Raptors Lose Early Lead, Series Opener to Rockies
July 5, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
OGDEN - The fireworks began early on the Fourth of July as the Ogden Raptors (7-10) pounced on a 5-1 lead after the second inning, but managed just one hit over the final five innings as the Grand Junction Rockies (10-7) rallied to take the first game of the series 10-7 on Saturday night.
Nick Dean hit a lead-off home run and Matt Jones launched a 475-foot two-run homer in the first inning to give Ogden a 3-0 lead. After a Jonathan Piron home run in the top of the second inning, Nick Sell hit a two-run double to put the Raptors ahead 5-1 after two innings. Grand Junction tied the ballgame up in the top of the third with four runs led by a Collin Ferguson home run.
Ogden added single runs in the third and fourth innings, but left the bases loaded in both innings. The Raptors left a total of twelve runners on base, eight of them in scoring position, and hit a combined 3-for-16 with runners on scoring position.
The Rockies took the lead for the first time in the seventh inning behind a two-run single by Mylz Jones and an RBI double by Michael Benjamin. Of the 137 runs allowed by Ogden this season, 33 of them (24%) have come in the seventh inning - more than double the number of runs allowed in any other inning (16 runs in 5th inning).
"If you don't execute pitches, and then you maybe make a couple of mistakes, it could happen in any inning," said Raptors manager John Shoemaker. "So, we just have to bear down a little bit harder. Maybe that's something we can focus on as a staff and as a team, that when we get into that seventh inning, maybe we get a zero in the seventh inning and that might mean a victory for us."
Grand Junction added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning on RBI base hits from Daniel Suero and Ferguson.
"Right now our pitching has not been really consistent," Shoemaker said. "We've been getting some good outings. If we use five pitchers, we might get three pitchers throwing well and two not."
The Raptors have now scored first in 12 of their 17 games this season, but have only won six of those games. The second game of the series begins at 4pm MT on Sunday. LHP Jairo Pacheco (0-1, 2.63) will start for Ogden, facing RHP Chad Zurat (1-0, 0.68).
Pioneer League Stories from July 5, 2015
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- Rockies Overwhelmed by Raptors Bats - Grand Junction Jackalopes
- Chukars Lose Second Straight Against Owlz - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Today's Osprey Game Postponed Due to Rain - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Voyagers Have Sunday Matinee Rained Out - Great Falls Voyagers
- Raptors Lose Early Lead, Series Opener to Rockies - Ogden Raptors
- Owlz Cruise to Victory as They Win Their Sixth Game in Seven - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Rockies Outslug Raptors - Grand Junction Jackalopes
- Missoula Outhits Great Falls in Loss - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Rodriguez, pitching lead Great Falls over Osprey - Great Falls Voyagers
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