Alex Eisen/MDN Metros closer Talon Hebert (center) fields a ground ball in the seventh inning Wednesday evening against the Bismarck Capitals at Corbett Field in Minot.

Playing in front of the home crowd at Corbett Field for the first time this season, the Minot Metros managed to eke out a 3-2 regional victory Wednesday evening against the Bismarck Capitals in a Class A West Division American Legion baseball game.

The Metros found just enough offense to support standout starting pitcher Keegan Stenvold, who had a solid defense backing him up.

“Shoot, we grinded another one out,” Metros fifth-year head coach Fred Nelson said. “That was the same way we did it down in Velva too (earlier in the season). Those were some close games. Today, we gave up two runs in the third inning and matched it right away. Then, got another one a couple innings later.”

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Metros pulled back even with an RBI single by Ethan Pankow and a wild pitch allowed another run to score.

Minot left the bases loaded, but ultimately that didn’t matter. Two innings later, the Metros grabbed the lead by playing small ball.

Trent Greek got things started by reaching base on a dropped third strike. He then got all the way to third base off a steal attempt where the ball got past the catcher and rolled all the way to the backstop. Greek now found himself in scoring position.

“It was nice to see us manufacture a couple (runs),” Nelson said. “We had a good read on a ball in the dirt that we ended up taking second and moving over to third on. Things like that come up huge for us in the long run.”

Facing two outs, the Metros were given a gift. Greek scored the game-winning run off a shallow fly ball to right center. Three Bismarck Capitals converged to make the catch, but the ball somehow dropped in to give Minot a 3-2 lead.

Stenvold, who went six strong innings, was replaced by Talon Hebert in the seventh.

“Keegan (Stenvold) was lights out,” Nelson said. “That was his best performance that I’ve seen since he has been Metro, last year and this year. So, hats off to him… He was just pounding the strike zone and he had a short memory. That was huge for him. If he walked a guy, then he just hopped right back on the hill and kept on throwing strikes for us.”

Hebert embraced the closer role in the seventh to secure the 3-2 win and picked up a save in the process. Stenvold rightfully got the win on the mound.

“I pitched last week in Devils Lake and I had to switch a few things up,” Stenvold said. “I just needed to work on my location, getting balls down in the zone. I worked on that all week coming into this game. It was nice to have a good performance in our home opener.”

Game 2 of the doubleheader didn’t count toward the regional standings and was won by the Bismarck Capitals, 11-4.

Next up, the Metros head over to Grand Forks for a three-day tournament being held June 14 through June 16.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.