PL Ogden Raptors

Cogen Crushes Chukars

Published on July 29, 2018 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release


OGDEN, UT - Coming off a rare game without a clutch hit, the Ogden Raptors were looking for a spark to re-ignite their offense.

Saturday night against the Idaho Falls Chukars, they had multiple - none more so than Matt Cogen.

The right fielder, after going 0-for-4 on Friday, stroked four hits to drive in five runs and the Raptors ran away with a 13-3 win over the Chukars in the first game of a two-game series.

Ogden hit three home runs in the game, the first leading off a five-run third inning, to support a solid start from Kevin Malisheski. Malisheski earned his second win with five innings of five-hit ball, allowing three runs but just one earned.

The lone walk issued by Malisheski was of the four-pitch variety, and it led off the ballgame. The runner stole second and scored on a one-out hit to put Idaho Falls in an early lead.

The Raptors tied it in the bottom of the first, with Daniel Robinson doubling down the left field line and Dillon Paulson singling the other way as well to bring Robinson across.

In the second, the Chukars put two on and with two out a fly ball was dropped in deep left field. The error allowed both runs to score to put the visitors back on top.

Jacob Amaya brought Ogden back within a run when he opened the bottom of the third with a solo home run to right-center, his third of the season. Robinson then reached on an error and Paulson drove a double to left-center to plate Robinson and tie the game.

Miguel Vargas was up next, and he broke a 20-at bat hitless skid with a single to center before stealing second base. Cogen stepped in and hammered a single to center to score both runners and give the hosts the lead.

James Outman singled to continue the inning, and after a fly ball double play he stole second base. Tre Todd took advantage of the runner in scoring position, lining the ball past the second baseman's dive for another run.

Vargas opened the fifth inning with a double to left, and he stole third. With two down Todd knocked in his second run of the day on a hot shot through the middle.

Cogen added two more RBI in the sixth, when he roped a triple down the right field line. He scored when the next pitch sailed to the backstop, making it 10-3.

After a scoreless seventh, the home half of the eighth saw another trio of runs. Vargas came up with Robinson on second and one out, and he obliterated a hanging curveball out of the park to left. His second home run of the season carried 430 feet. Cogen was next and fell seven feet short of Vargas' blast, but still went out to right-center to make it the fourth back-to-back instance for Ogden in the past few weeks.

After Malisheski completed his outing with a 1-2-3 fifth, Justin Lewis entered and pitched two nearly-perfect frames. The only baserunner he allowed was a one-out single in the seventh inning. Gregorio Sequera tossed a scoreless eighth, and Luis Pasen was perfect with a strikeout in the ninth.

The final game of the two-game series and five-game homestand is Sunday at 4 PM. It's another Aloha Sunday, where the Raptors will wear Hawaiian-themed jerseys.

Check out the Ogden Raptors Statistics



Pioneer League Stories from July 29, 2018


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