PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Chukars Drop Road Trip Finale 4-3

Published on August 27, 2015 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


OGDEN, UT ---- Finishing off a six-game roadtrip, the Idaho Falls Chukars were shocked by the Ogden Raptors in a 4-3 loss on Thursday night at Lindquist Field.

Starting in the second inning, the Chukars took an early lead against Raptors starter Adam Bray. After first basemen Josh Banuelos led off the inning with a single and outfielder Roman Collins reached on an error that put two runners in scoring position, shortstop Jeckson Flores brought both of them in on a two-run, two-out single to make the score 2-0.

With the score remaining the same in the seventh inning, Flores did one better and drove a fastball from Raptors righty Hector Rodriguez over the left-field wall for a solo homer to put the Chukars up by three. The longball was the first in the career of Flores, spanning nearly five season and 808 at-bats.

While the Chukars were able to tack on three runs in the first seven innings, their pitching shutout the Raptors bats over that time. Starting pitching Derek Gordon tossed five scoreless innings, giving up six hits while tying a season-high with seven strikeouts. Gordon has now given up just two runs combined in his last three starts, spanning 16.2 innings pitched. His 3.50 ERA ranks third in the league while his 61 strikeouts rank second in the PL.

Relieving Gordon, righty Alberto Rodriguez retired the Raptors in order in the sixth and seventh inning before running into trouble in the eighth.

Following a leadoff homer from outfielder Alex Santana, a single from first basemen Matt Jones and a RBI double by outfielder Michael Medina cut the Chukars lead to 3-2. With Medina on second and righty Brian Bayliss (L, 1-2) into the game for the Chukars, Edwin Rios smacked a two-run homer over the wall in right field to put Ogden up for good.

In the ninth, righty Bernando Reyes (W, 2-3) send down the Chukars in order to finish off the game.

For the Chukars, the loss marks the biggest blown lead (3 runs) they've had in a defeat this season. They are still a game up on the Raptors for first place in the Pioneer League South division in the second half with 12 games left in the regular season. The two teams will play each other two more times late next week with their season series evened up at 7-7.

The Chukars will head back home and start up a six-game series at Melaleuca Field with the first of four games against the Grand Junction Rockies on Friday. Idaho Falls will send RHP Bryan Brickhouse to the bump while the Rockies will counter with a pitcher that is to be determined. First pitch is at 7:05 PM.

Make sure to tune to John Balginy and Alex Cohen all season long on MiLBTV, the Chukars Tune-In Radio App and live on ESPN 980 AM, 105.1 FM and 94.5 FM.

Check out the Idaho Falls Chukars Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from August 27, 2015


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