Seeking to avoid a sweep against the Great Falls Voyagers (25-32, 10-9), the Helena Brewers (21-36, 6-13) used a 10-run second inning and a career performance from Gabe Friese to claim their series finale against the Voyagers 11-5 on Monday night at Kindrick Legion Field. Trailing 2-0 going to the
Seeking to avoid a sweep against the Great Falls Voyagers (25-32, 10-9), the Helena Brewers (21-36, 6-13) used a 10-run second inning and a career performance from Gabe Friese to claim their series finale against the Voyagers 11-5 on Monday night at Kindrick Legion Field.
Trailing 2-0 going to the bottom of the second inning, Gabriel Garcia started the frame with a double followed by a Jay Feliciano single. Payton Henry doubled off the wall in right, scoring Garcia. Nick Roscetti kept the line rolling with a single, plating two runs to give Helena a 3-2 lead. After a walk to Antonio Pinero, Chad McClanahan ripped a ball to the right field wall, plating two runners with his first triple of the year, extending the Brewers lead to 5-2. Tristen Lutz roped a single to left in the next at-bat, scoring McClanahan to make it 6-2. Batting for the second time in the inning, Garcia launched a homer to left, his seventh of the year, ending the night for Voyagers starter Chris Comito (2-6). The barrage didn't stop there, as Feliciano singled and Henry doubled for the second time in the inning. Nick Roscetti drove in both of them with a single and a throwing error, capping the rally for Helena. In total, the Brewers scored 10 runs on 10 hits, including five singles, three doubles, a triple and a home run. It's the most runs and the most hits for the Brewers in an inning this season.
Buoyed by an eight-run lead, Friese (1-1) didn't allow a runner to reach base during the remainder of his outing. He retired the final 14 batters he faced en route to his first win in the Pioneer League. The right-hander turned in the seventh quality outing of the season for the Brewers, hurling 6.0 innings and allowing just two runs on three hits while not walking a batter and striking out a career-high six.
Helena added another run in the fourth on a double by Henry extending the Brewers lead to 11-2. Henry finished 3-for-4 with three doubles, two RBI and a walk. Feliciano also matched a Brewers season-high with four hits, going 4-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.
Reliever Brandon Presley added 2.0 scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing just two hits. Brandon Texiera entered to pitch the ninth and gave up a three-run homer to Nate Nolan, his second of the night and sixth of the season.
The Brewers now go on the road for two games to take on the Missoula Osprey starting Wednesday night at 7:15 PM. Helena sends RHP Nelson Hernandez (5-3, 5.27) to the mound against Osprey LHP Brady Muller (3-7, 6.14). The game can be heard on Newstalk KCAP 95.9 FM/AM 950, TuneIn Radio or the MiLB First Pitch App.
