7-2 Win for Mustangs over Great Falls Puts Them into Tie for Top Spot in North
July 30, 2019 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
GREAT FALLS, Mont. --The Billings Mustangs (3-1, 18-22) were able to snap the four-game winning streak of the Great Falls Voyagers (3-1, 18-23) with a 7-2 win on Monday in front of 936 at Centene Stadium.
Three consecutive hits opened the game for the Mustangs offense. Quin Cotton led off the game with a double lined to left field. He then scored on TJ Hopkins' RBI single to center. The hit extended Hopkins' current streak to seven games -- the longest active hitting streak on the team. James Free then capped the first-inning scoring with a two-run home run to right, making it a 3-0 Billings lead.
Great Falls bounced back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Caberea Weaver flew the second pitch of his at-bat to right field. Edwin Yon dropped the routine catch to give Weaver two bases, but a throwing error on the relay in pushed Weaver to third on the second defensive miscue of the sequence. He then scored in the next at-bat on Josh Rivera's sacrifice fly to center making it a 3-1 Mustangs advantage.
Jonathan Willems tripled to score two in top of the fourth off Kaleb Roper. After Roper had thrown 7 previous no-hit, shutout innings against the Mustangs in three relief appearances this year, he allowed three hits to the first four batters he saw in Monday's contest to surrender two runs. Willems finished the game a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Alec Byrd threw two no-hit innings of shutout relief in his Pioneer League debut to finish off the game and give the Mustangs their fourth win in the last five contests.
Billings and Great Falls now sit in a tie for first place in the Pioneer League North Division in the second half at 3-1.
The Mustangs and Voyagers will place in game two of their three-game series Tuesday, July 30. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. MDT at Centene Stadium.
Pioneer League Stories from July 30, 2019
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- Late Comeback Puts Mustangs Alone in First Place in North - Billings Mustangs
- Michael Emodi Named Pioneer League Player of the Week - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Osprey Return Home with out of this World Promotions - Missoula PaddleHeads
- 7-2 Win for Mustangs over Great Falls Puts Them into Tie for Top Spot in North - Billings Mustangs
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- Osprey Swoop in for Series Opening Win - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Lacaze Strikes out Nine, Osprey Top Chukars, 10-4 - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Billings Scores Early to End Voyagers Win Streak - Great Falls Voyagers
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