PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Two Very Different Games, Two Chukars Losses

Published on August 26, 2014 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


OREM, UT --The first game was about as back and forth as a seven inning contest can be, and Idaho Falls found themselves on the wrong end at the end. Orem never trailed at all in game two, and swept the Chukars in the twin bill. The Owlz win game one 9-7, and game two 4-2, putting Idaho Falls in a tough position with ten games left.

Idaho Falls (33-33, 13-15) and Orem went back and fourth in game one. The contest featured six lead changes, and three ties throughout the seven innings. The Chukars took the lead in the first inning with a Ryan O'Hearn single. The right-fielder finished the contest a perfect 4 for 4. The Owlz (37-28, 13-14) wasted no time answering with a two run homer by Fran Whitten in the bottom half.

The teams traded runs until Orem took the lead for good in the sixth inning. Jon Fitzsimmons (0-1) allowed a hit to Wendell Soto to begin the inning. A few batters later, the bases were loaded with one out. Andrew Daniel grounded to the second baseman Luis Valenzuela, who stepped on second base and delivered a throw to first that moved Samir Duenez off the bag. Instead of the double play to end the inning, a go-ahead run scored. Fran Whitten followed with a run scoring single.

Game two was the opposite, low scoring and no back-and-forth. Orem took the lead off of Eric Stout (4-2) with a sacrifice fly in the third inning. Meanwhile, the Chukars couldn't get anything going at the plate. Idaho Falls had only three hits through the first six innings, unable to pose threats on Chris Ellis, Jacob Peterson (2-0), and Zach Varela. Orem increased the the lead to 4-0 in the fifth, thanks to three runs off of Austin Fairchild. The left-hander struggled with his control, walking three batters in that frame.

Brandon Thomasson roped a two run double in the seventh inning to bring the tying run to the plate. Pedro Gonzalez grounded into a double play to end the ballgame.

The Chukars fall to four games back of the Rockies with ten games left to play, thanks to the Grand Junction win. Idaho Falls plays game four of eight in a row against Orem tomorrow.

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Pioneer League Stories from August 26, 2014


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