Brewers hold off Voyagers rally
No eighth inning magic for the Great Falls Voyagers Sunday.
The Voyagers fell Sunday to the Helena Brewers, 7-6, in the final installment of a four-game home set prior to the Pioneer League’s all-star break. Great Falls had used eighth-inning rallies the prior two nights to rally for victory.
Great Falls took three of four from their rivals to the southwest, but Helena was able to hold off a late Voyagers rally Sunday as Junior Rincon struck out Landon Lassiter on a 3-2 pitch with the tying run on second base and the winner on first.
“I think the biggest thing is we were in a position where one hit ties that game,” said Armstrong, not at all disappointed with the efforts. “… We find ourselves in a spot where we’re one hit away, and if we can come through on them, we’re in a good spot. That’s a lot better than being out of the game early.”
The Voyagers scored first, drawing blood with Johan Cruz’ RBI single up the middle that scored Lassiter.
Helena got on Great Falls reliever Brandon Magallones to the tune of three runs in the fifth, the big one a two-run single off the bat of Mitch Ghelfi. Helena added another in the sixth, an RBI groundout again from Ghelfi, for a 4-1 lead.
The Voyagers responded for one in the sixth when Zach Fish scored on a Brewers throwing error.
In the late innings, Helena added insurance with solo homers from Jake Gatewood and Steven Karkenny and Charles Galiano’s sacrifice fly, providing the difference.
Great Falls scored in the eighth thanks to Dante Flores’ bases-loaded walk. Casey Schroeder tagged a solo homer of his own with two outs in the ninth inning, and Great Falls was able to string together two walks after the homer and then a Jackson Glines RBI single that brought Lassiter to the plate.
Schroeder was 3-for-5 with a home run for Great Falls, and Glines also had three hits.
Zack Erwin set the tone on the mound with three scoreless innings, but the Voyagers bullpen got knocked around for seven runs—six earned—and the Great Falls offense couldn’t quite catch up.
Three Voyagers head to Spokane for Tuesday’s inaugural Pioneer League-Northwest League All-Star Game.
Lefty Tanner Banks will start on the hill for the Pioneer, and Great Falls catcher Zach Fish will represent as the designated hitter. Right-handed hurler Evin Einhardt will be in the Pioneer bullpen.
Fish will also be one of two Pioneer League hitters participating in the home run derby over the break.
The Voyagers hit the road to Orem, Utah where they’ll start a four-game set with the Owlz Thursday. Then it’s off to Grand Junction, Colo. for three before they’re back in town Friday, Aug. 14.