Garnet Garage’s Mike Saari slides back to first base while Northern Driveline first baseman Brent Loukus readies to apply a tag during a game Thursday at Houghton Field. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — A big five-run sixth inning by Garnet Garage led to an 8-2 win over Northern Driveline on Thursday in Twilight League play in Houghton. It was Garnet’s first game of the season. Northern meanwhile moved to 1-1 after beating Craig Heinonen Coldwell Banker 10-1 on Tuesday.

Up until Garnet’s productive sixth inning, it was a back-and -forth game with the score tied at two headed into the fifth. However, Garnet made it a 3-2 game in the bottom of the fifth and set the stage for their next inning.

“Some good at bats and timely hitting helped us to put this one away late in the game,” said Garnet’s player-coach Kevin Bostwick.

In the firth frame, catcher Mike Saari led the rally off with a double and came home on a single by third baseman Gaborik Carlson. Then came the sixth, where Garnet rattled Northern’s starting pitcher Chad Nordstrom with five runs.

Outfielders Will Romano and Eli Heathman started that inning off for Garnet with singles. They both would score on misplayed balls by Northern and a fielder’s choice hit by Mike Saari. Also scoring that inning were infielders Kade Farrell and Bostwick who got on base with walks.

“Coy (Budweg) pitched a gem for us,” added Bostwick, “and we did not have a lot of errors.

He went the distance giving up only two runs with seven strikeouts and just two walks. Those runs came one at a time in the first and the fourth innings for Northern.

In the first frame, second baseman Alex Nordstrom opened the game with a single and touched home on a Buzz Rajala double. In the fourth, first baseman Evan Larson plated after hitting a double to left center.

“We hit the ball well but right at them,” said Northern’s player-coach Evan Larson. “As well, we had the walks and a couple of errors in the field at the end and that killed us. It certainly was not for lack of effort that we lost this one.”

UP NEXT

Garnet Garage will head to Stanton to face Houghton Building Supply-Stanton at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Northern will have the night off and pick up play on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against REL-Mohawk Technology in Stanton.