PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Great Pitching Leads Chukars in 4-2 Win

Published on June 27, 2012 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


In undoubtedly their best pitched game of the season, the Idaho Falls Chukars held the number one offense in the Pioneer League to just three hits in a 4-2 win over the Ogden Raptors Wednesday night at Lindquist Field.

Chukars starter Ali Williams and reliever Alec Mills combined to hold the Raptors to just 10 base runners all game while leading Idaho Falls to the series win. With their two wins in the three-game series, the Chukars are also now just a game back of the Raptors for first place in the South Division.

The Chukars offense may not have had their most robust game of the year, but they came through with clutch hits when it mattered. Third baseman Nicholas Cuckovich led the attack going 3-4 with a triple and 2 RBI while first baseman Jared Schlehuber picked up his first RBI of the year with a 2-out ninth inning insurance run.

Idaho Falls jumped out to an early lead scoring a run, albeit unearned, in the first. Right fielder Elier Hernandez reached on a two-out error by Ogden shortstop Darnell Sweeney and Cuckovich followed with a triple off the top of the right-center field wall to put the Chukars up 1-0.

Ogden would rally for single tallies in both the first and second to take a 2-1 lead, with both runs coming as a result of hit batsmen by Williams.

The Chukars offense would respond with two runs in the sixth to re-take the lead at 3-2. Shortstop Adalberto Mondesi started the inning with a double to left followed by an infield, bunt single from second baseman Carlos Garcia to put men at the corners with no outs. Mondesi would come in to score on a wild pitch, while Garcia would score one out later on an RBI single from Cuckovich.

Idaho Falls would cap the scoring with Schlehuber's ninth inning double, which started with center fielder Jerico Blanco reaching with two outs on a strikeout wild pitch. Schlehuber would not miss the opportunity, blasting a ball off the very top of the right-center field wall for his first extra base hit of the season.

Williams (1-0) earned the win for the Chukars after pitching six innings, giving up just two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Mills (2) earned the save for his three dominant, scoreless innings out of the bullpen, which included four strikeouts of his own. Raptors reliever Michael Drowne (0-1) took the loss after going just one inning and allowing two runs on three hits.

The well pitched contest was also the Chukars quickest game of the year at just 2:09.

With the victory the Chukars improve to 6-4 while the Raptors fall to 7-3. The Chukars will now head to Orem to start a three-game series with the Owlz, starting Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Idaho Falls Chukars Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from June 27, 2012


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