PL Ogden Raptors

Early Hitting, Stellar Defense Get Ogden on Winning Track

Published on July 23, 2019 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release


OGDEN, UT - Sunday afternoon, the Ogden Raptors put up their second-fewest runs in a game in 2019 and suffered a loss that ended their 12-game winning streak.

Monday night, Ogden's offense came out firing and erased memories of the previous night. The defense also showed up in big moments to hold back the Grand Junction Rockies as the Raptors got back in the win column with a 6-5 victory.

Andy Pages put Ogden on the board in the bottom of the first with a first-pitch solo home run over Raptor Ridge. Sam McWilliams was next, and he launched a shot to left-center as the Raptors went back-to-back for the second time this year. The Raptors added a third run in the opening frame when Sauryn Lao coaxed a walk and Marco Hernandez knocked him in with a triple.

Immediately afterward, the Rockies began putting pressure on Ogden's defense. The first batter of the second hit a line drive up the middle on which Jeremy Arocho made a diving catch. Two doubles and a groundout plated a run, then a liner toward the right-center gap was hauled in by an Andrew Shaps dive.

In the third, Grand Junction pulled to within one on a double and then single, but Cesar Mendoza gunned down a runner trying to steal second to minimize the damage.

The Raptors got a run back in the third when McWilliams walked and went to second on a wild pitch. With two out, Lao lifted a single to center and McWilliams raced around to score.

In the top of the fourth, the Rockies put a runner on with a one-out hit before Antonio Hernandez picked him off. Another walked, and on a base hit to center tried to take third. Pages came up with a perfect throw, however, to retire the runner and end the threat.

The home half of the fourth saw Ogden increase their lead to 6-3. Arocho reached on an error and Shaps singled, then they stole second and third, respectively. The pitcher stepped off with the runners going and threw wildly past third, so Arocho trotted home and Shaps advanced to third base. with one out, Jimmy Titus hit a fly ball down the right field line deep enough for Shaps to tag and score.

Grand Junction used a pair of solo home runs and a single, balk, and double to pick up three runs between the fifth and sixth innings and pull to within one, but that's as close as they came. The only runner the visitors got on base in the final three innings was promptly caught stealing.

Ricardo Hernandez, who relieved Antonio Hernandez with two out in the fifth, earned the win. Jeff Belge pitched a scoreless inning of relief, and Nick Robertson struck out the side in order in the eighth in his Raptors debut. Finally, Reza Aleaziz earned his third save of the year with a perfect ninth.

The Raptors and Rockies return to Lindquist Field for game two of the three-game series Tuesday at 7 PM.

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Pioneer League Stories from July 23, 2019


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