Holtmann Deals Six in Shutout
September 4, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
MISSOULA, MONT. - Left-hander Bryant Holtmann tossed 6.0 scoreless frames to guide Missoula (41-28) to a 6-0 shutout victory over Great Falls (32-37) on Thursday night from Ogren Park Allegiance Field. The shutout was the fourth of the year for the Osprey.
Holtmann improved to 2-1 on the year after allowing just five hits and no walks with five strikeouts. The 6.0 innings and five strikeouts both matched a season-high for the native of Albers, Ill.
A trio of relievers finished off the shutout, as Emilio Vargas struck out a pair in his Osprey debut in the 7th before handing the ball over to Cody Clark. Clark, out of Las Vegas, Nev., struck out the side in order in the eighth before Keegan Long tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning that included one strikeout.
Austin Byler, hitting out of the leadoff spot in the order for the first time this season, went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Isan Diaz finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, running his total to 24 on the season. Francis Christy, who scored twice, and Tyler Humphreys, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored, also had solid games offensively for Missoula.
The Osprey got on the board first with a four-run second inning. A costly error charged to Great Falls shortstop Grant Massey led to three unearned runs in the inning, with run-scoring blows coming on a bunt single from Matt McPhearson and an RBI-groundout from Byler. McPhearson used his legs to plate the final run of the frame, stealing home with two out off of starter Brannon Easterling. The stolen base was McPhearson's Pioneer League-best 27th of the year.
Easterling lasted 5.0 innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts en route to being tagged with the loss and falling to 5-4 on the year.
Missoula tacked on its final two runs in the fourth and eighth innings as Humphreys tripled and scored on a Byler sacrifice fly in the fourth before a pair of wild pitches allowed Christy to plate in the eighth.
The Osprey will conclude the regular-season home slate, and the four-game home series with Great Falls, tomorrow at 6:35 pm MT.
Pioneer League Stories from September 4, 2015
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- Mustang Edge out 8-7 Win - Helena Brewers
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- Chukars Topple Orem 8-5 - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Holtmann Deals Six in Shutout - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Voyagers Shutout for First Time in 2015 - Great Falls Voyagers
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