Voyagers Surrender Late Lead, Lose in Extras
July 31, 2019 - Pioneer League (PL)
Great Falls Voyagers News Release
Great Falls, MT - The Voyagers were a strike away from leveling their series with Billings, but a late rally gave the Mustangs a series-clinching 4-3 victory in 10 innings Tuesday night at Centene Stadium. Great Falls (3-2, 18-24) has lost two straight and fell to 5-8 against Billings in the season series. The Voyagers are now 1-1 in extras. The Mustangs (4-1, 19-24) have won three in a row, and improved to 10-13 on the road. It was the first extra-inning win of the season for Billings in six tries. The Mustangs go for the series sweep Wednesday night.
The Voyagers opened the scoring with a two-out run in the third. Harvin Mendoza reached base with a double pounded off the wall in deep center field. Lency Delgado drove in Mendoza with a base-hit lined into right-center. The Mustangs matched that run with a two-out tally in the top of the fourth. T.J. Hopkins led off the inning with a single grounded into left-center. Reniel Ozuna tied the game with a double banged off the wall in left-center.
Both teams plated runs in the sixth. Billings took a 2-1 lead in the top half with a lead-off, solo home run deep to right by T.J. Hopkins. The opposite field shot was Hopkins' third of the season. Great Falls scored twice in the home half of the sixth to grab a 3-2 lead. Harvin Mendoza led off the frame with a walk. On a wild pitch, Mendoza took second and then went to third on a catcher's throwing error into center. After a walk of Sam Abbott, Jonathan Allen grounded an RBI single into right. A two-out RBI single lined into left by Kleyder Sanchez gave the Voyagers a one-run lead.
The Mustangs were down to their final strike in the top of the ninth when Victor Ruiz tied the game with an RBI double pulled up the left field line. The extra-base hit scored Matt Lloyd all the way from first. Lloyd had reached with a one-out single to center. In the 10th, a sacrifice bunt from Valentin Martinez advanced the placed-runner from second to third. A sacrifice line out to left by pinch hitter Eric Yang allowed Jonathan Willems to tag from third and score the go-ahead run. The Voyagers ended the game with a runner stranded at third in the bottom of the 10th.
Sean Thompson turned in his third quality start for Great Falls. Thompson lasted seven innings to match his longest outing but did not factor in the decision. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits (HR) with four strikeouts and no walks. Francis Peguero posted the win in relief for Billings. Peguero worked two scoreless innings and gave up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk. Karan Patel took the loss. Patel (2-2) went three innings and yielded two runs (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout. Johnnie Schneider notched his first save.
The Mustangs outhit the Voyages 9-to-8. T.J. Hopkins and Reniel Ozuna each had two-hit games for Billings. Harvin Mendoza went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored for Great Falls. The Voyagers finished 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Great Falls closes out its seven-day home stand with the series finale against Billings Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. For season tickets and promotional information, call 406-452-5311 or visit www.gfvoyagers.com.
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Pioneer League Stories from July 31, 2019
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