Watch Live
Lunkers Fall Short, Get Swept By MoonDogs
July 6, 2010
MANKATO Minnesota--Levi Ferguson, with the bases loaded and one out of a one run ball game in the top of the seventh inning (of a seven inning ball game), grounded into a game-ending double play, as the Lunkers fell short of their comeback effort in the second game of a double header against the Mankato MoonDogs.
Joby Lapkowicz (1-1) pitched the final 4.2 innings in the back end of the double header, not allowing a run, picking up the win. His outing comes a day after, as the starter in the first game of the series, he was forced out after throwing 33 pitches in the Monday part of the suspended series opener.
The Lunkers squandered a strong effort from Patrick Nathanson (0-2), who went 5 innings, giving up two runs on only three hits.
It was the final of his three walks, though, that was difference. Cody Fick led off the bottom of the fifth inning with the free pass and eventually scored the game-winning run on Taylor Wrenn's sacrifice fly to right field.
Tommy Reyes started the scoring with his sacrifice fly in the first inning, which brough Stephen Wickens home giving the Lunkers the early lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Trevor Adams hit a home run to left field off of Nathanson to tie the game.
The Lunkers got a good effort out of Mick Gaston who, in three trips to the plate, doubled, singled, and a drew a big one-out walk in the final inning. He was, however, thrown out on his single at second by Danny Miller, after the MoonDogs' left field fielding Gaston drive which bounced off the base of the wall, gunning him out by four steps at second base.
Gaston kept the Lunkers within reach, getting some revenge, when he threw Jordan Steranka out at home plate from right field to end the bottom of the sixth inning, keeping the Lunkers deficit at one run.
The Lunkers lose both ends of a double header for the first time in franchise history after falling 6-2 in the front end. Sam Selman (1-0), who pitched five scoreless innings, picked up the win in that game, as the MoonDogs, who began today's play trailing 2-0, scored six unanswered runs--two in the third and four in the fourth--to get the win.
With the sweep, the MoonDogs jump the Lunkers and climb out of the North Division basement into seventh place, leaving the Lunkers in dead last with two games left in the first half.
The Lunkers return home tomorrow to host the Thunder Bay Border Cats.
