Big Innings Hand Orem 12-1 Victory
The Orem Owlz (30-25) used three big innings to hand the Missoula Osprey (22-32) their sixth straight loss on Wednesday night, as Orem scored three in the first, five in the sixth and four in the ninth to capture a 12-1 victory from Ogren Park Allegiance Field.
While Orem did manage 11 hits in the game, they also took advantage of 10 walks, three hit batters and three Missoula errors to win the lopsided affair.
Missoula starter Palmer Betts was charged with three unearned runs in the first inning as the O's committed a pair of errors behind the right-hander. Betts eventually finished the game having allowed seven runs (four earned) on four hits, four walks, and two hit batters over 5.2 innings of work. Betts, who also struck out six, was charged with the loss and fell to 0-1 on the year.
Orem's five-run sixth inning saw the Owlz send 10 men to the plate, as they scored five runs on four hits and three walks to blow the game open. Jack Kruger, who finished 2-for-4 on the night, contributed an RBI-double in the frame, while Nick Flair also managed one of his two hits.
Williams Durruthy struggled with his command in the ninth inning, helping to fuel a four-run final frame for Orem. The right-hander allowed the four runs on two hits, four walks and a hit batter, as his ERA inflated to 6.26 following the outing.
Missoula's lone run came by way of the first two batters in the first inning. Jasrado Chisholm doubled to start the inning before scoring on an RBI-single from Paxton De La Garza. De La Garza finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk. The only other bright spot offensively came from Yan Sanchez as he singled in the eighth to extend his hit streak to 13 games.
Orem starter Sam Pastrone earned the victory after tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just the one run with nine strikeouts. With the win, Pastrone is now 2-3 on the year. The strikeout plagued Missoula all night, as the O's loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth only to strike out in the next three at bats - finishing the game with a season-high tying 17 punch outs.
Missoula will look to snap a six-game losing streak tomorrow when it hosts Orem at 7:05 p.m. in the finale of the home stand.