De La Garza kicks into gear for Osprey

Paxton De La Garza wasn't sure what to expect from his new leg kick. After delivering a career performance, he decided the maneuver was here to stay.

The Arizona infield prospect drove in a career-high six runs with his first professional grand slam and a single as Rookie-level Missoula outslugged Billings, 12-8, at Dehler Park.

De La Garza entered the game in a 1-for-13 skid over his previous three games. But teammate Tanner Hill thought the 22-year-old might benefit from adding a leg kick to his swing.

"We like to look at video and see what's going on with our swings and he was like, 'Hey man, why don't you try a little leg kick or something,'" De La Garza said. "Even though I had never did it before, I figured I'd give it a try today."

It took just one inning for the adjustment to pay off. After walking in his first at-bat, De La Garza stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the second. The Angelo State University product worked the count to 2-2 before depositing the next pitch over the left-field fence.

"It was just an AB where [righty Alfred Mena] was throwing everything at me and I saw everything," he said. "I was thinking since we had two strikes and the bases loaded, he can't walk me, so he has to throw me something good. He came in with an inside fastball and I put a good swing on it."

De La Garza struck out in the third, lined out in the sixth and flew out in the seventh. But in the ninth, he foisted an elevated fastball into center field off righty Aaron Quillen to drive in two more runs. When he returned to the dugout at the end of the inning, the architect of his retooled swing was laughing.

"I hit a ball above my head there and [Tanner] was like, 'Ah man, you're hitting everything right now. You've got six RBIs,'" De La Garza said. "I was like 'Wow. Well, that's a good day.'"

For the near future, the leg kick will remain part of De La Garza's plate approach.

"I was a little nervous about it," he admitted. "But after that first AB and the ball got over the wall, I was like, 'You know what, it must work.'"

Family and friends quickly checked in following his career afternoon in just his 43rd Minor League game.

"It's awesome just to say you play a professional sport," he said. "To have people support you and just tell you that they're proud of you, it's just an unbelievable feeling that you can't explain until you're actually in this position."

Hill homered and singled, while Gabriel Maciel finished 4-for-5 and scored twice for the Osprey.

Missoula starter Alex Gouin (1-4) gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks while fanning five over five innings for his first Pioneer League victory.

Mena (3-1) surrendered six runs on six hits and a walk while walking striking out one over 1 2/3 frames.

Montrell Marshall, Hector Vargas and John Sansone hit back-to-back-to-back home runs during Billings' four-run first. Michael Beltre belted a grand slam in the eighth for the Mustangs.