Ninth Inning Rally Pushes Streak to Five
Entering the ninth trailing 3-2, the Raptors used three Orem errors to take the lead. Jeremy Rathjen and Jesus Valdez walked on a combined nine pitches to start the inning. After Noel Cuevas struck out, Jose Capellan hit a grounder to third. Michael Bolaski's throw to second took Sherman Johnson off the bag and loaded the bases. While Bladimir Franco was batting, Austin Adams threw a wild pitch, allowing Rathjen to score and tying the game 3-3. After Franco struck out, Justin Boudreaux provided a two-run double to left-center. Malcolm Holland then hit a grounder to short that was bobbled by Wendell Soto, putting runners on the corners. Delvis Morales also hit a grounder to short that was bobbled by Soto, allowing Boudreaux to score and giving the Raptors a 6-3 lead.
Closer Owen Jones pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two to end the game.
Boudreaux provided another big hit in the second inning. With one out, Cuevas singled to right and moved to third on an error by Jairo Diaz, trying a pickoff move. Capellan doubled into the left-field corner, giving the Raptors their first run. Franco then singled to right, but Capellan was thrown out at the plate trying to score. Boudreaux then hit his first double to left-center, bringing home Franco for a 2-0 lead.
Jason West earned his second win, pitching three innings and allowing just one unearned run on three hits and striking out two.
Holland stole a second base in the ninth inning, giving him a league-leading 38 on the season. Holland is now five behind Frank Candela's 43 stolen bases in 1998 for the most in Raptors history.
The Raptors will go for the two-game sweep of the Owlz Wednesday. Luis Meza will take the mound for Ogden against Orem's Michael Roth. Game starts at 7:05 and can be heard on 97.5 Fox Sports Radio.