Rockies' Swanner slugs three homers

Will Swanner wrote himself into the Pioneer League history books Monday night with a memorable power display that culminated with a record-tying roundtripper.

Swanner slugged three homers -- including a walk-off blast in the bottom of the 15th inning -- as part of a 4-for-7, five-RBI effort to lead short-season Casper to a wild 13-12 victory over Orem.

Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round of the 2010 Draft, Swanner smacked a three-run homer to left field with two outs in the first inning, grounded out in the third and then pulled a solo blast to down the third-base line in the fifth.

After striking out swinging in the seventh, the catcher walked in the ninth, but was stranded on second when Samuel Mende popped a bases-loaded suicide squeeze bunt into an inning-ending 1-6-5 double play.

Swanner struck out for the second out of the 11th, but he singled and scored in the 13th frame as part of a two-out rally which tied the game, 12-12, after the Owlz had plated three runs in the top of the inning. The California native then put an end to the five-hour, 15-minute contest in the bottom of the 15th when he deposited Trevor Hairgrove's offering over the left-center field fence to seal the three-game series sweep.

In doing so, he became the 13th Pioneer League player to go yard three times in one game. The last player to achieve the feat was Great Falls' Chris Kelly, who triple-dipped against the Missoula Osprey on July 28, 2004.

Swanner's heroics gave him his second multi-homer game of the season and his second five-RBI performance. His three homers, four hits and four runs scored were all career highs. Swanner previously plated five runs on two roundtrippers in a 14-7 victory over the Ogden Raptors on June 24.

The 19-year-old entered Monday's game batting .146 with four extra-base hits -- all longballs -- and eight RBIs in 10 games. Monday's outing raised his average 62 points to .208. Last year, Swanner hit .303 with seven homers and 13 RBIs in 18 games with the Rockies' Pioneer League affiliate.

On Monday, right-hander Jeremiah Sammy (1-0) was the winning pitcher for the Ghosts. He scattered three hits and a walk while striking out one over the final two innings.

For Orem, designated hitter C.J. Cron, second baseman Taylor Lindsey and center fielder Drew Martinez each had four hits in the losing effort.