St. Cloud Rox Clinch Second-Half Title & Home Field Advantage for Playoffs
Pete Hanson Published: August 11, 2021
photo courtesy of St. Cloud Rox
The St. Cloud Rox (48-16) locked up the second-half championship in the Great Plains West Division of the Northwoods League with a walk-off, 3-2, win against the Rochester Honkers (29-34) last night at Joe Faber Field.
The Rox also secured home field advantage throughout the postseason.
St. Cloud is now first-half and second-half champions in the Great Plains West. The Rox clinched that they will finish the 2021 summer with the best record across the Northwoods League. Now, it is guaranteed that the only road game the Rox will play in the playoffs will be Sunday in Mankato.
Last night's game was tied up from the fourth inning until the ninth, when the Rox finally broke through for a walk-off victory thanks to a balk with the bases loaded. Easton Waterman came in to score and finish off his great day at the plate with three hits and two RBI's.
Jordan Barth also had three hits in this game and now sits just one behind the all-time career record with 223. With two more hits this season, Barth would become the Rox' career hits leader, while already holding the RBI title.
The Rox bullpen was able to keep the game tied into the late innings. Josh Gainer has now thrown 22 and two-thirds innings this season without allowing an earned run and he struck out two in the eighth to escape a jam. Connor Barison came out in the ninth inning and retired the side to give the offense a chance to walk it off.
Now the Rox head on the road for the final time in the regular season today for a two-game series in Bismarck. St. Cloud returns home for its final regular season series against the Minnesota Mud Puppies on Friday.
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