The Gaylord Islanders proved to be stingy hosts to Chanhassen on Sunday evening, blanking the Red Birds 5 - 0 on a superb ptiching performance from Islanders veteran hurler Brad Walsh.   Casey Malmgren pitched the first 6 innings for the Red Birds, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, 3 walks and a hit batsman. 

Excitement erupted in the bottom of the 3rd inning.   Malmgren struck out Islanders catcher, Trevor Vaubel.  Gaylord's third baseman, Zach Borchert then drew a walk. DH Collin Grams flew out to CF Jeff Pavlovich.  Islanders Shortstop, Justin Rettman lined a single down the left field line and a quick pickup by LF Tom Bergner held Borchert at second with two out.  

Islanders Pitcher Walsh lined a grounder up the middle that Red Bird Shortstop Zach Neubauer picked up just behind second base.  His flip to T.J. Gulden covering second was bobbled and fell to the ground.  BUT - A quick recovery by Gulden found Borchert taking a big turn at third.  His throw to catcher Justin Thompson stopped the runner from scoring and began a rundown.  After 5 throws involving most of the infield, and Rettman attempting to gain third base while Borchert was standing on it, Catcher Thompson eventually tagged out Borchert attempting to score from third.  No score after three innings.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Vaubel led off with a single to left field.  Borchert laid down a perfect bunt to sacrifice Vaubel to 2nd.  Grams then drew a walk from Malmgren.  SS Rettman then hit a hot grounder to third base that could have been a tailor-made double play ball, but a bad hop and the ball skittered into left field and Vaubel scored the first run for the Islanders.  P Walsh drew a walk to load the bases.  CF Paul Mages singled to score Grams from third base.  First Baseman, Josh Gasow then lined back to Malmgren who doubled Walsh off first base for an inning ending double play.

The Red Birds got lone singles in the 2nd through 6th innings but couldn't get the timely hit when needed.  In the 3rd inning, Gulden led off with a single. After Pavlovich popped out to the first basemen, Malmgren walked putting Gulden in scoring position with one out.  Two lazy fly balls easily ended the threat.   In the fourth, DH Tony Marengo lined his second hit of the game up the middle and stole second base.  Zach Neubauer's gronder to short was handled easily to end the 4th inning.   In the 5th inning, Jeff Pavlovich reached base on a single with one out.  After stealing second, he advanced to third on Malmgren's ground-out to the shortstop.  Pavlovich was stranded at third on Tom Bergner's high pop up to the pitcher Walsh.

The Red Birds best chance to score came in the top of the 6th, after the Islanders scored their first two runs in the bottom of the 5th inning.  Cary McLaughlin lead of lining a single up the middle and advancing to second on Zach Swenson's fielder's choice grounder to third.  Juustin Thompson then hit a grounder to third base that was mishandled by the Islanders and JT advanced to second on the play.  A walk to Tony Marengo loaded the bases with only one out.   Zach Neubauer then worked the count full against Walsh, but swung and missed on a nasty curve from Walsh.    T. J. Gulden then launched a towering fly ball that the right fielder put away to snuff the threat by the Red Birds.

Jeff Strand pitched the 7th and 8th innings for the Red Birds allowing the last three runs while struggling to find the plate.  Three of his five walks scored in the two innings.  A bright spot had to be that Strand got all three outs in the bottom of the 8th on called third strikes.  Two of them with bending curve balls that left the batters shaking their head.

The Red Birds out hit the Islanders 6 hits to 5, but the 7 walks and three Red Bird errors proved costly for the locals.  Additionally, the Red Birds left 5 of their 8 LOB in scoring position.

NEXT GAME - Thursday night, June 16th against the Chaska Cubs at Storm Red Bird Stadium for a 7:30 PM start.