Chukars Lock In To Split Series

Ogden, UT - After a big offensive night on Saturday, the Chukars followed it up Sunday with another solid offensive performance on Sunday at Lindquist Field in Ogden. Idaho Falls notched 13 runs on 15 hits, en route to a 13-9 victory over the Raptors. The Chukars with the win earned the series split.
The Chukars took advantage of command issues from Ogden starter Kevin Malisheski to crack the ice in the first. With two out and nobody on, Malisheski hit Clay Dungan and then walked Rhett Aplin. Michael Emodi stepped in next and lined a single to left, scoring Dungan to put the Chukars up a run. For Emodi, it was his fifth RBI in the past two games and the ninth two out RBI for the Chukars in that same span.
Ogden though punched back not long after. In the second Andy Pages started the inning with a double, and scored on a two out bloop single to right to tie the game. In the third inning, Aldrich De Jongh hit a solo homer to center, the first of his Ogden career, to put the Raptors up 2-1.
The next half inning proved to be huge though for the Chukars. Ismaldo Rodriguez doubled with one on, and Wyatt Mascarella singled to right, plating Rodriguez to tie the game. Tyler James stepped in next and launched a two run homer down the left field line to put the Chukars up 4-2. Jose Marquez then singled, ending the day for Malisheski. Nelfri Contreras came in and allowed an RBI double to Brady McConnell, who took third on a fielding error from Pages. McConnell then scored the fourth run of the inning on a balk to put Idaho Falls up 6-2.
The Raptors got it to a one run game in the fourth inning, as two of the three runs scored in the inning were unearned. Defense though came back to bite the Raptors big time in the fifth. Juan Carlos Negret started the inning by reaching on a ground ball that second baseman Jorbit Vivas booted. Rodriguez then skied a ball to right field that Pages dropped, and Mascarella followed by reaching on a throwing error from Contreras. That brought James up, and he doubled home two with a rocket to right center. Marquez then singled home two more runs, putting Idaho Falls up 10-5.
Ogden added a run back on a solo home run in the fifth inning, but the Chukars got three more back in the eighth, highlighted by a McConnell home run. In the ninth inning with the Chukars up seven, the Raptors scored three and brought the tying run to the plate, but Augie Sylk punched out Marco Hernandez looking to end the game.
Tomorrow the Chukars go to Orem to open up a four game series with the Owlz. First pitch is scheduled for 7 PM, and you can listen to the game on ESPN 980 The Sports Zone KSPZ beginning at 6:45.