PL Ogden Raptors

Raptors Cruise Past Brewers

Published on August 12, 2015 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release


HELENA - For the third time in their last five games, the Ogden Raptors (6-6, 25-25) pitching staff shutout an opponent, defeating the Helena Brewers (3-9, 19-29) by a score of 9-0 on Tuesday night. The Ogden bullpen did not allow a hit in four innings of relief.

The win brings the Raptors back to .500 and also guarantees a series victory over the Brewers, as well as a winning road trip after taking three of four games from Billings in a weekend series.

Michael Boyle, coming off a start in which he threw three scoreless innings before a 56-minute rain delay cut his performance short Thursday at Billings, started for Ogden and threw five scoreless innings, only surrendering a pair of singles while not allowing a runner in scoring position. Boyle (2-1, 1.33 ERA) struck out six without any walks.

Gage Green had three hits to lead the Ogden attack, including two doubles, and also drove in a run and scored one himself. Matt Jones hit a three-run home run, his eighth of the year, to put the game out of reach.

"Pitching is definitely what is getting us through right now," Green said. "They're throwing really well. When the pitchers throw like that, it makes it really easy for us to go up there and find a way on (base)."

The Raptors scored four runs in each of the fourth and seventh innings. Against starter Milton Gomez (2-2, 7.60), Alex Santana led off the fourth with a walk followed by a Jones single. Kelvin Ramos doubled home Santana, Jordan Tarsovich hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jones, and Ryan Scott hit a single to score Ramos. Green then doubled to score Scott, and the Raptors had all the run support they would need.

Bernardo Reyes, Andrew Istler, Clint Freeman, and Casey Mulholland each threw an inning of scoreless, hitless relief for the Raptors. The Brewers did not record a hit past the third inning, and only were able to manage three baserunners over the final six innings.

"We've been limiting our walks and we've been getting ahead in some games and its making it easier on our pitching staff," manager John Shoemaker said. "Right now, our pitching is doing a great job, and we just hope that it can continue."

The Brewers threatened in the sixth inning. After Carlos Belonis walked and Malik Collymore reached on an error with one out, Reyes threw a wild pitch to allow both runners to advance to second and third. Reyes promptly struck out Jose Cuas and induced a Steven Karkenny groundout and end the threat.

In the seventh, three straight singles by Green, Scott De Jong, and Santana set up Jones' long ball. The De Jong single plated Green, and on the first pitch he saw from his fellow Omaha, NE, native Nate Griep, Jones lined a fastball over the right field wall for his 28th, 29th, and 30th RBI of the year.

Santana recorded his second RBI in as many games, scoring Logan Landon on a first inning single.

The Raptors had not pitched a shutout yet this season until Friday night's 5-0 victory over Billings. But Ogden has now recorded three on this road trip. After a 1-0 victory in game two of Sunday's doubleheader against the Mustangs, the Raptors took a shutout into the ninth inning before the Brewers scratched across two on Monday night.

"The pitching department has really started to take aim on making quality pitches," Shoemaker said.

The Raptors and the Brewers will finish their three game series Wednesday night at Kindrick Legion Field in Helena. Ivan Vieitez (1-2, 5.19) starts for Ogden, while Conor Harber (0-0, 1.13) starts for Helena. As always, games can be heard at Ogden-Raptors.com and on the TuneIn mobile app.

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