Raptors Walk-Off Voyagers 5-4
July 18, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
OGDEN - "It's every ballplayers dream to hit a walk-off home run."
Gage Green's dream became a reality on the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie ballgame on Friday night at Lindquist Field. Green took Danny Dopico's fastball over the right field wall for Ogden's (15-14) third walk-off win of the season. The Raptors are over .500 for the first time since winning the season opener and win take the season series from Great Falls (14-11).
"That was actually my first [walk-off] ever," Green said. "It was one of those where you just kind of knew. It's going to be something I remember for awhile." (see Green's postgame interview above)
Raptors manager John Shoemaker had nothing but praise for Friday's hero.
"He's really a hard-working kid. Doesn't say a whole lot, just goes out and plays. He's a gamer," Shoemaker said.
Green has appeared in seven games since joining the Raptors on July 10, but has only started in two of them, relieving injured players and pinch runners in the other five.
"Every day at home we have a 6:00 meeting. We call it Dodger blue," Shoemaker said. "Today, we were talking about adaptability - being able to adjust to any situation that you're put into at any given time. Here he was in a leadoff situation in the ninth inning of a tie game and that is really what you'd call adapting right there."
Strong starting pitching led to a scoreless game through three innings. Isaac Anderson made his first professional start for the Raptors, allowing just three hits while striking out three. Zach Fish hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning off of the newest Ogden Raptor, Andrew Sopko, to take the lid off of the scoring. The Raptors took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI double by Jake Henson and an RBI single by Nick Sell.
Both teams traded runs in the fifth inning, with Michael Medina's RBI double putting Ogden back in front. The Voyagers tied the game again on Fish's second home run of the game, and third in two days, as the final run before Green's ninth inning heroics.
Clint Freeman (2-1) earned the win with a scoreless, hitless ninth inning. Dopico (1-1) retired the side in the eighth with two strikeouts but took the loss giving up the first pitch home run to Green in the ninth.
Missoula visits Ogden for a four-game series beginning Saturday night at 7:00pm MT. Michael Boyle (0-0, 0.00) makes his second start opposite Bo Takahashi (4-0, 2.76).
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