Link Report for Sun. 9/1

[Mass Haas]

Final: @Helena 10, Billings 7

 

Charlie Markson, whose ex-girlfriend I saw tonight, did not play.

 

Now that's analysis you're only going to get at Brewerfan .

 

Hope Mrs. Sessile didn't mind...

[Mass Haas]

Pena’s two homers lead Brewers past Mustangs

By Troy Shockley, Helena Independent Record

 

Two things were reinforced Sunday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

In the Pioneer League, no lead is safe. But when a game’s being played at Kindrick, odds are good the Brewers will win.

 

That’s just what happened against the visiting Billings Mustangs, who rallied from a four-run, first-inning deficit only to see the Brewers pull away for a 10-7 win. The victory moves Helena to 41-28 overall and betters its home record to an impressive 23-10 — including an 11-2 mark in August.

 

Leading the offensive fireworks was Jose Pena. His is a name the Mustangs are beginning to dread.

 

The outfielder sent two pitches out of the park Sunday, driving in four runs. They were his eighth and ninth homers of the season — and the fifth and sixth against Billings.

 

“You could see it from the first at-bat on, he was really locked in and didn’t get fooled by much,” manager Tony Diggs said. “He was looking for his pitch and got it a couple times.”

 

The first time was in the first inning — but he didn’t start the scoring. Doing that was Michael Ratterree, named on Saturday the Pioneer League MVP. He hammered a two-run double down the third-base line in his first appearance since being honored, as he had the night off Saturday.

 

Then came Pena’s two-run shot, coming on a 1-1 pitch from starter Luke Moran. The ball sailed to deep left-center field, bouncing off the top of the wall just to the right of the scoreboard and Helena had staked itself to a 4-0 lead.

 

Brewers starter Danny Keller started the game with a 1-2-3 first, but the second inning wasn’t so kind. By the time the right-hander managed to escape into the bottom of the frame, the Mustangs had picked up five runs on six hits and an error.

 

The score remained in favor of the visitors until Pena came up to bat again, this time sending a solo shot down the third-base line and out to lead off the fourth inning.

 

In the fifth, it was again Ratterree’s turn, and his RBI single gave Helena a lead it would hold the rest of the day.

 

He finished the afternoon 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

 

“He’s a solid player, and that’s what you expect,” Diggs said. “Get a little bit of a breather to catch his breath a little bit and then be ready to play every day. That’s what we emphasize to all our players — just be ready to go, every day.”

 

Following Ratterree’s hit, Diggs called for a double steal with men on first and second.

 

The throw from home to second was close to on-target but managed to bounce off Ratterree’s arm and into center field, which allowed Dionis Hinijosa to trot home for a 7-5 advantage.

 

Billings got one run back in the top of the sixth, but in the seventh … Pena.

 

This time the slugger’s shot didn’t leave Kindrick, but instead went into the books as a sac fly that made it a two-run lead. That advantage grew when, with the bases loaded, Renaldo Jenkins laid down a surprise bunt. The play caught Billings reliever Oswaldo Mieres off-guard, and a bobbled fielding effort led to a rushed throw to first and an error. That left Jenkins safe and pushed another run across.

 

A walk to Nathan Orf — his third of the day — forced in another run and made it a 10-6 game.

 

Billings did threaten in the ninth, scoring one and getting the tying runner to the plate. But the Brewers ended it — with a running catch in left by Pena.

 

Keller earned the win, his first of the season. He allowed five runs on seven hits, just one of them after his struggles in the second, with five strikeouts and just one walk.

 

“Keller did a great job after having the second inning that he did,” Diggs said. “He came back in and threw strikes, made them swing the bats. The big thing about today, even though he gave up those five runs, he made them swing the bats that inning.

 

“We have been a little bit prone to walks, but he did a good job of not allowing that to happen.”

 

Tristan Archer got the save, going four innings and allowing two unearned runs.

 

The two teams finish their series at Kindrick Legion Field today in a Labor Day matinee. Then it’s off to Billings for a quick, two-game set before the Brewers return to Helena to finish out the season with a four-game series against Great Falls.

 

NOTE: Great Falls officially clinched a playoff spot on Saturday night, meaning the Brewers now know who they will face in the first round of the upcoming playoffs. The three-game series will start Sept. 9 in Great Falls with Game 2 set for the following day in Helena. A third game, if necessary, would also be played in Helena on Sept. 11.

 

Photo by James Ridle, Blackfoot Media Group

 

Jose Pena connects on a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning Sunday in a home game against the Mustangs at Kindrick Legion Field. Pena hit two homers on the day and added a sacrifice fly to pick up four total RBIs.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/6a/86a97ff0-138f-11e3-871c-001a4bcf887a/5224208ec406b.preview-620.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Looks like Joe Ayrault had some fun with the top half of the Manatee lineup for the finale.

 

Reason via the radio booth: Nick Ramirez tied for the team record in homers so Ayrault is trying to get him as many chances as possible to break it.