Helena coasts into Pioneer League Championship
The Helena Brewers' championship hopes came down to one game against the Great Falls Voyagers. The losers would go home while the winners played for the Pioneer League Championship. Helena hadn't played for a league championship since 2005 when they lost to Orem two games to none. The 2010 team led by first-year coach Joe Ayrault decided to try their luck this year as they downed Great Falls 9-5 at Centene Stadium in Great Falls, Montana to advance to play for the league title.
The Brewers got on the board in the first inning and never looked back. Robbie Garvey started the game with a walk and later scored on a double by Cody Hawn.
Helena batted around in the third inning. Garvey singled to start the rally and Shea Vucinich was hit by a pitch. Hawn, who finished 2 for 4 with a double, lined in Garvey and advanced Vucinich to third. After Greg Hopkins struck out, Mike Walker singled to score Vucinich. Kenny Allison drew a free pass to load the bases, and Rafael Neda moved everybody over and scored Hawn with a single to left field. The Brewers' fifth and final run of the inning came when Carlos George scored Allison with a sacrifice fly.
Great Falls wasn't going down without a fight. They answered for two in the bottom of the inning to cut their deficit to 6-2, but Helena answered for one more in the top of the fourth with Hopkins singling in Vucinich, who also singled in the inning.
The Voyagers scored again in the fifth and sixth to pull within three, but that was as close as they would get as the Brewers rallied for two more in the seventh. Catcher Rafael Neda doubled in Greg Hopkins. A batter later, John Dishon scored Mike Walker with a sacrifice fly.
RHP Tyler Cravy (1-0, 6.00) received the win for the Brewers. Cravy, who was selected by Milwaukee in the 17th round of the 2009 draft, pitched six innings while allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and issued two walks.
Rob Currie entered the game in the seventh inning but was pulled with two outs after allowing a run on two hits and walk. The last time an opponent scored off of Currie was on August 25th at Casper. The St. Charles, Illinois native had only allowed one run in his last 13.2 innings leading up to this game.
Eric Marzec finished the inning without any more damage and also tossed a scoreless eighth. He recorded four outs in the contest, all by way of strikeouts.
RHP Brian Garman finished the game in style by striking out the side in the ninth.
The Brewers will now return home to face the Ogden Raptors for the first game of a best-of-three series to decide the Pioneer League Champions. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th at 7:05 PM. The series will then move to Ogden for the second game and a third if necessary. For ticket prices and information, call the ticket office at 495-0500.
The Brewers got on the board in the first inning and never looked back. Robbie Garvey started the game with a walk and later scored on a double by Cody Hawn.
Helena batted around in the third inning. Garvey singled to start the rally and Shea Vucinich was hit by a pitch. Hawn, who finished 2 for 4 with a double, lined in Garvey and advanced Vucinich to third. After Greg Hopkins struck out, Mike Walker singled to score Vucinich. Kenny Allison drew a free pass to load the bases, and Rafael Neda moved everybody over and scored Hawn with a single to left field. The Brewers' fifth and final run of the inning came when Carlos George scored Allison with a sacrifice fly.
Great Falls wasn't going down without a fight. They answered for two in the bottom of the inning to cut their deficit to 6-2, but Helena answered for one more in the top of the fourth with Hopkins singling in Vucinich, who also singled in the inning.
The Voyagers scored again in the fifth and sixth to pull within three, but that was as close as they would get as the Brewers rallied for two more in the seventh. Catcher Rafael Neda doubled in Greg Hopkins. A batter later, John Dishon scored Mike Walker with a sacrifice fly.
RHP Tyler Cravy (1-0, 6.00) received the win for the Brewers. Cravy, who was selected by Milwaukee in the 17th round of the 2009 draft, pitched six innings while allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and issued two walks.
Rob Currie entered the game in the seventh inning but was pulled with two outs after allowing a run on two hits and walk. The last time an opponent scored off of Currie was on August 25th at Casper. The St. Charles, Illinois native had only allowed one run in his last 13.2 innings leading up to this game.
Eric Marzec finished the inning without any more damage and also tossed a scoreless eighth. He recorded four outs in the contest, all by way of strikeouts.
RHP Brian Garman finished the game in style by striking out the side in the ninth.
The Brewers will now return home to face the Ogden Raptors for the first game of a best-of-three series to decide the Pioneer League Champions. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th at 7:05 PM. The series will then move to Ogden for the second game and a third if necessary. For ticket prices and information, call the ticket office at 495-0500.