Border Cats fall to .500 with loss in La Crosse

THUNDER BAY – For the first time this season, the Thunder Bay Border Cats have fallen to .500.

Playing on the road, the Cats saw the La Crosse Loggers lead 4-0 Monday night and fell to an 8-3 loss, falling to 13-13 on the season and dropping 3.5 games behind their opponent in first place. with just over a week to go in the first half.

Matthew Miura and Case Sanderson hit back-to-back RBI singles in the third to propel the Loggers to a four-run lead.

Thunder Bay was able to get one back in the top of the fourth, but the run was a sign of the times for the Border Cats, who were counting on a rally-killing double play off the bat of Ty Brooks.

The Cats closed the gap to 5-3 in the sixth when Zane Skansi scored on a sacrifice fly by Brody Chrisman, but the Loggers scored a pair in the seventh, including a leadoff home run by Derrick Mitchell, and added an insurance run. to. the eighth, giving Thunder Bay its 11^e loss in 14 games.

The loss went to Julian Parson, who couldn’t escape the second inning, giving up four runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

La Crosse starter Michael Debattista was tagged for all three runs and lasted six innings, giving up five hits and four walks. He also hit a batter. Jed Decooman and Ozzie Martinez did not allow a hit through three innings of relief.

The Cats travel to Eau Claire on Tuesday night to begin a two-game set.