Link Report for Thurs. 9/5 - Don't Show Your Cards But Still Gain Momentum (Future Playoff Foe)

[Mass Haas]

Helena: RHP Zach Quintana at home vs. Great Falls (White Sox), 7:45 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Voice of the Helena Brewers Steve Wendt is back on board, and this year he's added Twitter to the mix @steve_wendt. We've been treated to Steve's work for many years now (ten!); he is among the very best at the art of the pre-game interview, especially considering how at ease he makes all these first-time professional ballplayers.

 

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Follow Thursday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Helena Box Score / Game Log

 

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STANDINGS:

 

Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division

 

NOTE: To view first half or overall standings for Helena, you'll notice an option at the link for that. Otherwise it's second-half standings as the default view for those this league.

 

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Weather.com:

 

Helena, MT

[Mass Haas]

Yay for Media Notes!

[battlekow]

Final: Great Falls 10, @Helena 1

 

Helena box score

A nine-run 4th was all she wrote. Eight of the runs (albeit only two earned) came off Zach Quintana, who continues to struggle mightily.

 

Dionis Hinojosa provided a bright spot by reaching four of five trips from the leadoff spot, and Jalen Harris stayed hot with three more hits. Omar Garcia hasn't played since the 2nd.

 

Helena play-by-play

[Mass Haas]

Fourth Inning Dooms Brewers

Great Falls scores nine in the frame en route to win

By Zac Vierra / Helena Brewers

 

The old baseball cliché is that pitching and defense wins championships. If the Helena Brewers want to knock off Great Falls when the Pioneer League Playoffs start on Monday, they are going to have to see improvement in those facets of the game.

 

The Brewers had a nightmare fourth inning when they committed two errors, walked four batters, hit a batter, and allowed four hits as the Voyagers sent 14 men to the plate and scored nine times.

 

Helena could not recover as they fell to Great Falls 10-1 on Thursday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

After Zach Quintana (photo below by Seth Eikomstead) tossed three shutout innings to start the game, things fell apart for him and his teammates in the fourth.

 

After a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for the Voyagers, Corey Thompson hit a sharp ground ball Taylor Brennan at third.

 

Instead of attempting to turn a 5-4-3 double play, Brennan tried to get the runner at the plate but his throw came up short and bounced by catcher Dustin Houle. Jacob Morris and Zach Voight scored on the play.

 

Zac Fisher would later score on a groundball off the bat of Dillon Haupt.

 

After Justin Jirschele singled and Christian Stringer was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Brennan made another costly miscue.

 

Adam Engel hit a grounder to Brennan and this time he looked to turn a double play. But as he was about to throw to second he bobbled the ball and his throw to first was late as everyone was safe on the error and the Voyagers took a 4-0 lead.

 

Great Falls would score its fifth run of the inning when Shryock hit a grounder to second and the Brewers couldn't complete a double play as Jirschele scored.

 

After Morris walked for the second time in the frame, Quintana was pulled from the game in favor of David Otterman.

 

Voight, the 11th man to bat in the inning, greeted Otterman to game by ripping a double to left to make it a 7-1 game.

 

After Otterman walked Fisher to load the bases, Thompson smoked a 3-2 pitch past Angel Ortega at short to give Great Falls a 9-1 lead.

 

In the fifth inning it started raining and once the bottom of the fifth was finished, the tarp was called onto the field and the game was delayed for 37 minutes.

 

Once the game resumed, the Voyagers would grab another run in the seventh when Brennan made another throwing error as Stringer scored.

 

The Brewers scored their only run in the first inning when Dionis Hinojosa walked to lead off the inning and Charlie Markson hit a 3-2 pitch over the head of Morris in right to drive home Hinojosa.

 

Helena actually out hit Great Falls 11 to 7, but nine walks and five hit by pitches by Brewer pitching certainly didn't help the cause on a rough all-around night for Helena.

 

The Brewers will get another chance against their playoff foe Friday night at Kindrick Legion Field. First pitch is at 7:05 PM (8:05 Central).

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/9/2/4/59710924/cuts/29_Zach_Quintana_P_w02ez9ai_0crnsr17.jpg