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River Bats split with Moon Dogs
By Ryan Sibinski
The St. Cloud River Bats baseball team played in a double-header in front of 1,835 fans Tuesday night. The River Bats won the first game and lost the second against the second place Mankato Moon Dogs.
The first game was a continuation of the rain delayed home opener from June 10. The action started in the top of the 4th inning with the score tied 1-1. After a couple of scoreless innings, the Moon Dogs took a 3-1 lead scoring two runs in the top of the sixth off St. Cloud middle reliever Matt Petrusek.
Mankato's lead would not last long as the River Bats answered by scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Jason Jaramillo had a single to drive in one of the runs while Chris Kinsey and Dustin Atkinson both had sacrifice RBIs to account for the other two scores. After the sixth inning St. Cloud had a 4-3 lead.
The one-run lead was enough for the River Bats' defense as Matt Petrusek pitched into the ninth inning striking out three Moon Dogs and allowing no more runs. St. Cloud closer David Sharfstein finished the job in the ninth and got his second save. Petrusek got the win.
The second game of the double-header was a regular scheduled home game against Mankato. The game was shortened from nine to seven innings due to the double-header. Purdue University sophomore Dustin Glant was on the mound for the St. Cloud River Bats while Chris Jones started for Mankato.
The River Bats got on the board first as second baseman Dustin Atkinson was able to produce a single that drove in right fielder Jake Smith from third. The River Bats were able to hold the Moon Dogs scoreless through six innings behind the strong performance of Dustin Glant who gave up only two hits in six plus innings. However, after giving up his second hit in the top of the seventh he was pulled in favor of David Sharfstein.
Sharfstein, who saved the first game of the night, struggled to control the ball this time. He threw three wild pitches that got by catcher Kody Valverdee, and walked one batter.
The first wild pitch advanced Mankato runner to third base. Then he gave up a walk. With runners on first and third Sharfstein threw another wild one, which allowed the tying run to score. The trouble continued as Mankato right fielder Andrew Wishy hit a double that drove in the leading run from second base. Wishy crossed the plate on the third wild pitch making the score 3-1. Sharfstein struck out two Mankato batters and finished the inning.
The River Bats didn't score in the seventh and final inning and lost 3-1. Mankato reliever Matt Garland got the win, Jeff Spicer got the save, and Sharfstein got the loss.
With the split of the series the River Bats record is now at 8-10. They are in last place yet only two games behind first place Brainerd (10-8) in the tight North Division.
"We've seen some outstanding pitching this year [from opponents]" said pitching coach Ron Rakowski on getting above .500 "We need to stay the course and continue working hard."
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