Border Cats push win streak to 7

Brett Kay knocked in the game-tying run and scored the winner as the Thunder Bay Border Cats continue to roll through the Northwoods League.
The Border Cats swept a doubleheader on Monday on Subway Field at Port Arthur Stadium, defeating the Mankato MoonDogs 5-4 in a wild game that saw the lead change hands twice in the final inning.
In the earlier game Monday, Thunder Bay (12-11) doubled Mankato 8-4.
In the nightcap, Kay belted a one-out triple in the bottom of the seventh and final inning to plate Phillip Lyons, who had earned a walk against Mankato reliever Trevor Belicek.
With Jerrick Suiter next at the plate, Belicek’s 1-0 pitch went awry and Kay trotted home to keep the Cats' winning streak going at seven games — tying the highest mark set by the summer U.S. collegiate baseball program’s history.
Thunder Bay is now two games back of North Division-leading Willmar Stingers (14-9) in the chase for the second-half crown and a playoff berth.
The Border Cats and MoonDogs (10-13) play again Tuesday at 7 p.m. before wrapping up the five-game series on Wednesday. Zak Miller, who returned to the Cats this past weekend, is expected to start today’s tilt.
Mankato’s Alex Wise stole home base in the top of the seventh to forge his team ahead in a game that had been tied at 4-4 since the end of the third inning.
James Buckelew pitched a complete game, going seven innings and allowing five hits and striking out six.
In the early game, Suiter unleashed two-run doubles in the third and fourth innings to quickly erase a 2-0 MoonDogs lead. Suiter is batting .471 and has nine RBI in five games with the Border Cats.
Winning pitcher Garret Hughes struck out five and allowed four hits to improve his won-loss record on the season to 2-1.