The Rochester Blues edged Dodge Center 3-2 Thursday in a well-pitched game that saw each team get just three hits.
Blues starter Nate Matti struck out six and walked one before giving way to Tim Welke in the eighth inning. Welke had three strikeouts and didn't allow a hit in picking up his third save.
Dodge Center took a lead in the fourth with a pair of runs, but the Blues came back to tie in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Heath Henderson. The winning run came in the seventh when Matt Rink walked, went to second on a passed ball and scored on Jim Strain's double.
The win clinched the Zumbro Valley League title for the Blues and set up a first-place seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Blues are 16-9 overall and are back in action tonight in Austin against the Greyhounds.
Dodge Center ; 000 200 000 ; -- ; 2 ; 3 ; 1
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Rochester ; 000 200 10x ; -- ; 3 ; 3 ; 0
Rathbun, Mergen (9) and Pitzenberger; N. Matti, Welke (8) and J. Matti.
2B -- ROCH,; Henderson, Strain. 3B -- DC, Mergen.
