PL Missoula PaddleHeads

Big 5th Carries Rockies Past Osprey

Published on August 22, 2013 under Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release


MISSOULA, MONT. -- For a while on Wednesday night, it looked like Missoula Osprey pitcher Anderson Placido was on his way to a win in his first professional appearance in the Pioneer League and the United States.

The hard-throwing left-hander, promoted from the Dominican Summer League just three days ago, was making his Pioneer League debut and helped the Osprey hold a 4-2 lead after four innings in the opener of their three-game series at Grand Junction.

But Plac ido's chances for a victory, and the Osprey's, vanished in the bottom of the 5th.

Placido gave up a home run on the first pitch, walked the next two hitters, then allowed three straight singles. The Rockies scored five times in the inning and went on to defeat the O's, 8-4, at Suplizio Field.

Grand Junction snapped its five-game losing streak and handed Missoula its fourth straight loss.

Wednesday night was the first game of the Osprey's season-long nine-game road trip.

The Osprey took a 2-0 lead with single runs in each of the first two innings. In the 1st, consecutive one-out singles from Jamie Westbrook, Justin Williams and Jose Queliz off Rockies starter Devin Burke loaded the bases, and a passed ball on catcher Jairo Rosario allowed Westbrook to score. In the 2nd, Jake Miller singled and Yorman Garcia drove him in with a double into the left field corner.

Grand Junction reached Placido in the bottom of the 2nd on Emerson Jimenez's two-out RBI single. The Rockies tied the score in the 3rd when Ramiel Tapia singled, stole second, and scored on third baseman Anderso Bolivar's throwing error off a grounder hit by Correlle Prime.

Missoula moved back in front in the top of the 4th. With one out, Bolivar doubled; with two outs, Garcia walked. That brought up Chuck Taylor, who crushed a triple into the gap in right-center for a 4- 2 Osprey lead.

Then came the bottom of the 5th. Ryan McMahon hit Placido's first pitch over the wall in left for a solo homer, making the score 4-3, and Placido walked Prime and Miguel Dilone. Jordan Patterson put down a sacrifice bunt and reached base on an error by Queliz, the catcher, which allowed Prime and Dilone to score. Rosario singled to drive in Patterson and knock Placido out of the game.

Emerson Jimenez greeted reliever Cody Geyer with another single, putting runners at the corners.

Geyer got Ryan Garvey to ground into a double play, which scored a run, and Cesar Galvez popped out to Queliz. But the inning ended with Grand Junction leading 7-4.

The Rockies added their final run on Prime's RBI single in the 6th.

Taylor, Williams and Miller had two hits each for Missoula. Relief pitcher Mike Blake posted a solid outing, giving up one hit and striking out three over two innings.

The Osprey and Rockies continue their series Thursday night at 7:05. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Montana 97.5, with streaming audio at missoulaosprey.com, starting at 6:45.

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Pioneer League Stories from August 22, 2013


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