BILLINGS RUNS AWAY FROM IDAHO FALLS, 12-5

W: Kish (1-0)

L: Milligan (2-3)

S: Kuhnel (4)

 

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - The Billings Mustangs (10-4, 33-19) hit their way to a 12-5 win over the Idaho Falls Chukars (5-10, 27-26) on Monday in front of 3,290 at Melaleuca Field in Idaho Falls.

 

The Mustangs, who have won six of their last seven games, took the first lead of the night in the first. T.J. Friedl tripled off Andres Machado to lead off the game. It was his first triple in professional baseball. He scored two batters later when Taylor Trammell singled to right.

 

The score would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning. Scott Moss allowed one hit over his first four innings, pitching shutout baseball until the fifth. The Chukars then scored two runs in the inning to take their only lead of the night at 2-1. Nick Heath singled to begin the inning, stole second and later scored on a wild pitch. Heath stole two bags on Monday bringing his league-leading total to 21. Manny Olloque later singled to score Luke Willis.

 

The Mustangs took over after that, scoring seven runs over the next two innings; four in the sixth and three in the seventh. Cassidy Brown led the way offensively for Billings, producing his first four-hit game of his career. Brown was 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI raising his batting average to .371 on the year.

 

Keenan Kish (1-0) picked up the win by throwing an inning and two-thirds of relief, his longest outing of the season. He would not allow a hit while throwing shutout baseball.

 

Four runs in the ninth sealed the win for Billings after a late Idaho Falls rally. The Chukars pulled to within three after the eighth, but Joel Kuhnel shut the door pitching a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the year.

 

The Mustangs, who are now 4-0 against the Chukars this year, will look for their seventh win in eight games on Tuesday. First pitch from Melaleuca Field in Idaho Falls is set for 7:15 p.m.