Adam Papin/MDN Minot’s Zach Kluvers tags out Mankato catcher Kai Roberts in the bottom of the first inning in the Hot Tot’s loss yesterday.

It was the penultimate weekend of baseball for the Hot Tots, who have just one home game remaining after taking one game of three at Corbett Field this weekend.

The Hot Tots got things started off with a 9-4 victory Friday night before being overpowered on the weekend. Minot dropped Saturday’s game 13-6, and Mankato’s seven run eighth-inning blew open what had been a relatively close game. Ultimately, the Hot Tots dropped Sunday’s slugfest, 18-10 .

Despite Minot catcher Zack Kluvers picking off two Moon Dog runners at home in the first inning, a Kai Roberts single brought in Ty Ramsey and Grant Faris hit Ben Hopper with the bases loaded to give Mankato a 2-0 lead.

Minot answered back in the bottom half of the inning though, behind runs by Drew Woodcox, Wilson Woodcox, Zach Kluvers and Peyton Becker, as the Hot Tots pulled ahead 4-2 after one inning.

The lead was short lived. Mankato scored three runs in the second, one in the third and fourth and three in the fifth. Minot did add four runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the score to 10-9 after five.

It was the closest the Hot Tots would come the rest of the night.

Despite the loss, four Hot Tots players scored two runs: Becker, Kluvers, Sam Holthaus and W. Woodcox. Others crossing the plate for Minot were Jonah Shields and D. Woodcox.

Faris took the loss for the Hot Tots, giving up six runs in three innings. He struck out four and walked five.

Minot drops to 9-20 in the second half, two games better than their Dakota Dust-Up rivals, the Bismarck Larks.

Fans have one more chance to catch Hot Tots action at Corbett Field this summer. Minot’s remaining home game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 11, when they host the Larks to close out their home slate.

In the meantime, Minot hits the road for a three game set against the Willmar Stingers starting tonight.