Chukars ride four-game win streak into thick of playoff race
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GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Boise Hawks in Idaho Falls, the Chukars kept things rolling in the right direction with a victory over the Voyagers to open a six-game road series.
The Chukars (38-28, 11-8) rode a solid start from ace Gary Grosjean and powerful production from Jacob Shanks to a 13-3 win at Voyager Stadium.
Grosjean (W, 8-4) earned his first win of the second half, holding Great Falls (21-46, 7-12) to two hits and one run across his 6 innings of work. He struck out three and walked three, tossing 104 pitches before he was lifted.
The Idaho Falls bullpen, which has seen its share of struggles this season, held the Voyagers to two runs over the final three innings.
The Chukar offense was silenced through the first two innings, but answered a Voyager score in the bottom of the second with an outburst in the third.
Idaho Falls collected its first four hits of the game in the third, capped by a Pappas three-run homer (11), to grab a 6-1 advantage. And they never looked back.
Shanks hammered a solo shot (8) in the fourth and a two-run bomb (9) in the fifth. The designated hitter put an exclamation point on his monster night with a three-run blast (10) in the ninth.
He finished the night with game-highs in hits (3), runs scored (4) and RBIs (6).
With their current winning streak, the Chukars have jumped back into third place in both the second-half and overall standings. They are trailing the same two teams — Oakland Ballers and Missoula PaddleHeads — in both sets of standings, and thus are in control of the playoff destiny with one month remaining in the regular season.
The Chukars will look to continue the streak when they face the Voyagers Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
PBL second-half standings
1. Oakland Ballers (14-5)
2. Missoula PaddleHeads (13-6)
T3. Idaho Falls Chukars (11-8)
T3. Rocky Mountain Vibes (11-8)
5. Ogden Raptors (9-9)
T6. Billings Mustangs (9-10)
T6. Glacier Range Riders (9-10)
8. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (8-10)
T9. Grand Junction Jackalopes (8-11)
T9. Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers (8-11)
11. Great Falls Voyagers (7-12)
12. Boise Hawks (6-13)
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