Link Report for Fri. 8/9

[Mass Haas]

Brewers win soggy series finale in extras

By Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Kindrick Legion Field was awash with rain Friday night, and a lightning storm that didn’t want to let up prompted umpires to call the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with Helena leading Missoula 4-2.

 

At least, that was their initial plan.

 

The Osprey bench had another idea, protesting the decision to put the game in the books as a Brewers victory, despite the fact that the game was far enough along to be considered official.

 

So, after a 1 hour and 43 minute weather delay, the infield tarp came off, the teams retook the field and play resumed. The game was still in progress at press time, with the score remaining at 4-2 in favor of the home team. A Helena victory would be the Brewers’ third straight, all of which have come against the slumping Osprey.

 

Brewers starter Anthony Banda began the game with a bang, striking out the top of the order in the first frame. The southpaw continued to show good command of the zone in the next inning, fanning his fourth straight batter before giving up a hit to third baseman Jake Mayers.

 

Banda would allow just two hits through four scoreless innings and retire the last six players he faced, before a half-hour rain delay led the Brewers to turn to the bullpen. Banda’s stellar night was over after just 52 pitches.

 

Helena took advantage of shoddy defense by Missoula to take an early lead, going up 2-0 on a two-base throwing error by Osprey shortstop Jake Miller.

 

The Brewers made it 3-0 in the third when Adam Giacalone stole second base and Charlie Markson stole home on the throw attempt to get Giacalone out.

 

Missoula trimmed the hosts’ lead to 3-2 in the fifth when they peppered Helena reliever Trevor Seidenberger with a pair of doubles sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt, and Yorman Garcia came home on a fielding error by Seidenberger. Antonio Alvarez reached on a single and Colin Bray on a fielder’s choice, but Bray was caught stealing to end the visitors’ comeback threat.

 

The Brewers got a run back in the home half of the inning, when another costly error by Miller — his third of the game, this one on a routine ground ball – plated Nathan Orf to make it 4-2.

 

Seidenberger worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, striking out Miller on a nasty 0-2 pitch.

 

But Osprey right-hander Eric Meyerchick, entering in relief of ace Felipe Perez, got off just one pitch to Jose Pena before a big streak of lightning over Mount Helena led home plate umpire Alex MacKay to immediately halt the game. Both teams returned to their clubhouses and the tarp was placed back on the field.

 

The Osprey were outhitting the Brewers 9-4 at press time, but shot themselves in the foot with poor infield defense. They had four errors as of press time, and appeared on the verge of falling to 4-6 in the second half. It doesn’t get any easier for Missoula, with a road trip to Great Falls looming.

 

The Voyagers are the hottest team in the Pioneer League right now, having won five in a row and seven of their last eight games to take a commanding lead in the second-half standings. Great Falls defeated the Billings Mustangs 10-1 on Friday night.

 

Helena heads to the Magic City today to take on the Mustangs for a three-game set.

 

Lefty David Otterman is scheduled to start for the Brewers, with right-hander Luke Moran taking the mound for Billings. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

***

 

All times listed below local -- late night!

 

UPDATE 12:10 a.m.: The Osprey pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 4, and the Brewers were unable to rally, sending it into extra innings.

 

UPDATE 12:56 a.m.: The Brewers had a pair in scoring position in the bottom of the 12th, but failed to push one in. Game's headed to 13.

 

UPDATE 1:15 a.m.: The Brewers win it, 5-4, in the bottom of the 13th. With the bases loaded and one out, Omar Garcia lofted a hit into shallow right field.

 

The ball was rifled home and appeared to be on time -- which would have completed a double play and sent it to the 14th -- but Dionis Hinojosa was safe as the ball popped out of catcher Jose Queliz's glove.

 

With that, the Brewers won a game that started more than six hours before it finished thanks to a trio of rain delays that totaled 2 hours, 13 minutes.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers Win Wild 13 Inning Marathon

Garcia's sac fly wins it six hours after first pitch

By Zac Vierra / Helena Brewers

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/0/0/0/56532000/cuts/21_Omar_Garcia_batting_7j09abmv_r9k0yihn.jpg

 

When Dionis Hinojosa scored the winning run at 1:16 a.m. it was finally over. Six hours and nine minutes after the game started, the Helena Brewers defeated the Missoula Osprey, 5-4, in the bottom of the 13th on a walk-off sac fly by Omar Garcia (photo above by Seth Eikomstead).

 

It was a game in which easily could have gotten away from Helena.

 

The Brewers thought they had won in the sixth inning when a rain delay halted the game for an hour and forty-three minutes. But Missoula wanted to play on and it proved to be a smart call as the Osprey rallied for two in the ninth inning to send the game into extras.

 

But in the end, Helena battled and came away victorious.

 

With the score tied at four in the bottom of the 13th, Jose Pena led off with a single. Angel Ortega then faked a bunt and pulled a single past the drawn in third baseman. An error moved the pinch runner Hinojosa to third and Ortega to second.

 

Jalen Harris would then strike out and Nathan Orf walked to load the bases for Garcia.

 

On a 2-2 pitch Garcia hit a shallow fly to right. Hinojosa tagged and the throw by the right fielder Yorman Garcia beat the runner, but when Jose Queliz tried to tag Hinojosa, the ball fell out of his glove and the Brewers had won the ballgame.

 

It almost didn't get to that point. The Osprey had to rally in the ninth scoring on a groundout and a wild pitch by Andy Hillis.

 

Four innings later the Brewers found a way to win their longest game of the season in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

 

Long before in the seven o'clock hour, Helena starter Anthony Banda was terrific as he stuck out the first four batters he faced. He retired six of the first seven batters of the game.

 

Banda tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but that would be his final frame, to no fault of his own.

 

Rain had been falling all night and in the bottom of the fourth the umpires called the tarp onto the field and once the delay was over, Banda was pulled from the game.

 

He allowed just two hits in four innings while striking out five.

 

The Brewers offense took an early lead in the first inning. With one out, Charlie Markson and Michael Ratterree hit back-to-back singles and were moved into scoring position on a groundout by Adam Giacalone. Michael Turay would follow by hitting a grounder to short that Jake Miller backhanded but his throw to first was wild allowing Markson and Ratterree to score.

 

Helena would pick up another run in the third. With Giacalone on first and Markson on third, Giacalone attempted to steal second and when the throw went to second, Markson broke home and scored. Giacalone was safe at second when the throw went into centerfield.

 

The rain had been falling all game and in the bottom of the fourth the umpires called the tarp onto the field for the first time.

 

Once the first delay of the game was over, the Osprey took advantage of new Helena pitcher Trevor Seidenberger in the fifth as Stryker Trahan hit a leadoff double and scored on a double by Yorman Garcia.

 

Antonio Alvarez would follow by hitting a bullet to first in which Giacalone dove to his right and tried to flip the ball to Seidenberger, but he couldn't catch it as Garcia ended up scoring.

 

The Brewers would get a run back in the fifth when Orf walked, advanced to second on a bunt, and scored when a groundball off the bat of Markson went right through the five-hole of Miller at short. It was his third error of the game.

 

In the top of the sixth the Osprey loaded the bases but Seidenberger struck out Miller to end the inning.

 

Just minutes later, a lightning strike was a little too close for comfort and the umpires called the players off the field and out came the tarp yet again.

 

At one point it looked like the game was going to be called as both teams returned to their respective clubhouses, but Missoula Osprey manager Robby Hammock wanted to continue and the terrific Helena grounds crew got the field ready to go.

 

One hour and forty-three minutes after the delay started, play resumed and to credit the Osprey, they wanted to play and made a game of it.

 

But in the long run, all the resumption of play did was prolong what would be a Helena sweep.

[Mass Haas]

Here's how Missoula tied it in the 9th, down 4-2:

 

Missoula Top of the 9th

 

Yorman Garcia singles on a ground ball to right fielder Michael Ratterree.

Antonio Alvarez singles on a line drive to right fielder Michael Ratterree. Yorman Garcia to 2nd.

Colin Bray strikes out swinging.

Pitching Change: Andy Hillis replaces Ryan Fasano.

Chuck Taylor walks. Yorman Garcia to 3rd. Antonio Alvarez to 2nd.

Daniel Palka grounds into a force out, shortstop Angel Ortega to second baseman Nathan Orf. Yorman Garcia scores. Antonio Alvarez to 3rd. Chuck Taylor out at 2nd. Daniel Palka to 1st.

With Jose Queliz batting, wild pitch by Andy Hillis, Antonio Alvarez scores.

Jose Queliz pops out to shortstop Angel Ortega.

 

***

 

Speaking of Andy Hillis, he of the odd 3-0 record, 0.63 ERA but three blown saves in seven chances, here's his pregame audio:

 

Andy Hillis talks about what he likes about pitching out of the bullpen and his college career

[Mass Haas]

All photos by Dylan Brown / Helena Independent Record

 

Missoula Osprey's Antonio Alvarez catches the ball before tagging out Helena's Omar Garcia on an attempted steal Friday night at Kindrick Legoin Field.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/f9/8f9182b4-0167-11e3-ba98-0019bb2963f4/5205aa5ed4bf5.preview-620.jpg

 

Pitcher Anthony Banda delivers the ball Friday night

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/c5/9c510236-0167-11e3-9ec9-0019bb2963f4/5205aa750f5c5.preview-620.jpg

 

Angel Ortega runs down a ball

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7b/b7bd5150-0167-11e3-b159-0019bb2963f4/5205aaa148e9a.preview-620.jpg

 

Couple more rain-related photos at the link

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Helena 5, Missoula 4, 13 innings

 

Helena Box Score

 

It would only be right to mention the work of starter LHP Anthony Banda again, and the late scoreless work of

RHP Sean Albury and LHP Juan Santiago, they combined with Andy Hillis to shutout the Osprey over the final four frames.

 

Helena Game Log

 

T: 3:56 (2:13 delay).

Att: 762.

 

Wow, how many stuck around to the end? Hope they were awarded by the front office.

[Mass Haas]

Jason Arndt got some recent quotes from Helena OF Michael Ratterree

 

My own personal question would involve research on big leaguers with three double letters in their last name.

[Mass Haas]

Ahh, a reminder last night of the Brewers' days in High Desert (although they were usually on the losing end of things...)