Billings, MT - All year long the Chukars have been clutch in extra innings, winning their first five extra inning ballgames, with four of them coming against tonight's opponent, the Billings Mustangs. Tonight though the shoe was on the other foot, as the Mustangs came back from a one run
Billings, MT - All year long the Chukars have been clutch in extra innings, winning their first five extra inning ballgames, with four of them coming against tonight's opponent, the Billings Mustangs. Tonight though the shoe was on the other foot, as the Mustangs came back from a one run deficit in the bottom of the tenth and walked off the Chukars, with the big blow coming from T.J. Hopkins. The Chukars lost 6-5, and have now dropped four straight.
Idaho Falls manufactured a run in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Brady McConnell walked, stole second, got to third on a passed ball, and scored on a Clay Dungan ground out. Billings though took the lead with a two run bottom of the first inning. Starter Nathan Webb issued back to back one out walks to T.J. Hopkins and James Free, and a fly ball to left from Eric Yang was dropped, loading the bases. Victor Ruiz hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and Leonardo Seminati followed with a single to make it 2-1 Billings.
In the top of the second, the Chukars manufactured another run to tie the game at two. Isaiah Henry singled with one out in the inning, and with Kember Nacero up he stole second. Nacero's ground out moved Henry to third, and Henry scored on a wild pitch from Mustang starting pitcher Noah Davis.
Billings though came right back and took the lead in the bottom of the second. Quincy McAfee started the frame with a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Quin Cotton doubled him home with one out to give Billings the one run edge. The Mustangs got a key insurance run thanks to an error in the fourth to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Chukars left two on base on the third inning and left the bases loaded in the fourth, but finally came through in the fifth. Dungan doubled with one out, and Rhett Aplin doubled him home, cutting the Mustang lead to one. Juan Carlos Negret was then hit by a pitch, and Henry then singled to right, loading the bases for Nacero. Nacero struck out, bringing up Stephan Vidal. Byrd threw a ball in the dirt that hit the catcher Free and jumped 10 feet straight in the air. Aplin broke home, but the ball landed right in the glove of charging Byrd, tagging out Aplin and ending the inning.
Idaho Falls did eventually tie the game in the top of the seventh. Dungan tripled with one out, and scored on a two out wild pitch from Byrd. Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth innings, sending the game to extras.
In the top of the tenth inning with one out and Negret at second, Nacero singled into center field, scoring Negret to put the Chukars up 5-4. Nacero was left on base, which proved critical. Billings placed Jonathan Willems at second to start the bottom of the tenth, and McAfee bunted him to third. Reniel Ozuna then pinch hit for Cash Case, and delivered a single into left center with the infield in, scoring Willems to tie the game. Quin Cotton hit into a fielders choice, taking Ozuna's place at first and setting up the final battle between Hopkins and Chukars reliever Joe Lienhard. Hopkins skied a ball to right that could have been caught, but Negret took a bad route to the ball and it went over his head, bouncing to the wall and scoring Cotton from first, giving Billings their second walk off win this year.
Tomorrow the Chukars finish up their road trip in Billings with first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM. You can hear the game on ESPN 980 The Sports Zone and online via the TuneIn App.
