THUNDER BAY – Spotting the Duluth Huskies six runs in the first inning really wasn’t part of the Thunder Bay Border Cats playbook.
Then again, baseball’s always been a challenging game, why not make things interesting?
The Cats scored three in the third and five more in the fourth, capped by Tyler Kehoe’s bases-clearing three-run double, and pulled out an improbable 8-6 win over the visiting Duluth Huskies in front of 824 fans at Port Arthur Stadium.
Kehoe’s offence was one thing.
It was the bullpen that really came through when the home team needed it.
Robbie Spencer and Thunder Bay lefthander Will Droll took over after starter Peyton Fosher was shelled in the first, not allowing a run the rest of the way and giving the Cats heretofore anemic offence a chance to wake up and salvage what appeared to be the team’s sixth defeat in nine outings.
Spencer, who earned the win, tossed 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and a walk, and Droll, pitching in front of friends and family for the first time in a Border Cats uniform, was lights out, going the final 4.2 innings, striking out eight and giving up just two hits and a walk.
“It’s awesome. I had a good crowd behind me. It’s just great to have my friends and family out. I know a lot of people and it’s just special,” said Droll, who picked up his first Northwoods League save.
“Coach, in between innings, when I went out for the first one, said I needed to get in more of a rhythm. I think when I started to work faster I started pitching better and throwing more strikes. That changed everything.”
Manager J.M. Kelly said both relievers deserve full credit for the job they did.
“Without Robbie coming in a shutting the door, things get a little hectic. I think he did a really good job coming in and slamming the door, putting up some zeroes and allowing Will to settle in and allowing our offence to settle in,” Kelly said.
“How many (good) at bats did we have?”
It just wasn’t Fosher’s night. After retiring the first batter he faced, the University of Nevada righthander gave up five straight hits, including three doubles, leading to six runs and an early exit, after throwing 38 pitches in the first, three more than the league limit.
The Cats finally got the bats going in the third. Trey Lewis and Kehoe had back-to-back RBI singles and Lewis scored on a fielder’s choice, cutting the Huskies lead in half against Duluth starter Devin Dodson (1-1), who wound up taking the loss despite the early cushion.
It was more of the same for Thunder Bay in the fourth.
Easton Culp and Peter Fusek led off with singles, then with two outs, the rally began.
Logan Johnstone was hit by a pitch, Lewis drew a bases loaded walk and Kehoe came through with a deep drive that rolled to the right-field wall, scoring all three baserunners and giving the Cats a 7-6 advantage.
Cole Ketzner followed with and RBI single, which scored what proved to be the final run of the night.
“We came into the game with an aggressive mindset, to go up there and get our pitch and drive it,” Kehoe said. “I think we did a really good job tonight controlling the zone and getting our pitch and attacking that one and getting the business (done).
The Cats will go for the series win on Friday night, having taken two of three on their current homestand against Duluth. Game time is 7:35 p.m. Both teams are now 4-5 on the season.
Notes: The fireworks originally scheduled for post-game on Friday have been cancelled because of a city-wide fire ban.
