After leading by 13 runs at one point, the Helena Brewers (24-41, 9-18) held on for a 15-13 win over the Great Falls Voyagers (30-35, 15-12) on Tuesday night at Centene Stadium. Hanging on to a 15-12 lead going to the bottom of the ninth inning, Helena turned to their
After leading by 13 runs at one point, the Helena Brewers (24-41, 9-18) held on for a 15-13 win over the Great Falls Voyagers (30-35, 15-12) on Tuesday night at Centene Stadium.
Hanging on to a 15-12 lead going to the bottom of the ninth inning, Helena turned to their left-handed closer Cody Beckman. Following a single to start the inning, Jacob Cooper bounced a ball towards Kenny Corey, but the Brewers second baseman had the ball deflect off his knee, putting men on first and second. Nolan Brown then grounded a ball towards second that Corey fielded cleanly and flipped to Antonio Pinero. The field umpire ruled that Pinero had not touched the base, loading them up for J.J. Muno, who sacrificed to right field, cutting the Brewers lead to just 15-13. Justin Yurchak walked to load the bases for a second time, but Carlos Perez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play that ended the game.
The Voyagers chipped away at the Brewers lead slowly by scoring a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Great Falls scored six runs against reliever Cody Martin, using three doubles, two walks, a single and one error to plate their runs. Great Falls also got back two more runs in the bottom of the eighth on a bases loaded walk and a fielder's choice.
Though they fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Brewers roared back to take a lead in the top of the third. With one out, Corey, Tristen Lutz and KJ Harrison all singled, loading the bases for Gabriel Garcia, who sacrificed to right field, tying the game 1-1. Chad McClanahan walked to load the bases again and the Brewers went station-to-station on an RBI single by Jay Feliciano, giving Helena a 2-1 lead. Catcher Payton Henry rocketed a two-hopper to third in the next at-bat, and Voyagers third baseman Amado Nunez fielded the ball cleanly. His throw to first, though, was wide of Franklin Reyes, allowing all three runners on base to score and moving Henry to third, widening the Brewers lead to 5-1. Nicolas Pierre capped the rally with a single up the middle to make it 6-1.
Facing Voyagers reliever Josue Gerardo in the top of the fourth, Helena plated three more runs. Corey and Lutz walked and both runners came in to score on a double by Harrison. Garcia singled to put men on the corners and Harrison scored when McClanahan bounced into a double play.
The Brewers posted six more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Henry walked to start the frame followed by an error on a Pierre grounder. Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and Corey ripped a single into right, plating both runners to push the Brewers lead to 11-2. Lutz walked and Harrison reached on another Voyagers error, setting the stage for Garcia, who crushed a grand slam to left, his eighth home run of the year, sending the Brewers to a 15-2 lead.
Lost in the 28 combined runs was the performance from starter Michael Petersen (1-2), who tossed 5.0 innings, allowing just three runs, two earned, on five hits while walking four and striking out a career-high seven.
Helena concludes their brief two-game series with the Voyagers on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM. The Brewers send RHP Karsen Lindell (2-2, 6.75) to the mound against Voyagers RHP Lincoln Henzman (0-2, 5.71). The game can be heard on Newstalk KCAP 95.9 FM/ AM 950, the MiLB First Pitch App and helenabrewers.net.
