PL Missoula PaddleHeads

Osprey Clinch PL North First-Half Title

Published on July 27, 2011 under Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release


MISSOULA, MONT - Roidany Aguila's single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Eric Groff with the game-winning run as the Missoula Osprey rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Idaho Falls Chukars, 4-3, and clinch the Pioneer League North Division First-Half title in front of 2,226 fans.

The Osprey trailed 3-0 before mounting a comeback with a run in the eighth, which scored on a Justin Bianco groundout, and three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Jon Griffin plated a run with a groundout and Fidel Pena tied it with a RBI single before Aguila hit a 0-2 pitch just inside the third-base bag for a fair ball and the walk-off winner.

The Osprey (23-12) - who have now won six games in a row - eliminated the Billings Mustangs with the win, and will be one of the two teams which will advance to the Pioneer League playoffs from the North Division.

Another pitcher's duel broke out, as was the case in the opener of the series, as Idaho Falls left-hander Brennon Martin and Missoula right-hander Dexter Price spent the first four innings matching zeroes on the scoreboard. The Chukars (15-20) finally broke through in the fifth, on a three-run home run by Runey Davis, to take the 3-0 lead.

Seth Simmons (1-0), the last of the three Missoula pitchers used, pitched a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win. Price allowed just five hits in five innings of work, while Raymond Hernandez struck out four in three hitless innings of relief.

The Osprey out-hit the Chukars, 11-5, including three hits each for Groff and Pena. Groff extended his current hitting streak to 14 games with a second-inning single, and has hit .456 (26-for-57) during the streak.

The Osprey will conclude their seven-game homestand, and the three-game series with the Chukars, on Wednesday at Ogren Park Allegiance Field. Missoula will send Robby Rowland to the mound to oppose Chukars pitcher Kellen Moen in a battle of right-handers.

Tickets for all remaining games this season are now on sale at the MSO Hub Box Office, located at 140 N. Higgins, by phone at (406) 543-3300 or online at MissoulaOsprey.com.

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Pioneer League Stories from July 27, 2011


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