Mustangs Stymied Late in 4-2 Defeat
Published on August 27, 2022 under Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release
BILLINGS - Crews Taylor homered and Elijah Gill threw 7.0 innings, but the Missoula Paddleheads stifled the Billings Mustangs offense as Missoula won 4-2 on Saturday night at Dehler Park.
Billings (19-16, 44-37) was held without a hit over the final five innings as four Missoula (24-11, 59-23) relievers held the Mustangs hitless over 4.1 innings and retired the final ten Billings batters.
In the second, the Mustangs struck first off Missoula starter Austin Crowson. Jacob Kline lined the first pitch of the inning into the gap in left-center field and legged out a triple. Abraham Mow followed by lining a single to right field, bringing home Kline with a 1-0 lead.
After retiring the first six batters, Elijah Gill got into trouble in the third as back-to-back singles put two on with no out. However, the Mustangs turned a bizarre 6-4-2-5 double play, recording a force at second, then catching Cameron Thompson in a rundown between third and home for the second out. Immediately afterwards, Gill picked off Keaton Greenwalt to end the threat.
In the bottom of the inning, Billings added to the lead as Crews Taylor jumped on a 3-2 fastball and deposited it over the right-field fence for his 14th home run of the season, making it 2-0 Mustangs.
However, Missoula brought out the long ball in the fourth innings. With one out, Kamron Willman lined a shot over the wall in right-center. One pitch later, Lamar Sparks hit a high fly ball just over the right-field wall, tying the game on the second straight Missoula homer.
In the fifth, the Paddleheads then took the lead. Back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with no outs for Greenwalt, who rolled into a 5-4-3 double play, but Thompson came home from third to give Missoula a 3-2 edge.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs put runners on the corners as Jalen Garcia walked, stole second and third, before Juan Teixeira walked. Crowson then was lifted for Dan Swain, who induced a pop-up on his very first pitch before getting a strike out to end the inning.
The next inning, Missoula extended their advantage with a two-out rally. After two quick outs, Jayson Newman swatted a single to center, then came all the way around on a double to left-center by Nick Gatewood, putting the Paddleheads ahead 4-2.
The Mustangs mounted a threat in the sixth as a pair of walks brought Garcia to the plate with two down. However, on the very first pitch from new pitcher Tyler Elliott, Garcia lined to third, ending the inning.
After that point, the Missoula bullpen locked down the Mustangs. Elliott threw a 1-2-3 seventh before Mark Simon struck out the side in the eighth. Sam Hellinger then locked down his third save of the series with a scoreless ninth.
The Mustangs will finish the series against the Missoula Paddleheads on Sunday afternoon at Dehler Park. Billings will start LHP Ethan McRae (1-1, 5.65) while Missoula will throw RHP Domingo Pena (6-4,5.91). Pregame on Sunday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 12:45 ahead of a 1:15 p.m. first pitch.
Pioneer League Stories from August 27, 2022
- PaddleHeads' Pen Shuts Down Mustangs in 4-2 Victory - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Mustangs Stymied Late in 4-2 Defeat - Billings Mustangs
- Fifth-Inning Firepower Fuels NoCo's Series-Deciding Dub - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Vibes Win in Round 2 of Knockout to Take Control of Series 3-1 - Rocky Mountain Vibes
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