Ostrander walkoff gives Chukars first 3-game winning streak of season

IDAHO FALLS — For the first time this season, the Idaho Falls Chukars have won three games in a row.

The Chukars (7-24) beat the Great Falls Voyagers (12-20) 14-13, behind Garret Ostrander, whose monster night included a game-ending RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.

Ostrander helped Idaho Falls jump out to an early lead behind starter Seth Spencer, scoring two runs with a double in the fourth and another run with a fifth-inning single.

Spencer (ND, 1-2, 8.59 ERA) started the sixth inning holding an 11-1 lead, but never recorded an out in the sixth, surrendering a solo homer, a walk and an RBI triple before he was lifted.

With that final run scoring from third against reliever Blayne Fritcher, Spencer finished his night with six hits, six walks and four runs, all earned, allowed in 5-plus innings of work. He struck out four and served up a pair of homers.

Fritcher and Quentin Graves were tagged with eight runs, seven earned, in their combined 3 innings of relief work.

With the Chukar offense adding on single runs in the sixth and eighth, the home teams went into the ninth clinging to a 13-12 lead. Hunter Harget (BS, W, 1-0, 10.50 ERA) took over in the ninth looking to convert his second save of the season, but Great Falls scored an unearned run, capitalizing on a pair of Chukar errors.

Instead of a save, Harget earned his first win of the season after escaping a jam with help from third baseman Justin Trimble, who cut a runner down at the plate.

Batting with runners on second and third and one out, Ostrander lined a single to right field scoring Robert Estrada with the winning run.

Ostrander finished the game 4-for-6 with one run scored and four RBIs out of the three-hole. Clean-up hitter Sam Canton added two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs, with another three hits, three runs and one RBI coming from Trimble in the five-spot.

The heart of the Chukars lineup has been a strength all season, and combined for nine hits, six runs and seven driven in Thursday night.

Canton, Wes Mitchell and Drew Stengren all homered in the win.

The Chukars will look to finish off a sweep of the Voyagers Thursday, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

Current PBL standings
1. Long Beach Coast (25-7)
2. Billings Mustangs (24-7)
3. Boise Hawks (20-12)
4. Modesto Roadsters (19-13)
T5.Glacier Range Riders (18-14)
T5. Ogden Raptors (18-14)
7. Missoula PaddleHeads (16-16)
8. Oakland Ballers (14-18)
9. Great Falls Voyagers (12-20)
10. Yuba-Sutter Freebirds (11-21)
11. Idaho Falls Chukars (7-24)
12. RedPocket Mobiles (7-25)