Late Comeback Staves off Sweep
August 13, 2018 - Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
BILLINGS, MT - When your starting pitcher only faces one batter and your offense sees the first 11 hitters of the game retired in order, you might begin to think it's not your night.
That's what occurred Sunday afternoon in Billings, as the Ogden Raptors were trying to avoid being swept for the first time this season.
But despite the obstacles, the Raptors found a way to break through late in the game after trailing the Billings Mustangs by six runs. Thanks to 12 combined runs in the eighth and ninth, the Raptors took the finale of the four-game series, 15-11.
Entering the eighth, Ogden was in a 9-3 hole. Jeremy Arocho battled and took a walk on the ninth pitch of his inning-opening plate appearance, And Kenneth Betancourt singled to right. After a strikeout, Daniel Robinson tripled to right center to bring the visitors within four. Eric Peterson fell behind 0-2 but worked a walk, and James Outman drew his own free pass to load the bases.
After taking a strike, Niko Hulsizer lined a single to center to score one. Marco Hernandez, who had a pair of bloop singles in the game, hit a soft line drive over the second baseman to plate two more, and all of a sudden the Raptors were within a run of the Mustangs. That difference didn't last long, as Jefrey Souffront lifted a fly ball down the right field line for a double to score Hulsizer and tie the game.
At that point, Billings brought their infield in with Hernandez on third in an attempt to keep the game tied. A bouncer up the middle off the bat of Arocho was flagged down by the second baseman, but Arocho's counterpart was off balance and didn't get off a throw in time on what turned into a go-ahead infield hit.
The second out was recorded on a pop out, but Matt Cogen ripped a triple down the right-field line. The extra-base hit scored Souffront and Arocho, giving Ogden a 12-9 lead.
The Raptors would plate three more in the ninth, with one coming on a wild pitch and two on a second Souffront double, to open up a six-run lead.
from the looks of things in the first few innings, it seemed the Raptors would suffer a sweep and possibly get no-hit.
Mustangs starter Ricky Salinas struck out the side in the first and didn't allow a baserunner until Cogen beat out a swinging bunt with two down in the fourth.
With two down in the fifth, Hulsizer put the Raptors on the board with a solo home run, his seventh blast of the season. Hernadez followed with a hit, and Souffront broke his bat but still muscled a line drive into right field. A wild pitch put the runners in scoring position, and Arocho capitalized with a two-run single to cut the Billings lead to 6-3.
Ogden's Jesus Vargas, coming off a rehab assignment with the AZL Dodgers, allowed a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first and was immediately pulled with an injury, making it a full bullpen game for the Raptors.
A succession of five hurlers took the mound in Vargas' absence, starting with Connor Mitchell allowing the inherited runner to score but pitching scoreless ball in the second. He tired quickly in the third, giving up four hits and four runs, and Gregorio Sequera took over. The righty got through the third, gave up a solo home run in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth before giving way to Justin Bruihl with two out.
Bruihl recorded the final out of the fifth and gave up a leadoff single in the sixth. After a four-pitch walk, Bruihl made a leaping catch on a bunt attempt and fired to first to double up the runner. Another walk and a two-run double followed, however.
Evy Ruibal, coming off his best outing of the season two days prior, allowed singles in the seventh and eighth but induced 5-4-3 double plays to exit both innings unscathed. Finally, Hunter Speer allowed two runs in the ninth but stranded one.
With their series in Billings at a close, the Raptors visit Great Falls for a three-game series starting Monday night at 7:00.
Pioneer League Stories from August 13, 2018
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- Bullock Blanks Rockies as Brewers Earn Split - Helena Brewers
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- Chukars Split Series After 13-4 Win - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Late Comeback Staves off Sweep - Ogden Raptors
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