Idaho Falls 4, Casper 0

The Idaho Falls Chukars won 4-0 over the Casper Ghosts in a game that mirrored the 10-0 win in the series opener Monday. Tuesday night at Mike Lansing Field the Chukars' offense was a little slower, but the pitching stayed stellar as Idaho Falls mathematically eliminated the Ghosts from the playoff picture.

Chukars' starting pitcher Ivor Hodgson managed to do even better than the six-inning one-hit shutout performance by Colby Beach on Monday. Hodgson also allowed only one hit in six shutout innings, but he walked two less batters (1) and had five more strikeouts (7). In his final start Hodgson retired eighteen of the twenty batters he faced. Reliever Justin Garcia couldn't match the no hits allowed by three relief pitchers Monday, but he took care of all three innings after Hodgson left the game. In three innings he allowed only two hits, no walks, and recorded five strikeouts without allowing a run. Hodgson improved to 3-6 and Garcia got his third save, while the two dropped their ERA's to 3.14 and 3.00 respectively.

Offense came from the bottom half of the Chukars' lineup. Salvador Perez continued his late-season tear through the Pioneer League with a 3-for-4 night. Behind him Carlo Testa went 2-for-4, including a two-run home run and a stolen base. Number nine hitter Fernando Garcia went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.

The scoring for Idaho Falls started in the fourth inning thanks to a Ghosts' error. Perez and Testa were both in scoring position with two outs when Juan Graterol hit a hard groundball through the legs of the third baseman to put the Chukars up 2-0. In the sixth, again with two outs, Perez reached on a single and came home after Testa's home run.

The Chukars have started the five-game series against the Ghosts with back-to-back wins and will look to make it three in a row Wednesday at Mike Lansing Field in Casper, Wyoming. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15.