PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Eighth Inning Dooms Chukars Again

Published on August 30, 2019 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


Missoula, MT - Last night a seven walk frame in the eighth inning turned a two run lead into a four run deficit. Tonight in Missoula, another series of miscues put the Chukars behind the eight ball. Tied at two with two out in the eighth, a balk got the tying run into scoring position, which then scored on a throwing error on a ground ball to third. Idaho Falls went down in order in the ninth, falling 3-2 to the Missoula Osprey. The Chukars have dropped 16 of their last 19 games.

The Chukars drew first blood in the top of the first inning, as the first two batters, Tyler Tolbert singled to start the game, and Clay Dungan followed with a single of his own. Two batters later, Rhett Aplin chopped a ball to the first base side that Francis Martinez couldn't handle, scoring Tolbert to make it 1-0 Chukars.

However, Missoula tied the game in the bottom of the first. Cesar Garcia drew a leadoff walk, and stole second with nobody out. Garcia got to third on a ground out and then scored on a balk.

Missoula took the lead in the fourth inning, as a one out triple from Spencer Brickhouse scored on a Martinez double.The Chukars though tied the game up in the fifth inning. Dungan walked with one out, and Travis Jones then got hit by a pitch. A wild pitch with Aplin up moved both runners into scoring position, and Aplin plated Dungan on a ground out to short.

The game remained tied at two until the bottom of the eighth inning, where a strange series of events occurred. Jose Reyes started the inning with a line drive to left, and what should have been a single turned into a double as the ball bounced five feet over Isaiah Henry's head, rolling to the wall. Reyes had a stand up double, but tried to stretch it into a triple. The relay in from left was on the money, and Reyes was out at third for the first out of the inning. With two out, Jose Curpa walked, and with Tristen Carranza up, Cole Watts threw the ball to first but was called for a balk, moving Curpa to second. Carranza then grounded a ball to Kember Nacero at third, who airmailed the throw to first, allowing Curpa to score and putting Missoula up a run. The Chukars could do nothing against Mitchell Stumpo in the ninth inning, going down in order.

Tomorrow the Chukars look for the series split as Nathan Webb takes the hill. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 and the game can be heard on ESPN 980 The Sports Zone KSPZ and online via the TuneIn App.

Check out the Idaho Falls Chukars Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from August 30, 2019


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