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Ferguson Leads Chukars to 9-4 Win

July 1, 2012 - Pioneer League (PL) Idaho Falls Chukars

Idaho Falls starting pitcher Andrew Ferguson continued to make his case for staff ace Saturday afternoon, as the right-hander had his third good start of the season in holding the Ogden Raptors to just one run in 6.2 innings in the Chukars 9-4 win at Melaleuca Field.

In front of a Sunday crowd of 1,609, the 23-year-old Ferguson kept the Raptors batters off balance with a nice mix of fastballs and curves, with his only blemish coming on an RBI single that ricochet off his leg in the second inning. Ferguson finished the day with only one run and six hits allowed over his 6.1 innings pitched, with two walks and six strikeouts.

The Chukars offense meanwhile gave their starter plenty of support, starting with four first innings runs, just one earned, to go up 4-0. The big blast of the frame come from first baseman Rainier Bello who lined a 2-out bases loaded double to left that drove in three runs.

The Greybirds kept up the offense in the second, scoring three more runs on shortstop Adalberto Mondesi's first home run of the year to center field. With the score now 7-1, Ferguson went into cruise control.

From the third through the sixth innings, Ferguson retired 12 of 14 allowing only a walk and an infield single. With two outs in the seventh Ferguson was pulled for reliever Cory Hall, who promptly struck out Ogden left fielder Devin Shines to end the inning.

Hall would go on to keep Ogden at bay until a two-out, 3-run homer by Shines in the ninth put the Raptors on the board for the first time since the second inning.

Mondesi finished the afternoon with his best game of the season, going 3-5 with the home run and 3 RBI, while Ethan Chapman and Ysmelin Alcantara also had three hits apiece.

Ferguson (2-0) earned the win for the Chukars while Ogden starter Carlos De Aza (0-2) took the loss after allowing seven runs, four earned, on six this over three innings pitched.

With the win the Chukars move back to .500 at 7-7 and are 3-2 against the first place Raptors this year. Ogden falls to 10-4 and their lead in the South Division shrinks to 3 games over Idaho Falls.

The Chukars and Raptors will be back at it Monday night for game three of the five-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

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Pioneer League Stories from July 1, 2012


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