Rox Clinch Home Field For First Round Playoff Series

(KNSI) – For the second night in a row, the St. Cloud Rox won by way of a walk-off hit against the Minnesota Mud Puppies at Joe Faber Field. This time, the tie-breaking knock had greater ramifications than just picking up the 49th win of the season.

Willmar fell 3-1 against Bismarck Thursday, putting three games between the teams in the overall standings with just two to play. The Rox have now secured home-field advantage for the opening round of the postseason. The best-of-three series will start in Willmar on Sunday before moving to St. Cloud for Game Two and, if necessary, Game Three early next week.

On Thursday night, the Rox trailed for most of the matchup against the Mud Puppies. It was a continuation of a hard-fought set that carried over from Wednesday’s 9-7 victory.

The Rox scored first with one in the bottom of the second, but it was all Mud Puppies in the middle frames. The visitors notched a run in the third and four more in the fifth to go up 5-1. Danny Glenos was wild in relief. Three straight walks to open the frame gave the Mud Puppies a scoring threat that they did not waste.

A double play ball scored one followed by a controversial infield single plating another. A line-drive single and walk reloaded the bases for Brock Larson. The Mud Puppies catcher doubled to left, which drove in two.

The Rox roared back in the seventh courtesy of a bases-clearing three RBI double by Ike Mezzenga. The tying run crossed the plate when Trevor Austin was hit by a pitch.

The Mud Puppies regained the lead in the eighth with one run, paving the way for Rox magic in the bottom of the ninth.

John Nett and Mezzenga both walked with nobody out. After an O’Neill Burgos strikeout, Rox single-season RBI leader Charlie Condon added to his record total with a single to center field. Nett scored but St. Cloud wasn’t finished. Trevor Austin walked and Will Worthington was the hero, roping a single to right that scored Mezzenga and the team mobbed him just behind the first-base bag before fireworks lit up the night sky.

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