EAU CLAIRE, Wisc. – A couple of Earl Weaver specials helped do in the Thunder Bay Border Cats and dip them below .500 for the first time this season.
Weaver, the hall of fame former Baltimore Orioles manager used to preach the importance of pitching and three-run homers.
The Express clearly know their baseball history.
Davis Rivers pulled the trigger with two aboard in the sixth inning and Jake Busson replicated the feat in the eighth, leading the Express to a 14-8 win, a game the home team lead 10-2 after six innings.
It wasn’t a night to remember for the Thunder Bay pitching staff.
Starter Kansai Sugimoto couldn’t escape the third inning, giving up six runs on five hits and three walks.
His replacement, Tanner Vaughn, was tagged for four runs on three hits and a walk and was on the mound for Rivers’ blast.
Shane Kearbey came in to mop up with one out in the sixth and found trouble in the eighth. Busson went deep and one batter later Colton Wernhoff homered.
Cole Ketzner homered and drove in a pair for Thunder Bay, and shortstop Greg LaChace was 4-for-4 at the dish and also had two RBI.
The loss drops the Border Cats to 13-14 on the second. It was their third straight and 13th in their last 15 outings. They fell 4.5 games behind La Crosse (17-9) in the Northwoods League’s Great Plains Division. The first half comes to a close next Tuesday.
Thunder Bay and Eau Claire (12-17) will wrap up their two-game set on Wednesday night.
