Voyagers Fall in Extra-Inning Affair with Rockies
Great Falls, MT-The Voyagers went back-and-forth with Grand Junction before losing 8-6 in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Centene Stadium.
Great Falls, MT-The Voyagers went back-and-forth with Grand Junction before losing 8-6 in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Centene Stadium.
With the win, Grand Junction (12-15) has seven victories in its last nine games and has claimed the first two games of the series. The Rockies improved to 8-6 on the road this season, the second best road record in the Pioneer League. They are 1-1 in extra-inning games this season. Great Falls (10-16) is now 2-3 in extras and has lost three in a row at home. With a Billings loss Sunday, the Voyagers remain 3.5 games back of first place in North Division.
Grand Junction started the scoring with a single tally in the third. The Rockies scored on two consecutive singles and a double, all with two outs in the inning. Joey Bartosic lined a base hit to left and later scored on a Pedro Gonzalez double lined into center.
It took until the sixth for Great Falls to break through.
Both sides put up three runs in the seventh as the lead changed hands. For the Rockies, Todd Czinege reached on an infield error to start the inning.
In the home half of the seventh, the Voyagers jumped in front by one. Tyler Frost whacked a one-out, solo home run high and deep to right that cut the lead in half. It was Frost's second homer of the season. Back-to-back walks of
Grand Junction leveled the contest on a wild pitch in the eighth.
In extras, Grand Junction doubled the Voyagers into submission. Chad Spanberger lined a one-out double into right-center. Todd Czinege doubled off the wall in right to give the Rockies the lead back. Javier Guevera made it 8-6 with an RBI single to right. Great Falls went quietly in the bottom of the tenth.
On the mound,
Great Falls committed three more errors in the game. That makes eight errors in the first two games of the series. At the plate, the Rockies outhit the Voyagers 13-to-11. Brett Stephens led the way for the Rockies with two hits and three RBIs. Amado Nunez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for his first multi-hit game since joining the Voyagers. Anthony Villa collected two hits with three runs scored.
Great Falls continues its longest home stand of the season with game three of four against Grand Junction Monday night. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Centene Stadium. For 2017 ticketing and promotional information, call 406-452-5311 or visit www.gfvoyagers.com.