The Billings Mustangs (11-11, 3rd place PL North) are riding a five game winning streak as they begin a stretch of seven straight road games and 14 consecutive games against South Division opponents tonight by traveling to Idaho Falls to take on the Chukars (11-11, 2nd place PL South).
Righthander Daniel Corcino (0-2, 4.60 ERA) will start for the Mustangs, The Chukars will counter with righthander Michael Mariot (2-0, 1.99 ERA). Corcino, In his last outing against Missoula on July 7 lasted just three innings allowing three earned runs on four hits, walking three and striking out four. Mariot has allowed just five earned runs in 22.2 innings pitched over four starts and his 1.99 ERA is second lowest in the league behind the 1.80 ERA of Casper's Tyler Gagnon.
Game time at Melaleuca Field is set for 7:15 p.m. Listen to the game on AM 970 in Billings or on the internet here
Notes
Wild Win: The Mustangs latest win came in unusual fashion as Billings rallied to beat the Helena Brewers 8-4 at Dehler Park on Monday. Helena starter Hiram Burgos stymied the Mustangs offense through seven innings allowing no runs on just three hits and striking out 10. Meanwhile Helena had built up a 4-0 lead. "Burgos really had our number," said Mustangs manager Delino DeShields. "I thought we might have a chance to get back in the game when he came out and I told the guys to hang in there."
Chances are however that DeShields would have been hard pressed to predict the sequence of events that followed when Burgos gave way to the Brewers bullpen in the bottom of eighth inning. Reliever Alex Jones proceeded to hit Cristobal Rodriguez, that was followed up by Theo Bowe reaching base on an error by left fielder Brandon Sizemore, Billy Hamilton then walked to load the bases. Jones recovered momentarily striking out Trey Manz for the first out before hitting Jonathan Kaskow to score Rodriguez to make it 4-1.
Helena Manager Joe Aryault then went to his pen for a second time, bringing in Eric Marzec to replace Jones. Marzec started off well enough striking out Donald Lutz for the second out. Then the wheels fell off, An error by second baseman Conner Lind allowed Devin Lohman to reach base and Bowe and Hamilton to score pulling Billings within one, 4-3. Marzec then walked Sean Conner to again load the bases before issuing a free pass to Oliver Santos bringing the tying run home in the form of Kaskow.
By now Billings batted once around the lineup, sending nine men to plate and scoring four runs, on no hits, three walks, two hit batsmen and two errors. With Rodriguez up again, Aryult again made a pitching change going to Robert Currie. Currie fared no better than his two predecessors, Rodriguez knocked a bases clearing double off the left field wall to put the Mustangs ahead 7-4. Rodriguez would then score on a single by Bowe before Hamilton struck out to end the inning.
Pat Doyle would retire the Brewers 1-2-3 in the ninth to seal the 8-4 victory.
"It was something I had never seen before, nine guy coming up and scoring four runs without getting a hit," said DeSheilds. A team batting around with out a hit is something pitching coach Bob Forsch and hitting coach Alex Pelaez claimed to also never witnessed before Monday night. For the record, between playing and coaching, the Mustangs dugout triumvirate has 50 years combined experience in professional baseball.
Idaho Falls Pioneer League franchise nicknames (from baseball-reference.com):
Russets 1940-42, 1946-1961 (There was no Pioneer League season in 1943, 1944 and 1945 due to U.S. involvement in the Second World War.)
Yankees 1962-63
Angels 1964-81
A's 1982-1984
Nuggets 1985
Braves 1986-91, 1993-99
Gems 1992
Padres 2000-03
Chukars 2004-present
Idaho Falls Pioneer League franchise MLB affiliations (from baseball-reference.com)
None 1942, 1946-47, 1952-53, 1985
Brooklyn Dodgers 1948
New York Giants 1949-51
Detroit Tigers 1954-58
Pittsburgh Pirates 1959
Chicago White Sox 1960-61
Los Angeles/California Angels 1964-81
Oakland A's 1982-84
Atlanta Braves 1986-94
San Diego Padres 1995-2003
Kansas City Royals 2004-present
Pioneer League Scoreboard
Wednesday July 14 (All Times MDT)
Billings Mustangs @ Idaho Falls Chukars 7:15 p.m.
Great Falls Voyagers @ Casper Ghosts 7:05 p.m.
Orem Owlz @ Missoula Osprey 7:05 p.m.
Ogden Raptors @ Helena Brewers 7:05 p.m.
Pioneer League Standings
Brooklyn Dodgers 1948
New York Giants 1949-51
Detroit Tigers 1954-58
Pittsburgh Pirates 1959
Chicago White Sox 1960-61
Los Angeles/California Angels 1964-81
Oakland A's 1982-84
Atlanta Braves 1986-94
San Diego Padres 1995-2003
Kansas City Royals 2004-present
Pioneer League Scoreboard
Wednesday July 14 (All Times MDT)
Billings Mustangs @ Idaho Falls Chukars 7:15 p.m.
Great Falls Voyagers @ Casper Ghosts 7:05 p.m.
Orem Owlz @ Missoula Osprey 7:05 p.m.
Ogden Raptors @ Helena Brewers 7:05 p.m.
Pioneer League Standings
| North Division | Wins | Losses | GB |
| Great Falls Voyagers | 13 | 9 | – |
| Helena Brewers | 12 | 10 | 1 |
| Billings Mustangs | 11 | 11 | 2 |
| Missoula Osprey | 8 | 14 | 5 |
| South Division | Wins | Losses | GB |
| Ogden Raptors | 12 | 10 | – |
| Orem Owlz | 12 | 10 | – |
| Idaho Falls Chukars | 11 | 11 | 1 |
| Casper Ghosts | 9 | 13 | 3 |
Thanks for the rundown. A quick look at your table above suggests that the Brewers are 1 1/2 GB in the Northern Div. In the Southern Div it looks like the Owlz are really ties with the Raptors and have 12 wins rather than 1. Idaho Falls is only a 1/2 GB the Raptors and Owlz. Right?
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