PL Ogden Raptors

Raptors Rally But Can't Sustain Lead

Published on July 21, 2018 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release


MISSOULA, MT - Despite a late lead, the Ogden Raptors were unable to clinch the outright Pioneer League South division first-half title Friday night.

A comeback in the seventh put the Raptors up by one, but the Missoula Osprey answered immediately to re-take the lead before piling on in the eighth for a 9-5 victory.

Ogden, after scoring nine runs each of the previous two games, were shut down by Osprey starter Marcos Tineo on just three hits over six innings.

Once he left the game, however, the bats broke out immediately.

Trailing by four entering the seventh, Matt Cogen got things started with a single. James Outman then launched a two-run homer to cut the deficit in half.

Up next was Niko Hulsizer, and he drove the ball to straight away center and coasted to third with a triple. The throw from the outfield got away, so Hulsizer scampered home to bring the Raptors within one.

After two outs, Jeremy Arocho dumped a bloop into left for a hit, and Jacob Amaya sent a drive to the opposite field for his first home run of the season and a sudden 5-4 advantage.

In the bottom of the seventh, though, the first two batters reached. A walk and stolen base put the tying run in scoring position, and the next hitter singled to tie the game before going to second on the throw. With one out and the runner on third, a line drive off the glove of a leaping Arocho and into center field put Missoula back on top.

The Osprey pulled away with three runs on four hits and an error in the eighth.

Ogden's Brett De Geus had his best start in nearly a month, though he allowed four runs in the second on three hits and a pair of walks. De Geus faced the minimum in four of his six innings, and the only frame, other than the second, in which there was a runner left on was the sixth. De Geus, in fact, struck out the side in the sixth while working around a one-out walk. He struck out six in his outing while allowing just three hits and walking three, and was in position to earn the win had the seventh-inning comeback held up.

The Raptors loss plus Idaho Falls' win over Helena delayed the celebration of an outright first-half title by at least a day, but Ogden has still already clinched a playoff spot as they hold the tiebreaker over the Chukars.

Starting Saturday, the Raptors visit Helena for a four-game series to end the first half. It represents the final time Ogden will play Helena in the regular season, as the Brewers are moving to Colorado Springs after the 2018 season. Saturday's game is at 5:05 PM.

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