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 Missoula PaddleHeads

Missoula Powers Past Billings

August 21, 2016 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release


Paxton De La Garza went 2-for-5 with six RBI and a grand slam, one of three homers for the O's, as Missoula (26-32) powered its way past Billings (34-24), 12-8, on Sunday afternoon from Dehler Park. With the win, Missoula has claimed victory in each of the first three games of the road series, crawling within a game of first place in the Pioneer League North.

Osprey starter Alex Gouin surrendered four runs in the bottom of the first, with all four coming on home runs. A two-out triple from Taylor Trammell kept the first inning alive before Montrell Marshall blasted a two-run shot out to left field. Hector Vargas and John Sansone followed with homers, as Billings went back-to-back-to-back to claim a 4-0 lead.

Missoula refused to let Billings take control of the game, storming back with six runs in the second and three more in the third to earn a 9-4 lead. The long ball was key in the second inning, as Tanner Hill laced a two-run shot before De La Garza contributed the grand slam to chase Alfredo Mena from his start. Mena was ultimately charged with the loss, falling to 3-1 on the year after allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits over 1.2 innings.

Another two-run homer, this one from Pedro Marquez, pushed the first two runs home in the third before Jasrado Chisholm collected the first of his two RBI on the day with a single to bring home Billy Endris.

Gouin settled down nicely after the rough first, eventually tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just the four runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts to earn his first victory as an Osprey.

After scoreless fourth, fifth and sixth innings, Missoula got back on the board in the seventh when Endris was hit by a pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from Chisholm, running the tally to 10-4.

Billings made a game of it in the eighth, getting to reliever Gabe Gonzalez. Marshall led off with a single, part of a 3-for-5 day, before a walk to Hector Vargas and an error charged to Bryan Araiza loaded the bases. Michael Beltre came up with the big hit for Billings, lining a grand slam over the wall in right-centerfield to cut the deficit to two at 10-8.

Sunday's affair marked the first time since June 29, 2013 that a pair of grand slams were hit in the same Pioneer League game. That game featured two from the Orem Owlz against the Grand Junction Rockies.

Fortunately for the O's, Missoula's offense had two more runs left in it, as De La Garza struck again in the ninth, lining a two-RBI single into centerfield to plate Mike Branigan and Gabriel Maciel.

Maciel, who was 4-for-4 in Saturday's win, went 4-for-5 on Sunday while hitting out of the ninth spot in the order. His four-hit day made him one of six Missoula hitters to record multiple hits in the victory.

Missoula will conclude the four-game series and look for a sweep at Billings on Monday with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m.


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