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Mankato MoonDogs baserunner Craig Massoni disagrees with the umpire as he is called out at the plate during the sixth inning of their game against Rochester Tuesday at Franklin Rogers Park. Pat Christman
Mankato MoonDogs' Drew Stankiewicz fields a ball during their game against Rochester Tuesday. Pat Christman

July 10, 2012

Another game, another win

By Drew Lyon Special to The Free Press The Mankato Free Press Tue Jul 10, 2012, 10:51 PM CDT

MANKATO — A five-run first inning from his offense is usually a starting pitcher's best friend; and 41 games into the Mankato MoonDogs' historic 2012 season, the pitchers and hitters have become veritable bosom buddies.

However, on Tuesday night, it was the MoonDogs relief pitchers who proved critical.

"(The relievers are) one of the unsung parts of our team," MoonDogs manager Mike Orchard said. "They really saved it for us."

The MoonDogs (5-1 in the second half, 33-8 overall) wasted no time building an early five-run lead for Mankato starter Adam Mott. But Trevor Belicek and Derek Howell combined to fend off a series of Honkers' rallies, as the MoonDogs hung on for a 6-5 win over the Honkers in a Northwoods League game at Franklin Rogers Park.

We don't get too worried, Belicek said. "If we're not hitting, then we know the pitching's going to get it done, and same thing if we're not pitching well."

Chris Munoz led off the first with a walk, stole second and later scored on Craig Massoni's grounder to shortstop. Kyle Turner's chopper to first bounced off the glove of Rochester first baseman Chad Wallach, bringing home J.M. Twitchell and David Andriese.

Zach Luevanos followed with a two-RBI bloop single to left field to put the 'Dogs ahead 5-0. Rochester starter Chris Noble, who struggled with his control and appeared preoccupied with holding base runners, was driven out of the game after an inning.

Rochester answered with a run in the second, when a fielding error by Mankato third baseman Chase Simpson scored Jordan Parr.

The MoonDogs added a run in the second as Rochester shortstop Mike Lukkason tried to bare hand David Andriese's cracked-bat grounder. Lukkason couldn't handle the ball, which took an odd hop at the lip of the infield. No one was backing him up, allowing Simpson to score from second as the ball dribbled into the outfield.

Mott rendered the Honkers hitless until the fifth, when Jared Allen broke up the no-hitter with a towering blast over the left field fence.

The MoonDogs looked to add to the lead in the fifth as Massoni tried to score from first after Allen mishandled Kyle Turner's live drive off reliever Dylan Nelson, but the relay beat Massoni to the plate to keep the score at 6-2.

The Honkers threatened in the sixth. Justin Parr led off with a single, and scored on Jordan Parr's double to the left-center fence. A single and a walk loaded the bases before Turner tracked down Allen's deep drive to left-center to keep the MoonDogs lead at 6-4.

"We had those five runs early and we let some at bats get away from us," Orchard said. "Rochester's a good team, and no team is going to just lay down."

Belicek relieved Mott with one out, and allowed a run (credited to Mott) on an infield single by Justin Protacio. Belicek evaded trouble in the seventh, leaving two Rochester runners on base after striking out Ben Lahn, and in the eighth forced Brandon Defazio to ground into a double play. With the tying run 90 feet away, Jordan Parr flew out to earn a save for Howell, and another win for Mankato.

The MoonDogs play today at Rochester in the second of a three-game series.

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