Owlz advance in Pioneer League playoffs
The Owlz will face the Helena Brewers for the Pioneer League title, beginning Tuesday in Orem.
After Orem and Ogden traded zeros for three innings, the Owlz broke the game open in the fourth. Dallas Morris led off with a double and took third on Mark Trumbo's groundout. That brought up Reilly, who blasted Cory Wade's offering over the wall in right field to put Orem ahead for good.
Energized by Reilly's homer, Orem reeled off five straight hits and added four runs before the inning was over. Brett Martinez singled and Colby Overstreet doubled him to third. Billy Boyer's single to center plated both runners and chased Wade. Mario Alvarez came on in relief and yielded a double to Stantrel Smith and an RBI single to Bradley Coon before Hainley Statia lifted a sacrifice fly.
That was more than enough offense for the Owlz, who continued to widen their lead. Smith contributed a solo homer in the sixth -- the center fielder's third hit of the game and team-leading sixth of the series -- and Trumbo went yard in the seventh before capping the scoring with an RBI double in the eighth.
Daniel Hawkins (1-0) earned the win, allowing just one hit over five shutout innings while walking two. The 23-year-old right-hander worked out of trouble in the fourth, loading the bases on a single and two walks before getting Juan Apodaca to ground into a double play.
Rafael Cruz Chavez came on in relief and immediately served up a homer to Juan Rivera -- the only earned run allowed by the Owlz during the three-game series. Cruz Chavez settled down after his shaky entrance, allowing three singles and a walk over the rest of his three-inning stint.
Timothy Didjurgis pitched the ninth and allowed a two-out single to Apodaca before retiring Jesus Soto on a popout to end the series.
Wade (0-1) allowed five runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. Alvarez, David Pfeiffer and Aaron Klusman combined to allow four runs over 4 2/3 frames before Cody White tossed a scoreless ninth.