PL Ogden Raptors

Ogden Sweeps Helena in Extras

Published on August 13, 2015 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release


HELENA - Matt Jones knew what pitch he was looking for in the top of the 12th inning, with two runners in scoring position and his team tied with the Helena Brewers. He also knew he'd better not miss it when he got it.

"(I was looking for) a slider about belt high and looking to just kind of stay on it, and that's exactly what I got," Jones said. "It ended up middle in, and I just hammered it over the second baseman's head."

Jones' two-run single into right-centerfield broke a 4-4 tie to give the Ogden Raptors (7-6, 26-25) a 6-4 victory over the Brewers (3-10, 19-30) on Wednesday night. Hector Rodriguez pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to seal the win and the series sweep for the Raptors.

With the victory, the Raptors ended their seven-game Montana road trip winning six of seven games, including winning three of four games vs. the Billings Mustangs. Ogden began the stretch after the all-star break, which they went into having lost four in a row.

"The guys are excited, energized, playing confident, and playing loose," manager John Shoemaker said. "Really happy with the way we've started out after the all-star break."

Ivan Vieitez started for Ogden and threw five scoreless innings. He only gave up two hits while walking one and striking out three. Including his last outing, Aug. 7 at Billings, Vieitez has now thrown 10 consecutive scoreless innings while giving up four total hits.

For the seven-game road trip, Ogden starting pitchers Michael Boyle (2 starts), Vieitez (2 starts), Jairo Pacheco, Andrew Sopko, and Adam Bray gave up a total of three runs in 30 1/3 innings pitched.

"(Pitching Coach) Bobby Cuellar has done a great job in watching some of these pitchers and giving them some ideas and some tips," said Shoemaker. "(The difference is) just the idea of attacking the strike zone."

Ogden scored four second inning runs on back-to-back-to-back RBI singles by Chris Godinez, Deion Ulmer, and Logan Landon, scoring Jones, Jake Henson, and Godinez respectively. Ulmer then scored on a wild pitch to give Vieitez a 4-0 lead that would hold up until the late innings.

The Brewers, after being shutout Tuesday night, broke their 15 inning scoreless streak in the sixth against MJ Villegas. After Steven Karkenny hit a one-out triple, Jake Gatewood hit a sacrifice fly to score Helena's first run.

After Wes Helsabeck - who has thrown ten consecutive scoreless innings allowing just one hit - pitched a scoreless inning, Corey Copping ran into trouble in the eighth. Three walks, to Karkenny, David Denson, and Yerison Pena, set up Mitch Ghelfi, who blasted a bases-clearing double to right-centerfield to tie the game at four.

In the 12th inning, Landon led off with a walk, but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Gage Green. After Kelvin Ramos doubled to put runners on second and third, Jones laced the go-ahead single, scoring both.

"Matt's a hard worker, and he knows the team counts on him," Shoemaker said. "Tonight, he delivered with a big knock."

Rodriguez (1-0) retired nine of the ten hitters he faced in extra innings to earn his first win of the season, but not before the Brewers threatened. After Malik Collymore reached on an error, Jose Cuas drove a pitch deep into the left center field gap. Collymore rounded third, but stopped halfway, and a Green outfield assist to Jordan Tarsovich who relayed home to Henson cut down the Brewer. Karkenny subsequently popped out to end the game.

Marcus Crescentini pitched a scoreless ninth inning for Ogden, striking out all three batters he faced.

"We're coming together a lot better now, we're putting some pieces together and I think we're looking like a lot better team now," said Jones.

After an off day Thursday, the Ogden Raptors will return home to play the Billings Mustangs Friday night at Lindquist Field. Jairo Pacheco (4-3, 4.50) starts for Ogden, while Billings' starter is TBA. First pitched is scheduled for 7:00pm MT, with a postgame fireworks display scheduled after the game. As always, games can be heard at Ogden-Raptors.com and on the TuneIn Mobile app.

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Pioneer League Stories from August 13, 2015


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