Two Outman Homers Lead Ogden to Win
Published on July 31, 2018 under Pioneer League (PL)
Ogden Raptors News Release
Grand Junction, CO - In his first 27 professional baseball games, James Outman had just two extra-base hits against left-handed pitching.
Monday night in Grand Junction, the left-handed power hitter doubled that total.
Outman slugged a pair of home runs against southpaws, helping the Ogden Raptors to a 9-7 comeback victory over the host Grand Junction Rockies.
With the Raptors down after a three-run Rockies first, Outman stepped up for the first time in the second inning against left-handed starter Alfredo Garcia. The first pitch he saw, Outman slugged to right-center and over the fence, putting Ogden on the board.
The hosts added a solo shot of their own in the bottom half to make it 4-1, but Ogden broke out in the fifth inning to take the lead for good.
With one out in the fifth, Jeremy Arocho drew a full-count walk. Jacob Amaya doubled to put both in scoring position, and Ronny Brito laced a single up the middle to score two and bring the Raptors within one.
Brito was caught stealing for the second out, and with the bases empty Dillon Paulson hit a bounding ball to the right side for an apparent third out.
The ball, however, had other ideas. It glanced off the leather of Grand Junction's second baseman and Paulson was safe to continue the inning. Miguel Vargas stepped in and hit a laser to left-center. Paulson scored from first on the double, and the game was tied. A line drive down the left-field line from Daniel Robinson went for another two-bagger and plated Vargas, giving Ogden their first lead. Finally, after a pitching change, new Raptor Jon Littell grounded up the middle as Robinson came around to finish off the five-run frame.
Two innings later, with the score now 6-5, Robinson took a leadoff walk against left-handed reliever Will Tribucher. Two batters later, Outman hit a rocket to straightaway right field, and it cleared the fence for his second blast of the day and a three-run Raptors advantage.
Grand Junction responded with a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth, and when the first two Raptors went down quickly in the ninth it seemed the lead would only be one with the top of the Rockies order looming in the home half.
Paulson, though, began another two-out rally by getting hit with a pitch. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball, and after Vargas walked Robinson beat out a high bouncer on the infield to plate the insurance run.
Luis Pasen hurled a scoreless ninth for his first save. Earning his first win of the season was Justin Lewis, who allowed one run in an inning and two-thirds, spanning the end of the third through one out in the fifth.
Game two of the three-game set is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:40 PM.
Pioneer League Stories from July 31, 2018
- Osprey Double Up Brewers To Win Series Opener - Helena Brewers
- Billings Drops Voyagers with Walk-Off in Extras - Great Falls Voyagers
- Spillane's Walk-Off Winner Leads Mustangs - Billings Mustangs
- Brewers Squeak by the Osprey Tuesday in a 4-3 Win - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Osprey and Brewers Wrap up July in Helena - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Two Outman Homers Lead Ogden to Win - Ogden Raptors
- Ogden Takes Dramatic Game One over GJ - Grand Junction Jackalopes
- Red-Hot Mustangs Top Voyagers - Great Falls Voyagers
- Chukars Rout Owlz 7-1 - Northern Colorado Owlz
- Offensive Outburst Leads Missoula to a Victory in Helena - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Mustangs Continue to Roll with 7-2 Win over Voyagers - Billings Mustangs
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