Kline’s Career Night Overshadowed in 19-8 Defeat
September 1, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Billings Mustangs News Release
OGDEN – Jacob Kline hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs, but 14 runs in the first three innings were way too much for the Billings Mustangs to overcome in a 19-8 loss to the Ogden Raptors on Thursday night at Lindquist Field.
Ogden (20-20, 49-39) put together their second huge night offensively in three nights as Billings (21-19, 46-40) issued a season-high ten walks as they have now dropped three of the first four in the series.
In the first inning, Ogden put together a big inning against Mustangs starter Kelvan Pilot. After a pair of one-out walks, Brian Dansereau singled in a run. A hit batter then loaded the bases for Reese Alexiades, who blasted a double off the wall in left-center, which cleared the bases. One pitch later, Freddy Achecar launched a two-run homer to right-center. All the sudden, Ogden lead 6-0 after an inning.
In the second, things got no batter. Pilot was lifted after two walks to begin the inning, giving way to Joey Lara, who hit the first two batters he faced, bringing in another run. Following a flyout, a bases-loaded walk brought in another tally before Achecar stroked a two-run single to left, putting the Raptors ahead 10-0.
Billings scored one in the third as a walk and a double from Jackson Raper led to a groundout from Gabe Wurtz to bring in the first Billings tally. Ogden, though, touched up Lara for four more tallies, with three of them coming on a Jesus Valdez home run to put Ogden ahead 14-1.
After another Ogden run in the fourth, Billings put together a four-run fifth. The first three hitters reached, with Wurtz singling in Teixeira for the first run. With two outs, Kline unloaded for his first home run, depositing an 0-2 offering over the left-field fence for a three-run shot, narrowing the gap to 15-5.
Ogden scored twice in the fifth on a pair of bases-loaded walks in the fifth before Jordan Hovey went to the mound in the sixth and worked around a leadoff double to put up a scoreless frame.
In the seventh, Billings put together three more runs. Andrew Fernandez singled home a run, then came home when Kline connected for his second round-tripper, a two-run shot to right-center.
Hovey stayed on for the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one run in each frame. The Mustangs failed to score in either the eighth or ninth inning, as Ogden won handily, 19-8.
The Mustangs will play game five in Ogden on Friday night. Billings will start LHP Elijah Gill (2-1, 3.09) and Ogden will counter with RHP Jorge Gonzalez (3-0, 6.83). Pregame on Friday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:10 ahead of a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
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