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PL Billings Mustangs

Ponies Kick the Moose in Thriller

June 21, 2024 - Pioneer League (PL)
Billings Mustangs News Release


Mustangs win a thriller over the Paddleheads 5-4.

AJ Riddle earns his first professional win as he appeared in the seventh and tossed one and a third innings giving up just one run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Haab picks up his second save of the year, tossing one and two thirds scoreless with some chaos in between.

In the top of the ninth, with a 5-4 lead and a runner on at first, Missoula shortstop Colin Gordon mashed a ball to right-center field that should have left the yard, but viscous winds blew the ball back in and it landed at the base of the wall. Pat Mills struggled to pick it up, and threw a ball to Blake Evans from his backside. Evans delivered a dart to Abe Valdez at home, which caught Mike Rosario in a rundown. Gordon got caught in it too, and went down on a 9-4-2-5-2-5-4 putout.

Haab forced Josh Elvir to pop-out to the second basesman Evans to end the game.

The Paddleheads got on the board in the third inning with back-to-back walks by John Esposito, who made his Mustangs debut. Rosario singled home Sanchez to go up 1-0.

In the third, the Mustangs tied the game on an RBI single by Taylor Lomack to score Blake Evans, who led off the inning with a double.

Gabe Wurtz singled home Lomack to take the lead. Mills cashed in with his second home run in as many games. It's the second time this week Mills has homered in back-to-back games, and his fourth homer in five games.

With a 4-1 lead, the Paddleheads scored two in the fifth on a fly ball to Brendan Ryan, who dropped the ball as both runners aboard scored to make it 4-3.

Missoula tied the game in the seventh on an RBI double by Rosario.

Billings took the lead back on a bunt by Blake Evans which forced an error and allowed Abe Valdez to score.

That's when the chaos ensued, but the Mustangs held on to move to three games above .500 and they've won three of their last four games.

Ethan McRae is on the bump for the Mustangs Friday. Coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. with pre-game coverage at 6:35 p.m. on ESPN910/105.5 FM or espnbillings.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloBaseball.TV.

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Pioneer League Stories from June 21, 2024


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