Osprey Survive Late Rally to Beat Voyagers

MISSOULA, MONT. - The Missoula Osprey (18-17, 37-36) surged for six runs in the first inning and carried a lead from start to finish, holding on to beat the Great Falls Voyagers (32-41, 17-18) by a final score of 11-9 at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field on Wednesday night.

Despite being out-hit 14 to nine by the Voyagers, Missoula leveraged three errors by Great Falls to score six runs in the first inning and individual runs in five consecutive frames from the fourth to the eighth.
After a scoreless top of the first from starter Brady Muller, the Osprey pounced on a series of Voyager mistakes to take a 6-0 lead. The Voyagers committed a pair of errors, accounting for four unearned runs and the Osprey received individual RBIs from Francis Martinez and Joel Novas. After recording just one out, Great Falls starter Parker Rigler was knocked from the game having allowed six runs (two earned) on only two hits and two walks.
With a lead at his back, Muller earned his league-leading seventh win after pitching five innings in which he surrendered five runs (four earned) on nine hits and a walk, while striking out five. The left-hander increased his league-leading strikeout total to 73.
After Great Falls cut the Osprey lead to 6-4 in the third, Missoula added a seventh run in the fourth on a double from Keshawn Lynch. Jose Caballero added a run-scoring triple in the fifth, followed by a Dominic Miroglio RBI-single in the sixth. The Osprey posted their final two runs on a run-scoring wild pitch in the seventh and a sacrifice fly by Miroglio in the eighth.
Missoula's bullpen was tagged for four runs spread across the final four innings of the night, but maintained the lead to the end of the game. In the winning effort, Lynch doubled twice, drove in two runs, and walked three times. Juan Araujo added two hits and three runs scored, while Miroglio and Caballero posted two RBIs.
The Osprey return to action at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field on Thursday night for their final home game of the regular season and Fan Appreciation Night. The gates will open at 6:30p.m. for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch between the Osprey and Voyagers.