THUNDER BAY – Sometimes in baseball, all you need is just a little patience – and a willingness to take one in the back.
The Thunder Bay Border Cats hitters proved to be very selective on Sunday, drawing 10 walks, along with being plunked four times, and combined with some timely hitting, a hidden-ball trick and plenty of hustle on the basepaths, captured their second straight Northwoods League victory, downing the visiting Rochester Honkers 10-4 at Port Arthur Stadium.
Designated hitter Zane Skansi, who had four hits in five trips to the plate and added a sacrifice fly to account for his second of two RBI on the day, said it was just a matter of making the opposition pitchers throw to them and not just hacking away at pitches outside the zone.
“We talk a lot about that in the planning approach,” said Skansi, who upped his average to .279 hitting out of the leadoff spot on Sunday.
“I think we really just took that in today and used it to our advantage.”
It’s one thing to draw a walk or get hit by a pitch.
It’s another to make it count.
Against the Honkers, the Border Cats (2-4) were able to plate six of the free passes, something manager J.M. Kelly has been preaching all season long.
Kelly said if Thunder Bay hitters can work counts, it benefits the entire lineup, who get a chance to see more pitches and figure out the opposition pitcher’s rhythm, saying every pitch is a chance to learn something.
“If our guys are doing that, we’re in a really good spot. We may not always come out on top, but if we draw our walks, we’ll be in good shape,” Kelly said.
“I think our guys, just like the pitchers, have settled in a little more. We pushed and pushed and pushed to try to win that first half and we didn’t do it. I think our guys, there was a little sense of letdown and defeat … and I think now they’ve kind of responded.”
The Cats ran out local favourite Jack Pineau to start, and he responded, holding the Honkers (2-4) scoreless through four innings, helped out by a hidden ball trick in the second that caught Rochester slugger Ben North off guard, Daylan Pena laying the tag on North after he stepped off the bag.
“That was the first one I’ve been a part of,” Pineau said. “I didn’t even know what to do out there, to be honest. I waited to see if everyone started cheering and it happened. It was cool.”
The umpires huddled for several minutes before punching North out.
They’d also factor into the game’s outcome in the third.
With the bases loaded, Cole Ketzner chopped a ball to third. Petey Craska snagged it and threw home, but the umpire ruled, correctly, that catcher Carson Stevens foot wasn’t on the plate, allowing Brayden Kuriger, who hustled down the line, to score the game’s first run. Stevens was immediately tossed after arguing the call.
The Cats upped their lead to 5-0 with three in the fourth, Logan Johnstone doubling in a pair for the key hit of the inning, ending starter Drew Lee’s night.
Pineau was chased with two outs in the fifth, after Andrew Guidara’s lazy fly ball dropped into left, his line showing one run on four hits and three walks.
Thunder Bay added three more in their half of the inning and the rout was on.
Michael Pirrello came on in relief and worked through the seventh, allowing three runs on four hits, with Barron Sawyer closing things out over the final two innings, not allowing a run while walking three and giving up just one hit.
Guidara finished with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with an RBI. Peters (0-2) took the loss.
The Cats will head to Duluth on Monday for a pair and return home on Saturday against Mankato.
Claw marks: The Northwoods League announced veteran umpire Conor McKenzie was killed in a vehicle crash early Sunday morning. Two other umpires traveling with McKenzie are in stable condition … Kelly said the team may get a couple of departed arms back. The team lost five pitchers after the first half.
