Great Falls Lacks Key Hits in Loss at Grand Junction
Grand Junction, CO-The Voyagers left the bases loaded twice in a 7-3 loss to the Grand Junction Rockies Tuesday night at Suplizio Field.
Great Falls (20-17) left a total of nine men on base and finished just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. With the win, Grand Junction improved to 2-4 this season against the Voyagers. It was also just the second win for the Rockies in their last nine games. The series decider will take place Wednesday.
After two scoreless innings to start the game, Grand Junction (16-21) pushed a run across in the third to take an early lead. Jensen Park punched a one-out triple to the gap in right-center and then scored on a double by Manny Melendez. Three unearned runs in the fourth made it 4-0 Rockies. Taylor Snyder reached on a dropped ball error at first. He scored on a triple to right-center by Cole Anderson. With two outs, Cesar Galvez singled to right and scored Anderson. Galvez later reached second on a wild pitch. Park followed with an RBI single for the third run of the inning.
The Voyagers trimmed the lead to one with three unearned runs of their own in the fifth. Sam Dexter started the two-out rally with a single lined into center. Frank Califano reached on an error by the shortstop and later stole second. A ground ball from Jackson Glines slipped through the first baseman's legs and into right to score both base runners. Glines stole second and came home with the third run on a Jameson Fisher RBI single to center.
Grand Junction plated two more runs in the sixth and a final mark in the seventh. In the sixth, Jensen Park collected an RBI double and Manny Melendez had an infield single for a 6-3 cushion. In the seventh, the Rockies used a delayed double steal to score the game's final run.
On the mound, Yohander Quintina recorded the victory for Grand Junction. Quintana (2-4) went five innings and gave up three unearned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Yosmer Solorzano took the loss for Great Falls. Solorzano (3-2) worked five-and-a-third and gave up six runs (three earned) on nine hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
The Rockies outhit the Voyagers 11-to-10. Great Falls left the bases loaded in the second and eighth innings. Jensen Park went 3-for-4 with a triple, single, and double. Park drove in two and scored twice. Manny Melendez and Cesar Galvez each had two hits. Melendez drove in two, and Galvez scored two runs. Corey Zangari and Sam Dexter both had three hits in defeat for Great Falls. Jameson Fisher collected two hits with one RBI.
Great Falls plays the series finale at Grand Junction Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 7:05. After an off-day Thursday, the ten-game road trip concludes with a three-game set at Billings Friday through Sunday. The Voyagers return home following the all-star break August 4th against Idaho Falls. For ticket and promotional information, visit www.gfvoyagers.com or call 406-452-5311.