Chukars Bust Out Brooms Again

Idaho Falls, ID - Melaleuca Field has been a true home field advantage for the Chukars in 2019, and Sunday proved to be no different. A five run first inning, and a pair of four run innings aided the Chukars to another lopsided win, a 14-6 victory over Great Falls. The Chukars recorded their fourth three game sweep of the year, and totaled a combined 36 runs in the series. Idaho Falls is now 12-1 overall and 9-0 at home.
A big first inning has been common at home and was the case again on Sunday afternoon. Clay Dungan started the first inning with a double, and Jose Marquez followed with a walk. Voyagers starter Chase Solesky then struck out Brady McConnell, but walked Rhett Aplin to load the bases. That brought up Juan Carlos Negret, who got hit by a pitch to force home the first run of the game. Isamaldo Rodriguez stepped in next, and he launched a grand slam to deep right center, his third home run of the year, to put the Chukars up 5-0.
Great Falls scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning against Chukar starter Bryar Johnson, but that was all they could manage against Johnson. The South Carolina native went four innings, walking one and striking out six.
Cole Watts entered for the fifth inning, and ran into trouble as the first two reached against him. However, Luis Curbelo hit a sharp liner to short, and Dungan doubled Cabera Weaver off the bag. Watts then punched out Harvin Mendoza to end the threat.
The Chukars then put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth inning, as they scored four runs on four hits in the inning. Wyatt Mascarella, making his professional debut, drove home the last two runs of the inning with a ringing double down the right field line.
Chih Wang (W,3-0) earned the win, allowing just one unearned run over the final three innings. Wang has allowed just that one run and has earned the win in each of his three appearances.
Tomorrow, the Chukars head to Western Montana for the first time this season for the first of a three game series with the Missoula Osprey. First pitch is at 7:05 PM, and you can listen to the broadcast beginning at 6:50 on ESPN 980 The Sports Zone KSPZ. You can also listen online via the TuneIn App.