Five Run 9th Costs Chukars in Loss
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The Great Falls Voyagers scored 5 runs in the top of the 9th inning as they overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Idaho Falls Chukars 6-5 at Melaleuca Field to take 2 of the 3 games vs the Chukars in the weekend series.
Chukars LHP Rito Lugo allowed a home run to Romy Gonzalez on the first pitch of the game to make it a 1-0 Voyagers lead. After that it was the Rito Lugo show at Melaleuca. Lugo struck out 11 batters in 6 innings, giving up 5 hits and only allowing the homer to Gonzalez. Lugo didn’t walk anyone and has only allowed 1 run in 12 innings in an Idaho Falls uniform.
Idaho Falls scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first. After the first 2 batters were retired, Reed Rohlman walked. He advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and scored on a Jose Caraballo RBI single. A double by Chase Vallot and a single by Hunter Strong made it a 3-1 Chukars lead.
The Chukars scored 1 in the 3rd inning on a Kyle Kasser sacrifice fly. Kasser went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Kasser is batting .340 on the year.
With the Chukars leading 4-1 after 6 innings, Idaho Falls pitcher Jack Klein allowed 1 run and walked 3 in the 7th to cut the lead to 4-2. In the 8th inning, Daniel James allowed 1 run on 2 hits in his Chukars home debut. James recorded 2 strikeouts in the inning.
Jose Miguel Ramirez came in to close it out in the 9th inning for Idaho Falls, leading 4-3. The inning didn’t go as planned as Adam McGinnis led off the inning with a single past Kasser. Micah Coffey was hit by a pitch and Romy Gonzalez walked to load the bases. Lenyn Sosa gave the Voyagers the lead with a 2 run single to left. 2 batters later, Logan Sowers hit a 3 run home run to blow the game wide open with Great Falls leading 8-4.
The Chukars scored 1 in the 9th inning. With the bases loaded and Great Falls leading 8-5, Voyagers pitcher Nick Johnson struck out Jose Caraballo and Chase Vallot to end the game.
With Grand Junction winning, the Chukars fall to 3.5 games behind for first place in the Southern division. Monday night begins a 4 game series with the Billings Mustangs at Melaleuca Field. RHP Jonathan Bowlan will go for the Chukars. He will be opposed by Mustangs RHP Ricardo Smith. 7:15 pm first pitch.