BIG NINTH INNING GETS AWAY FROM MUSTANGS IN 8-3 LOSS
July 30, 2017 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
BILLINGS, Montana - The Billings Mustangs (18-18-1) lost their series opener 8-3 to the Great Falls Voyagers (14-24) in front of 3,236 at Dehler Park on Friday to push the decision on a first-half playoff berth to the final day in the Pioneer League North Division.
Pitching dominated the contest, save the ninth innning, as the two teams would manage just five combined hits in the first eight frames.
Billings took the first lead of the game with a Mark Kolozsvary single in the second to score Alejo Lopez . Kolozsvary went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Miles Gordon hit his fifth homerun of the season in the third to make it a 2-0 Mustangs lead. Gordon would reach three times in the game adding in two walks.
Great Falls got their first run in the fourth when Tyler Frost singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a Craig Dedelow double. Frost would score on a grounder to the left side of the infield to make it a 2-1 Billings lead.
Jhon De Jesus threw five innings in the start for the Mustangs, giving up just one run on two hits while striking out three. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and would leave with a 2-1 lead, but would not receive a decision.
The scoring quieted for both teams after the fourth, remaining a 2-1 Mustangs lead until the top of the eighth. The Voyagers tied the game when Nate Nolan led off with a triple and came in on a fielder's choice two batters later. They took a commanding lead in the ninth with six runs off four hits and four walks to put it out of reach for Billings.
The Mustangs tacked another run on in the bottom of the ninth, but it would not be enough. Montrell Marshall doubled and scored on Kolozsvary's second RBI single of the night. Josue Gerardo picked up two strikeouts in the inning to finish the game in an 8-3 win for Great Falls and drop the Mustangs back to .500.
The loss coupled with a Missoula win now puts the fate of the first-half down to the final day. The Mustangs need a win or an Osprey loss on Saturday to clinch a berth in the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
The Mustangs and Voyagers will face off in the second game of their three-game series Saturday at Dehler Park. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
Pioneer League Stories from July 30, 2017
- Owlz Wreck Idaho Falls in Win - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Early Lead Disappears Again in Loss - Helena Brewers
- BIG NINTH INNING GETS AWAY FROM MUSTANGS IN 8-3 LOSS - Billings Mustangs
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