Strong pitching and defense help push the Honkers past Mankato for a much needed win on Monday night. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Honkers. The Honkers improved to 15-11 on the year and are just one game out of first place in the North Division.

Jordan Gross had his best start of the season for the Honkers. Gross went six innings giving up just four hits and one run while striking out four. Gross picked up his first win of the year in his third start, and now sits at 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA.

Jake Sparger threw two scoreless innings in relief, and has yet to give up an earned run this season. Ricky Delgado closed the game for Rochester and picked up his first save of the season, and also has yet to record an earned run thus far in the season.

The top of the order did most of the work for Rochester on Monday night. Lead-off hitter Matt Fiedler went 2-5 at the plate and drove in two runs for the Honkers. The number two hitter, Connor Schaefbauer, also had a solid day at the plate. Schaefbauer went 2-3 with an RBI and a walk. Just like the top of the order, the bottom had a productive day as well. 8-hitter William Paschal went 1-3 and scored two of the Honkers four runs. The Honkers' number 9 hitter, Miles Matrobuoni, had the other two runs for Rochester, also recording one hit and an RBI.

While the middle of the order struggled to get anything going, the top and bottom of the order picked up the slack enough to get the W. The Honkers put on a pitching clinic Monday night, and will hope to keep that going as they play two more home games on Tuesday and Wednesday before going back on the road from Thursday to next Tuesday.

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