Chukars score 3 in clutch eighth for the win - East Idaho News
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Chukars score 3 in clutch eighth for the win

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The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Chukars.

IDAHO FALLS – The Idaho Falls Chukars scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as they won 7-4 to take two of the three games in the series against the Orem Owlz at Melaleuca Field.

The game’s starting pitchers, Orem’s Cristopher Molina and Idaho Falls Rito Lugo each pitched well. Molina allowed one run on three hits in five innings. Molina struck out six in the game. Lugo allowed three runs in 4.1 innings but struck out six Owlz batters in the game.

The Chukars got on the board in the bottom of the second inning as Jesus Atencio drove home Hunter Strong on an RBI double. It stayed 1-0 Chukars when Connor Fitzsimons drove home D’Shawn Knowles with a single to right to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Orem took a 4-1 after scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth on a Francisco Del Valle home run.

The Chukars scored three runs in the sixth to tie the game 4-4. Bubba Starling had an RBI double in the inning. Starling went one for two on the night. He is hitting .571 since joining the Chukars on a rehab assignment.

Idaho Falls broke the 4-4 tie in the eighth inning by scoring three runs. Andres Martin led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. With one out, Nick Hutchins was also hit by a pitch. A wild pitch by Sadrac Franco advanced both runners. Hunter Strong walked to load the bases. Atencio followed up with a game leading and eventual winning RBI to knock in Martin to make it a 5-4 lead. Two scored later in the frame for the 40-32 Chukars, who are now one game behind the Grand Junction Rockies in the Southern division.

The Chukars made up an entire game in the standings as the Rockies lost 6-5 to the Ogden Raptors. There are four games left in the regular season. Idaho Falls plays the final four games at Melaleuca Field against the Raptors. The Rockies play their final four games against the Owlz. Two games at Grand Junction and two more games at Orem.

Labor Day is the opening game of the critical series against the Raptors. The first pitch will be thrown at 4 p.m. at Melaleuca Field.

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