Brennan's Bomb Boosts Brewers

Taylor Brennan has hit some moonshots this season for Helena and the slugging third baseman picked a good time to hit what might have been his longest bomb of the year.

With the Brewers trailing by a run in the sixth inning, Brennan crushed a ball that one-hopped the Westaff building beyond the left field screen at Kindrick Legion Field. It was a three-run homer, his fourth tater of the season, and it gave the Brewers their first lead in a game in which they had trailed Idaho Falls 5-0.

Helena would add two more in the eighth and hold on for a 9-5 win on Tuesday night in the first game of the four game set with the Chukars.

The Brewers entered the bottom of the sixth down 5-4 when Idaho Falls pitcher Juilo Rodriguez walked two and threw a pair of wild pitches to put two runners in scoring position. Rodriguez would get Michael Ratterree to pop up on the infield but was then replaced by Zeb Sneed.

Brennan (above) then crushed Sneed's 0-1 splitter to give Helena its first lead of the game.

"It felt pretty good off the bat and it was good to see it go over the net," said Brennan.

It was the second consecutive game in which Brennan had the go-ahead hit for the Brewers.

Helena picked up some insurance in the seventh. With runners on first and second and two outs, Omar Garcia hit a fly ball deep in the corner in left that dropped in for a hit. As the ball rattled in the corner both runners came around to score and Garcia pulled up at second with his third hit of the night.  

"I pretty much just had some fun today," said Garcia who had two steals in the game. "In the first few weeks I was a little nervous because it is my first year but I'm starting to relax now and just slow the game down."

Sean Albury and Tanner Poppe would close out the game in relief for Helena.

Idaho Falls jumped on Helena starter Brandon Moore in the second inning. Cody Stubbs hit a double to lead off the inning and he would two batters later on a single to left by Frank Schwindel. With two on, and no outs the Chukars would extend the lead when Dominque Taylor hit a homer to left to make it 4-0.

The Chukars would get another run when Hunter Dozier hit a double down the left field line which scored Humberto Arteaga. That would be it for Moore on the night as he was replaced by Eduard Reyes.

Reyes ended up picking up the win in relief after allowing only one hit in 4.1 innings of work.

"Moore didn't have a good day today, that's why this is a team sport. Reyes comes in and picks him up and we did a good job the rest of the way with Albury and Poppe so they carried the load for him, they picked him up, and we were able to win the ballgame," said Helena Manager Tony Diggs.

A two-out error would end up haunting the Chukars in the bottom of the second as the Brewers started their comeback. With runners on first and second, Garcia hit a routine grounder to second but it ate up Carlos Garcia to load the bases and extend the inning.

Helena would take advantage as Ratterree hit a blooper down the right that fell in. When the ball got by the left fielder and went down the line, Ratterree slid into third with a bases clearing triple.

"If you can put the ball in play with runners on the bases chances are good things can happen. It wasn't a hard hit ball that he hit for a triple. It just happened to be in the right spot and drove in three runs," said Diggs. 

Brennan would then slice a double to right that scored Ratterree and just like that it was a 5-4 ballgame.

Brennan would finish the game 2 for 5 with 4 RBI. The trio of Brennan, Garcia, and Ratterree drove in all nine runs from the top three spots in the order. The nine runs scored tied a season high for the Brewers.

"They are swinging the bats well we got a big three-run home run by Brennan to get us back into the game and keep us there. Offensively we are swinging the bat better," said Diggs. 

The teams will be at it again on Wednesday night at Kindrick Legion Field. First pitch at 7:05.