired knotted the score at three in the fifth, the Cats scored two more in the sixth to go up 5-3.

Nolan singled again to score Mogues, with Alan Baldwin coming home on yet another Eau Claire error. They made five on the night.

Cats starter Julian Loret de Mola went three innings, giving up two hits and a run. Also appearing for Thunder Bay were Jack Mahan, Zach Thiac, Joey Benitez, Brendan Kalaf and Kenny Glover Jr.

The Border Cats will host the Alexandria Blue Anchors on Friday night. Greg Weissert is expected to take to the mound for Thunder Bay.