Missoula Sweeps Doubleheader, Magic Number Is One
July 25, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
MISSOULA, MONT. - The Missoula Osprey (21-14) swept both ends of a doubleheader over Great Falls (17-16) on Friday night from Ogren Park Allegiance Field, earning a 10-4 victory in the first game before coming from behind in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 6-3 victory in the second seven-inning game.
With one more victory, Missoula will clinch the Pioneer League North first-half championship.
In game one, Missoula used a seven-run fourth inning to run away with the victory. Jason Morozowski contributed an RBI double in the inning as part of a 2-for-4 day with three RBI and two doubles. Marcus Wilson capped the seven-run inning with a two-RBI double of his own, chasing home Austin Byler and Morozowski. Isan Diaz finished the first game 2-for-3 before going 1-for-4 in game two to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Morozowski has hit in eight straight, while Austin Byler has hit safely in nine after drawing four walks in four plate appearances in game one, and going 1-for-2 with a double in game two.
Scott Schultz got the start in the opener, tossing the first 5.0 innings and allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four to improve to 2-1 on the year. Matt Lees finished the game on the hill, throwing the final 2.0 innings and allowing just two hits.
Great Falls starter Matt Ball was tagged with the loss and fell to 0-3 after allowing five runs on three hits and eight walks over 3.2 innings. The Osprey drew 11 walks in the first game on Friday.
Great Falls utilized the long-ball throughout the doubleheader, belting a pair of homers in each game. Antonio Rodriguez homered in both games, hitting a two-run shot in the first before getting the Voyagers on the board in the fourth inning of the second game with a solo homer. The Osprey jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second game after scoring a pair of unearned runs in the third, but the homer from Rodriguez and a solo-shot from Landon Lassiter in the sixth knotted the tally at 2-2.
The Voyagers chased Missoula starter Cameron Smith from the game with two out and a man at second base in the sixth, and reliever Keegan Long allowed a double to Zach Fish to hand the Voyagers a 3-2 lead headed to the bottom of the sixth.
Smith finished the game having thrown 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in his second professional start.
Trailing by a run in the sixth, Missoula got to reliever Danny Dopico for four runs (three earned) on three hits and a walk to claim a three-run lead at 6-3. A one-out walk to Joey Armstrong got the rally started before Tyler Humphreys dumped a single into centerfield to put runners on the corners with one out. Matt McPhearson took over on the bases for Humphreys and promptly stole second, setting the table for a game-tying RBI-single to shortstop from Matt Jones to even the tally at 3-3.
The Osprey took the lead in one of the oddest fashions on the ensuing play, as the catcher Fish made an errant throw back to the mound and McPhearson alertly came home on the overthrow. Raymel Flores followed with an RBI-single of his own to hand Missoula a two-run lead before he eventually came in to score the final run on a wild pitch from Dopico.
A day after blowing his first save of the year, Dan Savas was back on the mound in a save situation, this time closing out the Voyagers in the seventh to convert his ninth save of the year. The tying run did come to the plate in the inning, but Austin Byler snagged a liner at first base and doubled-off Frank Califano at first to end the game.
Having blown the save and surrendered the lead, Dopico was charged with the loss and fell to 1-2.
Missoula will look to clinch the Pioneer League North first-half championship tomorrow when it hosts Great Falls at 7:05 pm MT from Ogren Park Allegiance Field.
Pioneer League Stories from July 25, 2015
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- Voyagers Game Notes: July 25 at Missoula - Great Falls Voyagers
- Missoula Sweeps Doubleheader, Magic Number Is One - Missoula PaddleHeads
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