Owlz Tightrope to 3-2 Win in Billings
July 18, 2017 - Pioneer League (PL)
Northern Colorado Owlz News Release
On a night where runs were hard to come by, the Orem Owlz picked up their Pioneer League best 20th win of the season by allowing a season-low three hits and pitching out of trouble in the late innings of a 3-2 win.
The Owlz took until the seventh inning to get on the scoreboard, putting up three decisive runs in one of their most strenuous wins of the season.
The night began with four hitless innings from Owlz starter Elvin Rodriguez, who got zero runs of support for the second straight outing.
Billings finally itched out a run on Rodriguez in the fifth inning however, when Leandro Santana and Andy Sugilio strung together back-to-back doubles to begin the inning.
That left Rodriguez on the losing end of a 1-0 decision entering the late innings of the ballgame.
The Owlz finally broke through in the seventh, beginning with a pivotal two-run homer off the bat of Jeyson Sanchez that gave the Owlz a 2-1 lead.
The home run marks back-to-back days for Sanchez liting a two-run shot, providing the Owlz with a much-needed power boost in a game where the Owlz stranded 10 runners on base.
After Sanchez cleared the bases, the top of the Owlz order came through with Franklin Torres scoring Leonardo Rivas off of third base with a two-out single.
That third run proved to be crucial for the Owlz, who then tightroped their way through the final innings of the game.
Prior to the Owlz' three-spot in the seventh inning, right-handed pitcher Tyler Stevens came on in relief of Elvin Rodriguez to pitch a scoreless sixth inning.
Stevens worked around a hit and a walk in the inning to pick up the first win of his Minor League career.
Keith Rogalla then came on to pitch the seventh inning for the Owlz.
Rogalla's last outing resulted in a blown save vs. Great Falls, when he surrendered a game-tying home run to the Voyagers in the bottom of the 10th inning of Friday night's game.
This outing for Rogalla resulted in four walks and no outs.
After walking the bases loaded, Rogalla then walked in what ended up being the final run of the game, making the score 3-2.
Owlz Manager Tom Nieto then made a call to the bullpen, inserting his 6'10", side-winding, left-handed pitcher James Ziemba into the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Ziemba pitched out of a bases loaded situation on Thursday to earn his first career save.
And like clockwork, Ziemba used just five pitches to end the seventh inning, without allowing any of the inherited baserunners to score.
Ziemba induced a ground ball back to the mound on the first batter he faced, resulting in a 1-2-3 double play for the first two outs of the inning.
Two pitches later Ziemba produced an inning-ending ground ball to the shortstop Leonardo Rivas that held the Owlz' one-run lead together.
He then went on to pitch a perfect eighth inning as well, ending the night with his fourth straight scoreless outing and the first hold of his Minor League career.
The game got dicey again in the ninth inning, when right-handed pitcher Daniel Procopio came on to close out the game for the Owlz.
The Angels' tenth round pick worked around a walk and an error to earn the first save of his Minor League career, while striking out two batters and stranding the tying run on third base.
Procopio touched 100 mph in what was his sixth outing of the year without allowing a run. Procopio has now hurled seven straight scoreless innings to begin his Minor League career.
The 3-2 final score comes in the form of the Owlz' Pioneer League best 20th win of the season, bloating their record to a monstrous 20-7.
Eyeing their fourth straight First Half crown, the Owlz now stand 6.5 games above the second-place Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League South with 11 games left to be played.
The Owlz will try for their first four-game sweep of the season tomorrow night in Billings, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 MT at Dehler Park in Billings.
Coverage begins on the Orem Owlz Baseball Network 15 minutes prior to first pitch with the Voice of the Owlz, Steven Cusumano.
Pioneer League Stories from July 18, 2017
- Owlz Tightrope to 3-2 Win in Billings - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Helena Stops Losing Streak with 8-6 Win - Helena Brewers
- MUSTANGS BATS QUIET IN 3-2 LOSS TO OWLZ - Billings Mustangs
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