Smith sparks Voyagers to Game 1 win

Kevan Smith has come a long way in a short time. And he's put the Great Falls Voyagers one step from the end of their three-month journey.

The White Sox prospect went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and fell a triple shy of the cycle Tuesday as Great Falls outslugged the Ogden Raptors, 9-7, in Game 1 of the Pioneer League Championship Series.

Smith, selected out of Pitt in the seventh round of this year's Draft, singled and doubled in his first two at-bats but didn't collect his first RBI until the fourth inning. With two on and two outs, he slugged his first postseason homer to give the Voyagers a 6-5 lead. The 23-year-old catcher added an run-scoring single in the seventh.

Smith has wielded a strong bat in his first pro season. Starting out in the Appalachian League, he batted .396 with seven homers and 32 RBIs in 26 games for Bristol. After moving to the Pioneer League, he drove in 16 runs and posted a .941 OPS in 30 contests. And he's been even better in the playoffs, batting .421 with two homers and eight RBIs in four games.

Martin Medina slugged a pair of solo homers and Michael Earley also went deep for the Voyagers, who are seeking their eighth title and first since 2002.

Stew Brase (1-0) was credited with the win in relief, despite giving up two runs on four hits over three innings. Kevin Vance struck out two and pitched around a hit in the ninth to notch his first playoff save.

Christopher O'Brien drove in three runs and O'Koyea Dickson chipped in two hits and scored twice for the Raptors. Jason West (0-1), the third of Ogden's four pitchers, allowed a run on two hits and three walks while striking out three in two innings.

Game 2 of the best-of-3 series is Thursday in Great Falls.