Missed Opportunities Undercut Osprey

MISSOULA, MONT. - Despite putting both the possible tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Missoula Osprey (15-17) were unable to level the score with the Ogden Raptors (18-14), falling by a final score of 4-3 at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field on Saturday night.

Missoula plated the first run of the evening in the home half of the first inning after Keshawn Lynch began the frame with a single to center field. The next batter, Eduardo Diaz, bounced into a fielder's choice, but then stole second base to put a runner in scoring position. With two outs, Andy Yerzy chopped a high hopper to Ogden short stop Ronny Brito, who charged in, scooped it up, and made a wild throw to first, allowing Diaz to score from second.
Leading 1-0 entering the third, Diaz and Luis Lara stacked back-to-back singles upon each other and Dominic Miroglio drew the first of his three walks to load the bases. With two outs, outfielder Juan Araujo was hit by Ogden starter Osiris Ramirez, forcing home a run and widening the Osprey lead to 2-0. After the run-scoring hit batsman, however, Ernie De La Trinidad lined out softly to second baseman Connor Heady, stranding the bases loaded.
In the top of the fourth, Ogden broke through for their first runs of the game, plating a trio on a three-run homer by short stop Ronny Brito. The homer was Brito's first of the season and also the first hit of the night for the Raptors.
Brito's homer was the only serious blemish on the resume of Osprey starter Franklyn Soriano, who delivered his second straight solid start, logging 5.2 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks, while striking out five.
Following Soriano's exit, Missoula battled back for the tying run in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs in the frame, Eduardo Diaz was hit by a pitch on the foot. He then moved to second on a balk by reliever Francis Cespedes and swiped third without a throw. Just moments later, Cespedes fired a wild pitch to the backstop allowing Diaz to tie the game at 3-3 after six innings.
The tie ballgame was short-lived, as Ogden pulled back in front in the ensuing half-inning on a botched sacrifice bunt play in which reliever Rafael Pujols fired the ball down the left field line, allowing the eventual winning run to score. Pujols was saddled with the loss in his return to Missoula.
After quiet seventh and eighth innings, the Osprey worked runners to first and second with just one out in the ninth against Ogden closer Vinny Santarsiero. Ahead in the count, outfielder Juan Araujo hit back to the box on a chopper that Santasarsiero collected on the mound in the process of beginning a game-ending 1-4-3 double play.
When the game came to a close, the Osprey had left a season-high 12 men on base and finished 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
The Osprey return to action for the finale of their four games against the Ogden Raptors at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field on Sunday evening. First pitch is slated for 5:05 p.m. with gates opening at 4:30.