By the numbers: A breakdown of the Chukars’ historic Saturday night win

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IDAHO FALLS — The Chukars set a Pioneer Baseball League single-game record for runs scored in their 40-18 victory over the Great Falls Voyagers Saturday night at Melaleuca Field. But 40 wasn’t the only number of note.

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Here are some of the facts worth noting from the record-breaking win:

40

Prior to Saturday’s game, the Pioneer Baseball League’s single-game record for runs in a game by a single team was 33, set by the Ogden Raptors in 1995, making 31 another noteworthy number — the number of years since a PBL team had scored as many runs in a game.

58

The combined run total was also a PBL record.

Idaho Falls (588 runs) and Great Falls (571) are the fourth- and fifth-highest scoring teams in the PBL and had combined for 33 runs on Friday, a 19-14 Chukar win. The Chukars’ highest scoring game this season entering Saturday was a 25-14 (39 total runs) July 4 loss to the Missoula PaddleHeads.

10

The number of home runs hits between the two teams — seven by the Chukars and three by the Voyagers.

Casey Vaughan, Sam Santon and Tyler Wyatt each went deep once. Justin Trimble and Parker Lester hammered two homers apiece.

239

Game time, by minutes.

On the surface, 3 hours and 59 minutes seems like a long game — and it is. But considering how many runs were scored, the total time is not as bad as one might expect.

By comparison, the longest game (by time) in Major League Baseball Saturday was 3 hours and 15 minutes, and featured just nine runs in a 7-2 San Diego Padres victory over the Miami Marlins.

1,988

The turnstile attendance for the game — that is, not the number of tickets sold but the number of fans who passed through the entry gate.

6

The number of games it took the Chukars to score their 40th run of the season.

After a 10-7 loss to the same Voyagers team on June 23, Idaho Falls had started the season 0-5 with just 39 total runs scored. They finally reached 40 total runs on the season in the first inning of what would end up being the Chukars’ first win of the season, a 16-9 victory in Great Falls, Mont.

491

The number of pitches thrown by the two pitching staffs.

Reliever Esteban Hernandez took the lion’s share of Great Falls’ total throws, tossing 65 pitches out of the bullpen.

Starter Seth Spencer was given extra time and numerous extra throws as manager Bob Milacki tried to let him finish the fifth and be in line for the win. Eventually, however, Spencer’s 10 walks were too much and he was lifted with two outs in the fifth.

28

The number of RBIs combined between Idaho Falls’ 2-3-4-5 hitters — Vaughan, Sam Canton, Wyatt and Justin Trimble.

Identified as the run-producer spots, the quarter of swingers did their jobs Saturday.

5

The number of runners left on base by the Chukars.

The goal for most teams is to finish the game with fewer than one runner left on base (on average) per inning. Leaving three runners on base in eight innings means the Idaho Falls offense did its job, producing runs when opportunities presented themselves.

47

The number of runs scored by the Long Beach Coast, who boast the PBL’s best overall record (46-13), over their last eight games.

18

The number of Chukars home games left on the regular season schedule following Sunday’s finale against Great Falls.

The Chuks will be on the road to face the Billings Mustangs next week, but will return to host the Boise Hawks the following week.

29

With 37 games left on the regular season schedule — including Sunday’s game — the Chukars will need to go 29-8 in order to match the 36-11 record posted by the Billing Mustangs to finish the first half in second place and secure a playoff spot.