Huskies close out first half with loss

Walks and errors cost the Duluth Huskies in a 9-4 loss to the Willmar Stingers as the teams closed out the Northwoods League first half on Tuesday night at Wade Stadium.
The loss dropped the Huskies (18-18) to .500, finishing in a tie with Willmar (18-18) for fifth place in the North Division. Eau Claire and
St. Cloud were tied atop the North Division standings at 24-11. Eau Claire was locked in a relay delay, with the score tied 3-3 at La Crosse on Tuesday night when this edition went to press. Wisconsin Rapids (24-12) won the South Division first half, securing the Rafters’ first NWL postseason playoff berth in the process.
Duluth finished the first half 6-13 at home.
The Stingers’ Jonny Ortiz threw a complete game, scattering nine hits and allowing three earned runs. Duluth’s pitchers struggled to find the strike zone, allowing a combined eight walks to Ortiz’s one. Additionally, none of Duluth’s five pitchers completed more than three innings.
Willmar struck first in the opening frame, scoring four runs thanks to an error and a pair of doubles.
Duluth’s defense broke down again in the fourth inning, when another error led to a two-out rally. The Huskies finished with four errors for the second straight game, both losses.
Mitch Reeves had three hits and two runs to lead Duluth, which begins the second half of the season at 6:35 p.m. today against Waterloo, part of a six-game Huskies homestand.
-- Former Duluth Huskies pitcher Mark Melancon (2004) was named to the 2016 National League All-Star team after compiling 24 saves and a 1.35 ERA in 36 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. It is his third All-Star selection since 2013.