Great Falls, MT - The old saying goes that you can't win them all, but the Chukars after winning the first nine games figured they might have a chance. That chance ended tonight in Great Falls, as the Chukars managed just three hits against three Voyagers pitchers. Despite the offensive
Great Falls, MT - The old saying goes that you can't win them all, but the Chukars after winning the first nine games figured they might have a chance. That chance ended tonight in Great Falls, as the Chukars managed just three hits against three Voyagers pitchers. Despite the offensive struggles, Idaho Falls still held a lead, but gave it up in the bottom of the sixth inning. They left the tying run at third in the eighth inning, and couldn't muster any offense in the ninth, falling 7-5. The Chukars are now 9-1 in 2019.
For the first time all year, the Chukars found themselves in a sizeable hole early. Caberea Weaver started the first inning with a double, and scored the very next batter on a weird play. Kelvin Maldanado grounded out to third, with Kember Nacero looking Weaver back to second. As soon as Nacero released his throw, Weaver darted to third. First baseman Rhett Aplin fired the ball to third, but it skipped past Nacero and to the fence, scoring Weaver to make it 1-0 Voyagers. Three straight singles brought home the second run, with two more scoring on a two out throwing error, making it 4-0 Great Falls after one.
Idaho Falls cut the lead in half in the second as Ismaldo Rodriguez singled home a run with one out. Rodriguez then stole two bases and scored on an Isaiah Smith ground out. From there, Chukars starter Nathan Webb locked in, holding the Voyagers to just one hit over the next four innings.
The Chukars took the lead against Voyagers starter Sean Thompson in the sixth inning, as Rhett Aplin launched a three run homer, his fifth of the year, to give Idaho Falls the 5-4 advantage. However, the advantage was short lived, as with a runner on and one out in the sixth, Anderson Comas tripled into the right field corner, tying the game. Two batters later with two out, Camilo Quinteiro singled up the gut, plating Comas to give the Voyagers the lead.
In the eighth with Great Falls up a run, Clay Dungan started the inning by reaching on a two base error. Jose Marquez then sacrificed Dungan to third, and the Voyagers drew the infield in for Brady McConnell, who grounded out to short. Dungan stayed at third and was left there as Aplin struck out to end the inning. Great Falls tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, and the Chukars went down in order in the ninth, sending them to their first loss of the season.
Tomorrow Grant Gambrell makes his first career start for the Chukars, opposed by Carter Love for Great Falls. First pitch is at 7 PM and the game can be heard in Idaho Falls on 980 The Sports Zone KSPZ or online via www.980thezone.com or the TuneIn App.
