Helena Holds Serve At Home In Victory

A five-run bottom of the fifth inning was the spark for the Helena Brewers (22-38, 7-15) as they defeated the Missoula Osprey (28-32, 9-13) 9-4 on Thursday night at Kindrick Legion Field.
Trailing 3-1 going to the bottom of the fifth, Jose Gomez singled with one out and advanced to second on a failed pickoff throw. As the line up turned over with two-outs, Kenny Corey poked a single down the third base line, driving in Gomez to bring the Brewers within a run. Tristen Lutz gave Helena the lead with an opposite field home run, his fourth of the season, to put the Brewers in front 4-3. KJ Harrison doubled in the ensuing at bat and scored on a single from Gabriel Garcia. Payton Henry finished off the rally with a single, bringing in Garcia to make it 6-3.
Starter Dylan File (1-2) recovered from a rocky start, throwing 6.0 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, without walking a batter and striking out six. He attempted to stretch his outing into the seventh, but allowed back-to-back singles to end his night.
Matt Hardy entered the game for File with a man on first and induced a ground ball to third that appeared destined for a double play. However, Corey's throw to second went into right field, putting runners on the corners with no one out. The next batter rolled a ball to Garcia at first, who scooped it, tagged the bag and threw home to Henry, turning a double play that eliminate the chance for the Osprey to score. Hardy struck out the next batter to finish the top of the seventh.
Helena gained some extra breathing room in the bottom of the eighth. Henry walked to start the inning and the next five batters singled, driving in three more runs to push the Brewers lead to 9-4.
The end of the game didn't lack drama. Reliever Parker Bean hit the first two batters he faced and allowed a single, loading the bases with nobody out. The Brewers All-Star closer got back on track with a strikeout of Gabriel Maciel swinging. In the next at bat, Ernie De La Trinidad worked a full count, but struck out looking for the second out. Bean induced a fly out to right from Eduadro Diaz, ending the game and sealing up the victory for the Brewers.
The Brewers fell behind out of the gate as Maciel singled and De La Trinidad homered in the first two at-bats of the game, giving the Osprey a 2-0 lead. Missoula pushed their lead to three runs with a single in the bottom of the fourth. Helena got back a run in the bottom of the fourth when Henry lined a ball to left and Maciel missed the catch, allowing Garcia to score from second.
Helena's brief three-game home stand against the Osprey continues on Friday night at 7:05 PM. The Brewers will send RHP Karsen Lindell (2-2, 7.46) to the mound against Osprey RHP Cesilio Pimentel (1-1, 3.75). Tickets to the game can be purchased at the box office or online at helenabrewers.net.