Huskies unfazed by mistakes in victory

BY CHRISTA LAWLER

NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Imagine the luxury. An offense so sound that the Duluth Huskies can survive a three-error game, shaking off the miscues and bobbles like they are merely mosquitos: no more than a minor annoyance.

The Huskies canceled out some shaky defense in the early innings before easily topping the Brainerd Blue Thunder 9-2 Saturday in a Northwoods League game in front of a season-high 3,174 fans at Wade Stadium.

Duluth (12-1) remains at the top of the North Division standings and are on pace for a playoff berth in the second half of the season.

The Blue Thunder (6-7) matched the Huskies blunder for blunder and closed with three errors and a more ruinous outcome. The difference was in the compensating: All but one of the Huskies connected at least once before outhitting the Blue Thunder 14-6.

"I don't think their errors factored as much as ours did," Blue Thunder coach Jason Huskey said. "At no point were errors a concern for them."

Regardless, for Duluth the follies started early:

• Shortstop Kevin Hansen was charged with an error when he overthrew first base in the first inning. It didn't haunt the Huskies long -- they scored three runs in the bottom of the inning.

• In the third inning, Huskies infielder Chris Nash misplayed a ground ball down the first-base line and the Blue Thunder's Chase Bayuk reached base. Then Hansen's second error of the game allowed Brainerd's Erik Komatsu to score in the fourth inning.

Huskies designated hitter Nick Sullivan nullified both in the bottom of the fourth inning when he turned Brad Hutt's fastball into a solo homer over the Roto-Rooter sign in center field to give Duluth a 4-1 advantage.

• Huskies ace Mike Nihsen capped off six innings during which he allowed one earned run on five hits by nailing Rob Vaughn in the leg, allowing the Blue Thunder catcher to advance to first. In the end, Nihsen secured his league-leading seventh win of the season.

"Those things happen," Sullivan said. "You have to play through them. We put up nine runs."

By the sixth inning, the Huskies had honed their fielding, but still maintained a speedy offensive pace. Dane Embury instigated a four-run inning in his first at-bat after replacing Joey Bonadonna. He sent a two-run single to shallow left field. Robby Price followed with a single.

Following the win, it was easy for the Huskies to put little emphasis on the slow defensive start.

"We were just rusty," Huskies first baseman Chris Nash said. "It took a while for us to get going.... Our hitting has been on fire."

Huskey said Brainerd has been riddled with injuries and they are still tuning the roster. A recent high school graduate started Saturday and another new player is joining today when the teams meet again at 4:05 p.m. Following the series, Duluth has a home-and-home series against the Blue Thunder beginning at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Wade Stadium.

Andy Dirks and Komatsu had multiple hits for the Blue Thunder. Byron Wiley had two hits and scored twice, Tim Murphy had two hits, three RBIs and scored a run, Sullivan had two hits, scored twice and had an RBI and Nash had two hits for the Huskies.