'Dulo helps O's back into tie for 1st
Cardullo hit his home run down the left-field line in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Helena starter Tommy Toledo (0-3) and then snapped a 3-3 tie in the home half of the fifth with a sacrifice fly that scored Tom Belza with the go-ahead run.
The Osprey (8-6, 33-19) moved to 14 games above .500 with the win, and moved back into a first-place tie atop the Pioneer League North Division Second-Half standings, thanks to a Great Falls win at Billings. Missoula has not lost back-to-back games since a three-game slide on June 26-28, and has posted a 30-13 mark since the end of that streak.
Jon Griffin had three hits for the Osprey, who collected nine hits in the victory. Roidany Aguila added a solo home run, his ninth of the season, while Jeremia Gomez plated a run with a bases-loaded walk in a two-run seventh-inning rally.
That offensive effort was matched by stellar defense - as Eric Groff, Fidel Pena and Cardullo added splendid plays in the field. All that back the pitching effort of spot-starter Keith Hessler - who struck out eight batters in 3 2/3 innings of work - and relievers Johan Jaime (1-2), Victor Lara and DJ Johnson, who pitched the final two innings to pick up his sixth save in seven chances.
The Osprey begin a seven-game home swing against South Division foes Orem and Ogden on Monday at Ogren Park Allegiance Field. In the start of the four-game series with the Owlz, the Osprey will send right-hander Conrad Flynn to the mound, and he will be opposed by Orem right-hander Daniel Vargas-Vila.
Tickets for all remaining games this season are now on sale at the MSO Hub Box Office, located at 140 N. Higgins, by phone at (406) 543-3300 or online at MissoulaOsprey.com.