Solid Pitching Leads to Doubleheader Split
August 9, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
BILLINGS - Following Saturday's rainout, Ogden (4-6, 23-25) split a doubleheader at Billings (5-5, 22-25) with the Mustangs claiming the first game 3-2 and the Raptors shutting out the hosts 1-0 in game two. The shutout win was Ogden's second in three games and third win in the four-game series.
In his first professional start in the second game of the doubleheader, Andrew Sopko threw four scoreless innings giving up just one hit while striking out a season-high eight batters. Rob McDonnell and Marcus Crescentini shut the door in the final three innings to preserve the shutout. Jordan Tarsovich hit an RBI single in the fifth inning, scoring Matt Jones in what proved to be the only run of the ballgame.
Sopko allowed a two-out single in the first inning to Ed Charlton, but retired the next 13 Mustangs in order.
"I was just able to get ahead and then throw some off-speed and get them off balance and they were swinging at it," Sopko said. (see Andrew Sopko's postgame interview above)
The Raptors offense broke through in the fifth against Jacob Constante, who had faced the minimum number of batters while only allowing a walk through four innings. Jones led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on Jake Henson's single. Tarsovich then laced a single into left field to score Jones and give the Raptors a lead they would not relinquish.
McDonnell (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Sopko, striking out two and allowing one hit to earn his second win of the season. In the sixth, McDonnell allowed a one-out infield single to Zack Shields who then stole second to move into scoring position, the only Mustang to do so. McDonnell promptly struck out Blake Trahan and induced a groundout from Shane Mardirosian to end the threat.
Crescentini (1) worked around a hit to pick up his first save of the season. The Raptors win was their third in four games after the All-Star break, which they had entered on a four-game skid.
"This is a tough time of year," Ogden manager John Shoemaker said. "We're into August now. Even though it's a short season, all of our guys have been playing somewhere -- college, high school, extended spring training -- so it's not like they've only played 46 games. A lot of guys are starting to wear down."
In the first game of the day, Ed Charlton hit a three-run double off of Jairo Pacheco, and Ty Boyles and his Mustangs pitching staff held the Raptors to just four hits, beating Ogden 3-2.
Pacheco (4-2, 4.50 ERA) started for Ogden and only surrendered just two hits, but two walks turned into runs on Charlton's double in the third. Hector Vargas hit a one out single in the inning, followed by walks to Trahan and Brantley Bell, before Charlton's shot to center field scored all three.
"We had two great starts today," Shoemaker said. "Pacheco really just made one mistake that was over the plate. Andrew Sopko did a great job giving us four innings in the second game."
Boyles (4-2, 1.70) pitched five innings, only giving up two unearned runs for Billings, while striking out nine. Tarsovich led off the fifth inning with a walk, and then moved to second on Kelvin Ramos' fly ball hit to left field that Jonathan Martijn lost in the sun. Tarsovich moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a subsequent throwing error by catcher Mitch Trees. Ramos then scored on Logan Landon's RBI single.
The Raptors had back-to-back singles off of Jimmy Herget (8) by Tarsovich and Ramos to open the seventh, and final, inning, but a pair of fielder's choices and a strikeout ended the threat, allowing Herget to get the save.
Hector Rodriguez pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings in relief for Ogden.
The Raptors will travel to Helena to play a three-game series vs the Brewers. The first game will be Monday night, with Adam Bray (0-1, 5.40 ERA) going for the Raptors against Josh Torres (2-1, 4.07 ERA) for the Brewers at 7:05 MT.
Pioneer League Stories from August 9, 2015
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- Solid Pitching Leads to Doubleheader Split - Ogden Raptors
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- Great Falls Takes Down Orem 9-3 - Northern Colorado Owlz
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