Chukars split a doubleheader vs. Orem
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The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Chukars.
IDAHO FALLS – The Idaho Falls Chukars split a doubleheader on Friday night as they lost 3-1 in the first game and won 6-1 in the second game against the Orem Owlz at Melaleuca Field.
With Grand Junction winning 11-4 over Ogden, the Chukars are two games back with five games to play.
In the first game, it was a 1-1 tie going into the seventh inning, where Jeremiah Jackson hit a two run homer to right field off Jon Heasley to give the Owlz a 3-1 lead, which held up to give Orem their 21st win of the season. Idaho Falls was held to four hits in the game. Rubendy Jaquez went two of two with a walk. Jaquez went two for three with an RBI as he went four for five in the two games.
Heasley struck out four batters with no walks in five innings, allowing five hits in his first relief appearance of the year.
Bubba Starling hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of the first game. Starling was playing his third game of his rehab assignment. Starling was the fifth overall pick of the 2011 draft.
In the second game, it was a scoreless game through four innings. Orem scored a run in the top of the fifth inning. Idaho Falls responded in the bottom of the fifth. The inning led with walks by Hunter Strong and Jesus Atencio, both off Orem pitcher Emilker Guzman. The next batter, Julio Gonzalez hit a three run triple as he scored on a throwing error, rounding the bases and with one swing of the bat, it was a 3-1 Chukars lead.
Elvis Luciano pitched six innings, allowing four hits, one unearned run in the second game as he got the win in his Chukars debut. Domingo Pena pitched a scoreless seventh inning to secure the 6-1 win in the second game of the twin-bill.
The final meeting between the two teams is Saturday night at Melaleuca Field. Rito Lugo with the Chukars will throw the first pitch at 7:15 p.m. against RHP Cristopher Molina for Orem.