PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Chukars Survive Late Rally in 8-6 Win

Published on June 26, 2012 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


In a game that started as a pitcher's duel, turned into a route and finally became a slugfest, the Idaho Falls Chukars emerged victorious, surviving a 9th inning rally by the Ogden Raptors to win 8-6 Monday night at Lindquist Field.

The contest started with Carlos Frias (Ogden) and Andrew Ferguson (Idaho Falls) locked in a pitcher's duel. The two righties held each other's team to just one run through the first five innings on a combined four hits. In the 6th however, the Chukars broke things open with more than a little help from the Raptors defense, scoring 3 unearned runs on four Ogden errors to go up 4-1.

The Chukars would repeat the feat in the 7th, scoring 3 more unearned runs thanks to another Ogden miscue in the field to go up 7-1. Tack on another run in the top of the 9th, and the Chukars were feeling just dandy with just three outs to go.

The Raptors would prove to be far from finished however. Spanning three different Greybird relievers, Ogden would rally for five runs on six hits, eventually bringing the winning run to the plate to face Chukars reliever Alec Mills with two outs. Fortunately for the Chukars, Mills was able to induce Devin Shines into a game ending pop-up to preserve the Chukars 8-6 win.

The Chukars started the game promisingly at the plate, slapping three singles including an RBI base knock from left fielder Nick Cuckovich to go up 1-0. Ogden meanwhile would not have a base runner off of Ferguson until one out in the third, when Raptors third baseman Alex Santana smoked a solo homer over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1.

The sixth inning meltdown for the Raptors started with the first batter, as Chukars right fielder Elier Hernandez reached on an error by second baseman Malcolm Holland and moved to second on another error from Frias. Two outs later, first baseman Rainier Bello drove him in on a RBI single only to move to second on a throwing error by Raptors center fielder Jeremy Rathjen. DH Parker Morin followed with a single and the fourth error of the inning, a throwing miscue by Shines, allowed Bello to score and Morin to move to second. Second baseman Carlos Garcia would finally finish the scoring with an RBI single to plate Morin.

The seventh inning unearned runs barrage for the Chukars began similarly, with center Fielder Ethan Chapman reaching on a two-base error to move into scoring position. Mondesi followed with an infield, bunt single and Hernandez drove in Chapman with an RBI groundout. Following a Cuckovich walk and a strikeout to catcher Jin-Ho Shin, Bello would drive in two with a double down the left field line to put Idaho Falls up big at 7-1.

The Chukars would score their final run in the top of the ninth on a double by Hernandez and an RBI groundout from Bello, before the Raptors rallied in the ninth. Relievers Kevin Allen and Fernando Cruz were each able to record only one out before Mills entered and finished the game.

Bello finished the game going 2-5 with a double and four RBI, while Hernandez also went 2-5 with a double and one RBI.

Ferguson (1-0) earned his first win of the season for Idaho Falls, pitching 6 innings and allowing just one run on one hit with one walk and six strikeouts. Frias (0-1) was the hard luck loser for Ogden, finishing with six innings pitched and four runs allowed, but with just one of them earned on six hits.

With the win the Chukars improve to 5-3 while the Raptors drop of 6-2 with the loss. The Chukars are now just one game back of the division leading Raptors, with game two of the three-game series scheduled for 7:00 Tuesday night.

Check out the Idaho Falls Chukars Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from June 26, 2012


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