Brewers Blitz Billings With Walk Off Win

Helena, MT - Friday night started a critical three game series between the Helena Brewers and the Billings Mustangs, with Helena two games back of Billings for first place. The game proved to be one of the most back and forth battles all year, needing extra innings to decide its fate. Down by a run going into the bottom of the tenth inning, the Brewers scored two to win the game, with the walk off RBI coming from LG Castillo. With the 13-12 win, Helena has won five games this season on walk offs.
Billings got the scoring started with a four run first inning, highlighted by a Dylan Harris bases loaded double and a Juan Martinez RBI single. Harris came to the plate with two outs, as a borderline ball four call on Bren Spillane loaded the bases.
Helena though punched right back in the first, as the first two reached and three scored in the inning. The Brewers took a 7-4 lead in the second with a four run frame, with RBIs coming on a Brice Turang single, a David Fry ground out, and a Chad McClanahan two run homer.
Billings got two back in the fourth on a two run homer from Martinez, and Helena responded with a Yeison Coca RBI single, scoring Je'Von Ward. However the Mustangs tied the game in the top of the fifth on RBI singles from Pabel Manzanero and Harris, the fourth RBI for Harris of the evening.
The game continued to turn back and forth, as Helena took the lead in the sixth on a Turang RBI double, leading 9-8 at the time. Ward was the run that scored, with him 4 for 4 at the time with three doubles.
In the seventh Billings struck for three, with Bren Spillane driving home the game tying run with a double. Harris then singled him home, and Martinez singled home Harris, who had gotten to third on a Pablo Abreu fielding error.
Yet Helena came back in the seventh to tie the game, as with two on and one out, Luis Avila tripled home both runs to tie the game at 11. He was thrown out coming home on a Ward grounder, keeping the game tied going into the eighth.
Neither team scored in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings. With a runner starting at second, Billings played small ball, as Martinez sacrificed Harris to third, and Harris scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Mustangs a 12-11 with two out in the inning. Reliever Michael Mediavilla got Urwin Juaquin to ground out, keeping it a one run deficit.
Turang started as the runner at second, and manager Nestor Corredor pinch hit for Coca with Jesus Lujano. Lujano singled to center on the first pitch, and advanced to second on the throw home. David Fry popped out, and Billings walked McClanahan intentionally to set up a double play. LG Castillo made the Mustangs pay, singling into center against Andrew McDonald and scoring Lujano easily to win 13-12. Mediavilla earned the win with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, with the tiebreaker run being the only run that scored.
Helena returns to action tomorrow as Max Lazar takes the hill, opposed by Ricky Salinas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, and it is College Night at the ballpark. Wear your college gear and get $2 off at the gate. For more information visit helenabrewers.net.