Under smoky skies, the Helena Brewers (18-30, 3-7) pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of five errors by the Grand Junction Rockies (25-25, 7-5) in a 7-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Kindrick Legion Field. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the third, the Brewers bats came
Under smoky skies, the Helena Brewers (18-30, 3-7) pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of five errors by the Grand Junction Rockies (25-25, 7-5) in a 7-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Kindrick Legion Field.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the third, the Brewers bats came alive in the home half of the frame to take the lead. Kenny Corey and Jose Gomez both singled with one out before KJ Harrison struck out. During the ensuing at bat Jay Feliciano started a two-out rally by singling to left, scoring Corey to tie the game 1-1. Payton Henry singled to load the bases, bringing up Gabriel Garcia, who bounced a ball deep in the hole at short. Rockies shortstop Kennard McDowell committed a throwing error attempting to cut down Garcia at first, allowing an additional run to score after the RBI single for Garcia, pushing the Brewers ahead 3-1. Franly Mallen capped the scoring when he reached on an error by third baseman Alan Trejo, bringing in another run and extending Helena's lead to 4-1.
The Brewers kept their foot on the gas in the middle innings. Nick Roscetti started the fourth with a double, advanced to third on a single by Gomez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Harrison to make it 5-1. Leading off the fifth inning, Henry crushed a 450-foot home run, his seventh of the season, to give Helena a 6-1 lead. Henry finished the day 3-for-5 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored.
Starter Alec Bettinger (3-1) turned in another exceptional outing for the Brewers, tossing 5.0 innings and allowing just one run on four hits while walking two and striking out four. Bettinger had his scoreless innings streak come to an end at 13.0 innings when the Rockies plated a run in the third, but picked up his second consecutive win as a starter.
Grand Junction tagged reliever Michael Petersen for a run in the sixth when Trejo led off the frame with a home run, his fifth of the season and second in as many night, cutting it to a 6-2 Helena lead.
A barrage of hits helped push the lead back to five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Harrison, Feliciano and Henry strung together consecutive singles, and two batter later Mallen was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run to make it 7-2.
Petersen, Brandon Texiera and Cody Beckman combined to keep the Rockies off the scoreboard in the final three frames, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four. The win snaps a seven-game losing streak for the Brewers.
Helena begins a five-game series against the Orem Owlz on Monday with a double header starting at 5:00 PM. The Brewers are slated to send RHP Dylan File (0-2, 3.52) to the mound for game one and RHP Karsen Lindell (2-1, 7.18) to the hill in game two. The Owlz have not named projected starters for either game. The first game will start at 5:00 PM with the second game scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. It's Moustache Monday, where all fans sporting a moustache, real or fake, receive $2 off the price of admission at the gate, with a "Best Moustache" contest throughout the night. On Micro Monday, craft drafts of beer are $3.50, courtesy of KGR Radio. Tickets are available at the box office, over the phone at (406)-495-0500 or online at helenabrewers.net.
