Mustangs Rally Late to Edge Raptors 4-3
September 1, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Billings Mustangs News Release
OGDEN – The Billings Mustangs came back from a two-run deficit and bounced back from their worst loss of the season to earn their first win of the series, 4-3 over the Ogden Raptors on Wednesday night at Lindquist Field.
Billings (21-18, 46-39) earned their tenth one-run victory of the campaign behind clutch hitting off the bench and a season high in strikeouts from former Raptor Pablo Arevalo, who stymied his former Ogden (19-20, 48-39) teammates over 6.2 innings.
Ogden jumped in front in the second inning against Mustang starter Pablo Arevalo. Reese Alexiades led off with a double down the left-field line and moved to third on a flyout. Logan Williams followed with a line drive into right for an RBI single, putting the Raptors ahead 1-0.
The next inning, the Mustangs responded. With one out, Crews Taylor ambushed a 1-0 fastball from Ogden starter Polo Portela and connected for a 433-foot solo home run over the wall right-center, tying the game at one apiece on Taylor’s 15th homer.
In the bottom of the third, though, Ogden had a response. A leadoff single, fielder’s choice, and stolen base left a runner at second with one out. On a 1-2 pitch, Jesus Valdez crushed his 19th home run of the season, a two-run shot to deep left-center which put the Raptors back ahead, 3-1.
From there, both pitchers settled in. The Mustangs notched a leadoff single in the fifth and a walk in the sixth, but in both cases, Portela induced 6-4-3 double plays to erase them and face the minimum in each frame.
Arevalo, meanwhile, worked out of a jam in the fifth thanks to a diving catch in center by Jalen Garcia to end the fifth inning before throwing a scoreless sixth.
In the seventh, the Mustangs finally rallied. After a leadoff single chased Portela, another single and an error allowed a run to score. Against Jake Mulholland, Gabe Wurtz came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to tie the game.
In the bottom of the inning, Arevalo went back out and recorded two outs, but was lifted after two singles for Foster Pace, who struck out Valdez with two men on to preserve the tie, as well as a fourth straight quality start for Arevalo, who allowed three runs and struck out eight over 6.2 innings.
In the eighth, Billings then took their first lead of the night. With one out, Jackson Raper doubled to left-center, then was lifted for pinch-runner Burle Dixon. After an infield single moved him to third, Abraham Mow ripped a line drive to center to plate Dixon, putting the Mustangs ahead 4-3.
After Pace recorded the first two outs of the eighth, Beaux Bonvillain came on and recorded the final out of the inning with two on. In the ninth, Raper made a diving play at third to rob Josh Broughton of an extra-base hit, throwing him out for the second out. After a two-out single, the left-hander induced a slow roller to Raper to end the game as the Mustangs won 4-3.
The Mustangs will play game four in Ogden on Thursday night. Billings will start LHP Elijah Gill (2-1, 3.09) and Ogden’s starter is still to be determined. Pregame on Thursday 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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