Honkers Win on Blaze Lezynski Walk-off Home Run

The Honkers sent Rochester fans home happy after a comeback capped off by a walk-off 2-run homer by Blaze Lezynski sealed a win over Thunder Bay 8-6.

Two walks and a base hit gave Thunder Bay a quick 1-0 lead in the first, but Corey Hassel tied it up in the bottom half with a home run to end his nine-pitch at-bat. Three of the next four batters recorded base hits, with one run driven in by Casey Fletcher and two more by Reid Roper to make it 4-1 after the first.

The lead was short-lived, though, as Thunder Bay scored three runs on four hits and an error, and Honkers starter Will Bamesberger's outing was done after three.

Corey Hassel did it again in the fourth, giving the Honkers a 5-4 lead on his second homer of the game.

The lead was given back to Thunder Bay in the sixth, as they led off the inning with two base runners. Blake Quinn could not find the strike zone in the inning and was pulled after walking two on nine pitches. Jeff Campbell inherited the runners and got the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt that moved runners to first and third. The next pitch was wild, scoring one, and a throwing error by catcher Travis Hull allowed another run to come in to make it 6-5 in Thunder Bay's favor. Rochester had two errors in the inning, and ended the game with four.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Honkers sent Connor Schaefbauer to the plate to pinch-hit and it paid off for Rochester. Schaefbauer reached on a hit right back up the middle and scored on a Travis Hull double to tie the game. It wouldn't take long to cap it off, as Blaze Lezynski sent a 1-0 pitch over the fence for a walk-off win for the Honkers.

The next game for the Honkers is scheduled for Thursday night at 7:05 against the same Thunder Bay Border Cats. Nick Gruener is scheduled to take the mound for Rochester.