Seven-Run Seventh Sinks Great Falls
Published on June 21, 2015 under Pioneer League (PL)
Great Falls Voyagers News Release
HELENA, Mont. (June 21, 2015)Â - The Great Falls Voyagers held a 2-1 lead entering the seventh inning of Sunday afternoon's contest at Kindrick Legion Field, but the Helena Brewers hit three home runs on their way to a seven-run frame that gave the home team the victory.
Early on, the story was Voyager starter Matt Ball as he set down the Brewers (2-2) in order in five of his six innings of work. However, when Great Falls (1-2) turned to the bullpen in the seventh, things went south in a hurry for the visitors.
Braulio Ortiz (0-1) came on at the start of the seventh, and gave up a double and a home run in the first three batters he faced to turn the one-run cushion into a one-run deficit. After a walk and a single, the righty surrendered an RBI single to Luis Aviles, before allowing Carlos Belonis to take him deep for the Brewers second two-run shot of the inning.
Chris Freudenberg then relieved Ortiz, walking the first man he faced before giving up a two-run homer to Monte Harrison to cap the seven-run outburst. The Brewers tacked on one more insurance run in the eighth, and that was more than enough to quash any hopes of a Voyager comeback.
Pitching dominated the early innings of the contest as Ball allowed just one run on two hits in a career-high six innings of work, giving the 20-year old right-hander his first quality start as a professional.
After Helena got their only run against Ball in the third, Great Falls took the lead with a pair in the fifth. Dante Flores started the inning with a double, before later coming in on a Nick Parentsacrifice fly. With two down, three straight Voyagers reached, as Grant Massey was hit by a pitch, then came around to score after back-to-back singles, the latter of which gave Johan Cruz his first RBI of the season.
The fifth was the only inning that Great Falls could get to Helena's pitching staff however. The Voyagers knocked out 11 hits for the second straight day, but left ten men on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the seventh, when Junior Rincon (1-0) relieved starter David Carver to get the Brewers out of the jam.
The Voyagers and Brewers continue their series Monday night at Kindrick Legion field. Southpaw Tanner Banks (first start) will get the ball for Great Falls, while Helena will counter with right hander J.B. Kole (0-0, 0.00). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and coverage will begin at 6:50 on 1400 AM KXGF and gfvoyagers.com.
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