Errors and Home Runs Sink Osprey in Billings

BILLINGS, MONT. - Billings notched two home runs in the first four innings off Missoula starter Kai-Wei Lin and the Osprey committed four errors in the field, sinking them to an 8-2 loss, their second defeat in three games.
Andy Suglilio homered off Lin in the first inning-his second of the series. Leandro Santana added a solo blast of his own in the fourth inning, marking the third time in Lin's career that he has surrendered multiple home runs in a game.

Following Santana's homer, Billings tallied three additional runs in the fourth inning, thanks to three base hits, a walk, a hit batsman, and a fielding error by right fielder Juan Araujo. Lin was lifted before finishing the fourth inning, as the Osprey turned to their bullpen for the remainder of the game.
Araujo's fourth-inning error was one of two that he committed on the night. The right-fielder's pair of misplays accounted for half of Missoula's errors on Wednesday night and brought his total to three in the last two games.
At the plate, Araujo led the Osprey with two hits, including a double, and a walk. It was his first multi-hit game of the season and just the second multi-hit performance by any member of the club to date.
Billings added one additional run in the fifth on an RBI triple by Jake Turnbull to run their lead to 7-0 before Missoula finally busted into the scoring column in the sixth on an RBI single by Andy Yerzy, his fourth RBI of the series. The Osprey then added their second and final run in the seventh on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the eighth, Billings pushed their lead back to six runs with an RBI single.
Lin, who made his first start of the season after appearing in six games for Missoula last season, took the loss after pitching 3.1 innings and surrendering six runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks, while striking out four.
Missoula returns to action for the series finale with Billings tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander and Billings native Brady Muller is expected to get the starting nod for the Osprey.
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