Quality Start and Clutch Hitting Leads to Hawks Victory in Series Opener
Published on June 24, 2021 under Pioneer League (PL)
Boise Hawks News Release
Boise, ID - Much like Monday night, the Boise Hawks overcame an early hole to come back and take victory, defeating the Billings Mustangs by a final score of 10-4 in the series opener Wednesday night from Memorial Stadium.
Boise fell behind by three runs on just the fourth batter of the game. The Mustangs offense opened the game with a single, a fly out, a base on balls and a three run home run off the bat of Chris Salvey to make it 3-0 in a blink of an eye.
Hawks starter, Matt Dallas, would rebound incredibly after giving up that first inning home run, not again allowing a hit over his next five innings of work and letting his offense get the team back in the game.
After being unable to answer in the bottom of the first, the Hawks got their first run of the game in the second inning, with Hidekel Gonzalez leading off the frame with his first triple of the season, before coming home to score on a Kolton Kendrick sacrifice fly out to left field.
In the third Boise managed to tie it up, getting back to back doubles to lead off the inning from Jason Dicochea and Christian Funk to make the score 3-2, before Funk came home to score on Gonzalez's second extra base hit of the game, a fly ball to right field that was misplayed by Liam Sabino and landed on the warning track for a two out double to tie the game.
The Hawks would not stop, adding runs in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead and then again in the fifth to extend their advantage to two runs.
Dallas would exit the game after the sixth, giving up just two hits while striking out nine Mustangs, and all three of his earned runs coming on the Salvey swing back in the first.
With the score still 5-3 in the eighth, the Mustangs used a two out rally to push a run across and make it a one run ballgame.
Boise quickly put an end to any Billings comeback ideas with a five run bottom of the eighth, including a massive two out double off the bat of Wladimir Galindo, who missed a grand slam by just a few feet, instead settling for a bases clearing double and three RBIs.
Game two of the six game series will begin on Thursday at 7:15 with Jay Baggs taking the mound for the Boise Hawks, opposed by the Mustangs left-hander, Cody Hacker.
Pioneer League Stories from June 24, 2021
- Chukars Win 17-10, Complete Sweep of Missoula - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Quality Start and Clutch Hitting Leads to Hawks Victory in Series Opener - Boise Hawks
- Mustangs Offense Goes Silent, Fall to Hawks 10-4 - Billings Mustangs
- Three Run Bomb from Bond the Difference in PaddleHeads Win - Missoula PaddleHeads
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