Shutout Win Gives I.F. Two-Game Sweep
July 31, 2010 - Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release
The Idaho Falls Chukars shutout the Ogden Raptors 6-0 Friday night at Melaleuca Field. The start of the game was delayed by an hour and 25 minutes by rain and then went at a rapid pace as the Chukars won in two hours and 15 minutes.
The pitching for Idaho Falls dominated throughout, but no one was better Friday than starter Greg Billo. Billo retired the first 13 batters he faced and faced the minimum number of batters in his six innings of work. Billo finished with one hit and no walks allowed, while recording eight strikeouts. The only trouble Billo got into was in the fifth inning when Nick Akins hit a triple, but first baseman Malcom Culver turned a nifty double play by stepping on the bag and throwing home where catcher Travis Jones applied a tag.
When Billo left the game the Chukars had already scored all six of their runs. Lane Adams led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and scored immediately after that when Yowill Espinal hit a triple. A groundout by Cheslor Cuthbert plated Espinal and the Chukars led 2-0. Two errors and a steal helped Espinal circle the bases in the third as the Chukars took a 3-0 lead. More defensive struggles by the Raptors in the fifth inning aided the Chukars as the team scored three runs on only two hits.
The Raptors finished the game with four errors, bringing Ogden's two-game series total to seven errors. The Chukars had only one error in the two games. That one error came Friday, and was the only batter left on base in the game by the Raptors.
After Greg Billo left the game having yielded only one hit, the bullpen did not give up a hit. Tyler Graham pitched two shutout innings and Alex Rivers tossed a scoreless ninth. The shutout was the second on the season for the Idaho Falls pitching staff. With only one hit and no walks allowed and 10 strikeouts between the three pitchers for Idaho Falls, the staff had its best single-game performance of the season.
Adams and Beltre led the I.F. offense with two hits each. Espinal finished with his second triple of the season and three runs scored. Adams has now recorded a hit in seven-straight games.
The Chukars finished the first half of the Pioneer League season 16-22 after picking up back-to-back wins for the first time since July 6th and 7th. The Chukars open the second half of the season Saturday with the first of two games against the Orem Owlz at Melaleuca Field. Game time for the opening game of the two-game series is scheduled for 7:15 Saturday.
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Pioneer League Stories from July 31, 2010
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- Helton's RBI Ends First Half on a Rockie Note for Owlz - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Ghosts Welcome 500,000 Fan/Set Single Game Record in One Night - Casper Ghosts
- Osprey Score 10 in 6th to Beat Mustangs, 13-5 - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Shutout Win Gives I.F. Two-Game Sweep - Idaho Falls Chukars
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