Rockies Rally to Beat Raptors

OGDEN - The Ogden Raptors (0-1, 19-20) fell behind 5-0 in the fourth inning, but came back to take a 6-5 lead in the seventh, only to lose it with four runs allowed in the top of the ninth inning as the Grand Junction Rockies (1-0, 21-18) won 9-6 to begin the second half of the Pioneer League season on Tuesday night.

Scott De Jong hit a two-out RBI single to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ogden held Grand Junction scoreless from the fifth inning on after allowing five runs in the first four innings. Then, in the top of the ninth inning, Lenix Osuna tried to earn his second save of the season. After Tyler Nevin led off with a strikeout, Pioneer League all-star Daniel Suero singled. Chris Rabago grounded into a would-be game-ending double play, but Faustino Oguisten botched the throw to Willie Calhoun at second base. It was Oguisten's second error of the game. Jonathan Piron singled to score Suero and tie the game at 6-6. Chris Keck intentionally walked to load the bases and Bobby Stahel then grounded right back to Osuna. The pitcher chose to spin and throw to second base to try and initiate an inning-ending double play for the second time, but an errant throw to Oguisten allowed the Rockies to take the lead. Mylz Jones then hit a two-run single to left field to put Grand Junction up 9-6. Clint Freeman relieved Osuna and struck out Sam Hilliard to end the inning.

Daniel Koger (4) sent the Raptors down in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the save.

Grand Junction jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings with the Colorado Rockies' 2014 first round draft pick, Kyle Freeman, giving up just two hits and striking out six batters in four innings. Once the Rockies went to the bullpen, Ogden's offense came to life.

Calhoun tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning to get the Raptors on the board. De Jong launched a two-run home run to centerfield in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to two. De Jong ended the night 3-for-4 with three RBI and extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Then in the seventh inning, Calhoun hit an RBI double and scored the tying run on consecutive wild pitches by James McMahon before De Jong's go-ahead single. Calhoun finished 3-for-5 with a triple and two doubles. Other than De Jong and Calhoun's three-hit performances, the rest of the Ogden lineup hit 1-for-24, with the lone base hit coming from Garrett Kennedy.

Kelvin Franco (2-0) took the win for Grand Junction while Osuna (1-2) picked up the loss for the Raptors.

The final game of the series gets underway on Wednesday at 7:00pm MT. Josh Sborz (0-1, 4.50) will make his first start for Ogden against Javier Medina (0-0, 0.00) for the Rockies.