Raptors Walk-Off Rockies 8-7
July 7, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
OGDEN - It was the first walk-off home run of his career.
"I've walked before, and the guy behind me put it away."
Matt Jones was 0-for-4 when he approached the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning with runners on first and second and no one out.
"I had a struggle all day and Shoe gave me a chance to come up in the tenth inning there and gave me a chance to win, it was great," Jones said. (see Matt Jones' postgame interview above)
He didn't wait long to capitalize on the chance. It took exactly one pitch.
"He threw me a slider. I just kind of stayed on it, got my barrel on the ball and it ended up falling," Jones said. "Willie got a great jump and made it all the way around the bases, so it was a pretty cool feeling."
Jones' walk-off single punctuated a victory in which Ogden (9-10) came back from a five-run deficit against Grand Junction (10-9). Starting pitchers Tommy Bergjans (Ogden) and Gavin Glanz (Grand Junction) each pitched two perfect innings to begin the ballgame. It appeared for a moment that the rubber match of a three-game series would be a pitching duel.
But with two outs in the top of the third inning, four straight Rockies reached base, including Collin Ferguson whose single scored the third and fourth runs of the inning. Grand Junction added another run in the top of the fourth inning to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
The Raptors got on the board in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Jake Henson and an RBI sacrifice fly by Deivy Castillo, but Ferguson pushed the lead back to five with a two-out, two-strike, two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning that traveled 435 feet.
With two outs and no one on base in the bottom half of the inning, an Ogden rally seemed highly unlikely. But six straight batters reached base before the final out was recorded - on a Matt Jones' strikeout. Ryan Scott began the comeback with a single to right field in his first at-bat after replacing Henson behind the plate. Castillo was hit by a pitch and Deion Ulmer walked to load the bases. Glanz then left the game after pitching 6 2/3 innings and Alec Crawford walked Chris Godinez to score Scott. Willie Calhoun appeared to ground into the final out at first base, but the ball slipped between Ferguson's legs allowing two additional runs to score. Then with a two-out, two-strike count, Michael Medina launched a two-run double off the centerfield wall to tie the game, 7-7.
Colin Hering, Juan Jaime, and Andrew Istler each pitched one scoreless inning to set up Jones' tenth inning heroics. Willie Calhoun and Medina led off with back-to-back singles prior to Jones' opposite field single to left field that gave the Raptors an 8-7 win. The Ogden bench cleared and coated Jones with water and shaving cream.
"I thought I shaved enough before the game, but I guess they didn't think so," Jones said.
Istler (1-0) earned his first win of the season and Daniel Koger (0-1) picked up the loss. Ogden now travels to Montana for a seven-game road trip, beginning with three games at Missoula. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm with Roberth Fernandez starting on the mound for Ogden, facing Missoula's Scott Shultz.
Pioneer League Stories from July 7, 2015
- Tuesday's Game Rained out in Grand Junction - Helena Brewers
- Voyagers Game Notes: July 7 vs. Idaho Falls - Great Falls Voyagers
- Raptors Walk-Off Rockies 8-7 - Ogden Raptors
- Owlz Struggle at the Plate in Loss to Chukars - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Chukars Double up Orem 4-2 - Idaho Falls Chukars
- Pitchers of the Week - Grand Junction Jackalopes
- Raptors Take Series Wtih Walk-Off Win - Grand Junction Jackalopes
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