Mustangs Quiet Down PaddleHeads Bats In 9-4 Win
Maybach Tames Missoula Attack In 9-4 Defeat Wednesday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 8 | 10 | 0 |
BILLINGS, MT- After the Missoula PaddleHeads landed the first punch in game 1 Tuesday, the Billings Mustangs would look for renewed energy in game 2 of this 6 game slate. The Mustangs would send southpaw Pat Maybach to the mound who was enjoying a great amount of success coming in with a 3-0 record. In his first test against the dangerous PaddleHeads offense, the 3rd year Mustang would be up to the challenge. The offense would provide enough punch in a 2-inning stretch on the flipside of the equation to take control of the contest.
Billings would tally 8 unanswered runs in the 3rd, and 4th innings to lead by that margin after both offenses were held off the board in the first 2 innings of play. The Missoula offense would be limited to just 1 run over the first 8 innings with Maybach holding things in check for the vast bulk of the contest. The end result would be a comfortable 9-4 win for the Mustangs as Billings evened things up in the 6-game set.
The Mustangs would push 5 runs across in the bottom of the 3rd inning scoring what would prove to be all the runs they would need on this night. After a sacrifice fly from Jacob Kline, 3rd year Mustang Gabe Wurtz would hit a slow rolling ground ball through the left side to bring home another run making it a 2-0 lead. An infield single from Travis Holt would also be a factor in the frame before the last 2 runs of the inning scored on an error, and wild pitch.
Billings would keep the offense coming in the inning that followed seeing their lead balloon to 8-0. Doubles from Kline, and Branden Ryan would highlight the 3-run rally of the 4th inning. Ryan would also score in the finning on an RBI groundout from Wurtz. Ryan finished 2-for-4 at the dish Wednesday with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.
This 2-inning stretch would be more than sufficient for Maybach in 7 solid innings of work. The product of Rhode Island would effectively sequence his pitches throughout the outing keeping PaddleHead hitters off balanced throughout the start. Maybach would only allow 1 run in his innings of work, walking just 1 batter to earn his 4th win of the season. Maybach also lowered his ERA to 2.76 in the outing which is the lowest amongst starting pitchers in the league at this point this season.
The PaddleHeads did not go down quietly in the end despite a sizable deficit putting together a 3-run rally with 2-outs recorded in the top of the 9th. After 2 quick outs started the frame, Collin Runge, Josh Elvir, and Mike Rosario would all find a way aboard. After a bases loaded walk, Colin Gordon would knock in Elvir and Rosario with a double making the score 9-4. Rosario, and Runge both had success in the loss with Rosario finishing 2-for-3 while Runge was 2-for-4. Elvir also knocked in a run as part of a 1-for-3 night at the plate.
Despite the loss, the PaddleHeads (20-6) remained 4 games in front of their closest competition in the Pioneer League standings. The Glacier Range Riders, and Boise Hawks both trail Missoula by that margin with both clubs sitting at (16-10) overall. In game 3 of the series at Dehler Park with the Mustangs (14-12) both teams will be in search of an advantage in the 6-game slate after both teams landed punches in the first 2 games. Action kicks off at 6:35 p.m. Thursday night in Billings. Catch the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.
