Lee Hodges, seen above in a home game from earlier this season, was instrumental in starting Blue Earth’s 12th inning rally. In the Pirates last game against the Martins, Hodges came through with a one-out double. He later came around to score during a six-run inning for the offensive minded Pirates in a 9-3 road victory.

On Wednesday, July 18, the Blue Earth Pirates (12-7) were on the winning end of an extra inning thriller.

Blue Earth went on the road to defeat the Fairmont Martins, 9-3 in 12 innings. The Pirates were able to jump out to an early lead with a couple of runs to start the game. By the fifth inning, the Pirates found themselves ahead on the scoreboard 3-1.

However, the scrappy Martins were able to manufacture a run in the eighth, and another run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, to send the ballgame into extra innings. As both teams went down in order in the 10th and 11th, it was not until the 12th inning when Blue Earth opened up the floodgates.

With one out in the frame, Lee Hodges started the 12th inning Blue Earth rally with a double. After a walk and a hit batter, the table was set with a bases loaded situation for Pirates slugger Garrett Anderson.

Anderson was able to break the tie as he recorded an RBI single. In the next at bat, Blue Earth’s Hunter Bleess notched a two-run single. Once the inning finally came to an end, the Pirates had accounted for six runs to put the game away.

Offensively, the Pirates recorded 13 base hits in the contest. While Hodges and Anderson each had three hits, Bleess, TJ Stallman and Kaylan Legred had two hits apiece.

Despite going into extra innings, the Pirates used just two pitchers in the contest. Anderson started the game and lasted seven innings, giving up one earned run on five hits while striking out nine. Bleess finished the game and recorded the win, going five innings and allowing two earned runs.

After the game, Hodges said it was good pitching from Fairmont that kept the contest closely contested until the final inning of play.

“All three Fairmont’s pitchers kept us off balance for most of the game,” Hodges explained. “They were able to throw strikes consistently, and it was hard to string hits together. Somebody had to win the game, and luckily it was us.”

Wednesday’s win stopped a two game losing skid for Blue Earth. On July 13, the Pirates lost to the Eagle Lake Expos 6-3, and also lost to the Waterville Indians 4-0 on July 15.

On Saturday, July 21, the Pirates were in action at home against the Wells Wildcats. Results from that contest will be available in next week’s edition of the Faribault County Register.