RAPTORS SURVIVE HUGE INNING TO BEAT VIBES

A first-inning blast gave Ogden the early lead.
In the sixth inning, a three-run bomb helped give the Raptors a seemingly insurmountable advantage.
A solo homer in the top of the seventh then drew the visitors back into a tie and provided the momentum for the go-ahead run.
In a memorable first-ever visit to Colorado Springs, the Ogden Raptors went out to a big lead, fell behind, then came back to eek out a victory over the host Rocky Mountain Vibes, 11-10, and maintain first place in the Pioneer League South division standings.
For over half of the game, it seemed the Raptors had it in hand and might even blow out the Vibes, but Rocky Mountain answered Ogden's six-run top of the sixth with nine to take a 10-9 lead in the home half.
After that mess was cleared, Sam McWilliams led off the seventh with a solo round tripper - his second of the season - to knot the game at 10 apiece. Justin Yurchak walked and advanced to second base with a heads-up play on a deep fly out to left, which allowed him to score and give the Raptors the lead two batters later on Joe Vranesh's RBI single.
Rocky Mountain came within feet of tying the game in the bottom of the seventh. They loaded the bases with one out on a single, error and walk, and then lifted a medium fly ball into left-center field. Andy Pages, Ogden's center fielder, took charge and made the catch before unleashing a laser to the plate to allow Tre Todd to slap a tag in plenty of time and prevent the runner from scoring.
Hunter Speer came on for the eighth and preserved the one-run lead, stranding a runner at second base in the eighth and one at third base - who reached third with one out - to close the game.
The game began swimmingly for the Raptors, as McWilliams doubled to open things up before Vranesh launched his first pro home run with two out in the first for a 2-0 lead.
After a Vibes second-inning run, Sauryn Lao tripled to right-center with two out in the fourth and scored as the throw went out of play.
In the sixth McWilliams singled, Yurchak took the first of his two walks and Pages hit a soaring drive to left for his first blast of the campaign and a 6-1 advantage. A reliever recorded two outs, but two runners reached and Zac Ching's fly ball to right dropped for a hit to score one, followed by a Todd double to right to plate two more.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rocky Mountain came all the way back by sending 13 batters to the plate to score nine runs on just four hits; Raptors pitching walking six batters and threw three wild pitches in the frame.
The Raptors and Vibes play game two of their brief set Wednesday at 12:30, after which Ogden will travel to Grand Junction for three games.