Voyagers Claim Third Straight in Idaho Opener

Idaho Falls, ID-The Voyagers received solid starting pitching and some timely hitting for a 4-3 series-opening victory over Idaho Falls at Melaleuca Field Tuesday night.  

Great Falls (13-14, 28-36) has won three in a row and improved to 11-21 on the road this season. The Chukars (7-21, 28-37) have lost six straight and fell to 15-15 at home. The Voyagers now lead the season series 8-to-5, with five consecutive wins. It marked their first win in Idaho Falls in four tries.
The Voyagers seized an early lead with a two-out rally in the second. Jonathan Allen reached base with a pop-up single into right field. Joshua Rivera followed with a single blooped into right-center that was misplayed and allowed Allen to race home. Caberea Weaver made it 2-0 with an RBI double parked into deep left-center. Idaho Falls trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second on a Wyatt Mascarella RBI single.
Great Falls plated two more runs in the top of the fifth for a 4-1 advantage. Leading off the inning, Caberea Weaver tripled high in the air to deep right near the wall. After a pitching change, Kelvin Maldonado lined an RBI single off the new hurler's back and into right-center. One out later, Luis Curbelo brought Maldonado home with a triple to the alley in left-center.
The Chukars sent eight batters to the plate in a two-run seventh for the game's final scoring. Kember Nacero led off with a single to right. Jose Marquez then singled to center. With one out, Clay Dungan loaded the bases with a pop fly single to the warning track in right. A two-out, two-run single in the air behind third by Rhett Aplin cut it to 4-3. Idaho Falls reloaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, but Wyatt Mascarella struck out to end the inning.
The Voyagers outhit Idaho Falls 11-to-10. Kelvin Maldonado finished 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run. Caberea Weaver, Jonathan Allen, and Joshua Rivera all posted two-hit games. Weaver doubled and tripled with an RBI and a run. Juan Carlos Negret, Wyatt Mascarella, and Kember Nacero all collected two hits for the Chukars.
Avery Weems won his second straight start. Weems (4-2) lasted five innings and allowed one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Anthony Veneziano took the loss. Veneziano (2-4) went four innings and surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Sammy Peralta picked up his third save of the season with four strikeouts in back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.      
Great Falls plays game two of three at Idaho Falls Wednesday night. First pitch at Melaleuca Field is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. For Voyagers season tickets and promotional information, call 406-452-5311 or visit www.gfvoyagers.com.