Voyagers Game Notes: August 27 vs. Billings
August 27, 2015 - Pioneer League (PL)
Great Falls Voyagers News Release
After slipping to their sixth straight defeat and seeing Billings overtake them in the race for the second Pioneer League North playoff spot last night, the Voyagers continue their four-game set with the Mustangs tonight at Centene Stadium.
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Great Falls Voyagers (12-14, 29-33) vs. Billings Mustangs (13-13, 30-33)
RHP Matt Ball (2-6, 7.24) vs. RHP Franderlyn Romero (1-3, 3.83)
7:00 p.m. - Centene Stadium (Great Falls, Mont.)
GF LOSES BY ONE AGAIN
The Voyagers lost their third straight one-run game and sixth in a row overall Wednesday, as Billings took a 3-2 decision at Centene Stadium. Each team scored a run in the first, and the score remained tied until the fourth, when the Mustangs Dalton Carter hit a line drive two-run shot to right to put the visitors back in front. Great Falls pulled one back in the fifth as Grant Massey singled, stole his team-leading 10th base, and eventually scored on a Landon Lassiter base hit. That ended up being as close as the Voyagers got, as starter Jose Lopez made it two straight Mustangs to go a career-high seven innings, before his bullpen capped it off by recording the final six of the night in order.
ASCENDANT ANTONIO
Outfielder Antonio Rodriguez went 1-for-4 and collected his team-leading 37th RBI of the season in last night's loss to the Mustangs, extending his hitting streak to 10 in a row. The 20-year old is now one of two Voyagers to own a double-digit hitting streak this year, as Johan Cruz has had a Voyager-high 12-game run, and a 10-gamer as well.
OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES
The Voyagers offensive struggles continued last night, as they were held to two runs on seven hits. During their current six-game slide, the Great Falls offense has managed to hit just .197, and score just 2.0 runs per game, scoring more than two runs just once. When the Voyager offense has had their chances to score, they have really struggled with runners in scoring position, as they are a combined 4-for-55 (.073) in those situations during the current losing streak. This slump at the plate has dropped Great Falls down to sixth in the Pioneer League in team batting average at .271, and has lowered their runs per game output down to 5.1 runs scored per contest.
KATZ STREAK SNAPPED
Entering last night's contest, lefty Alex Katz had retired 18 batters in a row across his last four outings. The streak came to an end last night, as the New Hyde Park, N.Y., native allowed a one-out single in the eighth, snapping his streak at 19 in a row retired. The southpaw now owns a 2.04 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in nine appearances with Great Falls.
Pioneer League Stories from August 27, 2015
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