Link Report for Thurs. 8/19

[Mass Haas]

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Hanging on to first

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

The Helena Brewers were Ghost busters Thursday in the series finale against Casper at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

The Brewers got another strong night from their pitchers, Brandon Sizemore and Mike Walker both went deep and Helena pounded out 14 hits en route to a 12-2 Pioneer League win over the Ghosts.

 

The blowout victory helped Helena (28-27, 9-8) to a series split as the Brewers maintained their grip on first place in the Pioneer League North Division.

 

“It was a well-played game all around,” said Helena skipper Joe Ayrault. “(Tyler) Cravy did a nice job of working out of a jam in the fourth.”

 

Trailing 5-1, the Ghosts had three straight singles to lead off the fourth frame. Ryan Casteel’s RBI base hit scored Robert De La Cruz to trim the visitors’ deficit, and a stolen base left runners on second and third.

 

But after pitching coach Elvin Nina came to the mound, Cravy settled down and struck out the side — including Casper’s best hitter, Rafael Ortega.

 

“I didn’t start off too good (that inning),” said Cravy (5-5). “I left a couple pitches up there and they took advantage of it.”

 

Casper (26-30, 9-9) was just 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. The Brewers, meanwhile, could seemingly not be stopped. Helena had six two-out RBIs, Sizemore hit a two-run shot as part of a four-run third inning and Walker sent a fastball flying over the net in right field to score three during a six-run sixth.

 

“It was one of those ones, you just knew it was gone,” Walker said of his homer, one of four hits by the third baseman. “It always feels good, you can’t attribute it to anything. Sometimes you’re just fortunate enough.”

 

The Ghosts tied the game at 1-all in the second, when 18-year-old Will Swanner hit his first professional homer on an 0-2 count from Cravy. But Greg Hopkins’ RBI single up the middle helped the Brewers regain the lead an inning later, and it was all Helena from there.

 

Cravy earned the win, striking out nine through six innings, and Tyler Thornburg earned his first save with three near-perfect innings of relief.

Thornburg retired nine of 10, allowing the lone baserunner when Yafistel Roja reached on a Carlos George error.

 

The Brewers scored their final run in a strange eighth inning, when Sizemore reached first after striking out. Casteel, playing catcher, appeared to tag Sizemore on the dropped third strike, but home plate umpire Ramon Hernandez ruled that the ball wasn’t in his glove when the tag was made. George’s RBI fielder’s choice ended Helena’s scoring outburst.

 

“They did a great job getting runs,” Cravy said of his teammates. “It always makes things easier on a pitcher.”

 

Casper starter Alejandro Barraza (1-5) lasted just three innings, after giving up five earned runs on six hits. Barraza walked three while fanning four.

 

The Brewers host Idaho Falls for a three-game set beginning today, the first time Helena has seen the Chukars this season.

 

“We literally know nothing about Idaho Falls,” Walker said. “We’ll just play to our strengths and keep doing what we have been.”

 

All photos by Dylan Brown Independent Record

Brewers' John Dishon hits a line drive Thursday night against Casper at Kindrick Legion Field

 

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Casper's Rafael Ortega slides under Brewers' Carlos George for a steal

 

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Casper's Rafael Ortega slides past Helena's Cody Hawn, after a pop-fly was caught.

 

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Brewers' Mike Walker comes across home plate at Kindrick Legion Field to celebrate with teammates after he hit a home run to score three runs.

 

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Brewers' Cody Hawn scrambles past Casper's Ryan Casteel for a run.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Listen to Luis Cruz' walkoff home run here, Stu Paul on the call.

[Mass Haas]

HELENA — The Helena Brewers and Billings Mustangs will make up the two games which were rained out last week in a doubleheader on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Kindrick Legion Field in Helena. The first game will start at 5:30 PM (6:30 Central).

The Brewers and Mustangs were in the fourth inning of a game on Aug. 9 when rain interrupted play. The teams resumed the game the following night and Billings built a 3-0 lead before rain and lightning again halted play.

The teams will resume the nine-inning first game at the point it was suspended and then play a full seven-inning game. The two are currently locked in a tight race for the Pioneer League North Division’s second-half title.