Errors prove costly as Mustangs fall 5-1

Five errors by the Billings Mustangs led to four unearned runs by the Missoula Osprey as the Osprey defeated the Mustangs 5-1 in Pioneer League action at Dehler Park Saturday. The loss moves Billings to 4-4 for the second half of the season, one game back of the Great Falls Voyagers for first place in the PL North Divsion.

All was calm until the top of the third. errors by Mustangs shortstop Devin Lohman and starting pitcher Tanner Robles led to Missoula first baseman Bobby Stone coming up with two outs and the bases loaded. Stone, spending part of a third consecutive season with the Osprey, responded with a single to right field. Jae Young Kim and Raul Navarro scored on the hit, while an error on the relay throw by first baseman Dominic D'Anna allowed Chris Jarrett to score giving The Osprey the early 3-0 lead.

The Mustangs cut the lead to 3-1 in fifth. one out singles by Domnic D'Anna, Juan Duran and Jefry Sierra loaded the bases for Theo Bowe who lined a sacrifice fly to center scoring D'Anna. The Osprey were able to limit the damage to just the one run by doubling off Duran on a heads up cutoff play by shortstop Raul Navarro who instead of throwing home got the ball to third baseman Matt Helm as Duran attempted to advance on the Bowe fly out.

Missoula then added two insurance runs in seventh. Kim led off the inning by doubling to left, he would later advance to third on a ground out by Roberto Rodriguez before scoring on a double by Jarrett. Jarrett then scored on a throwing error by Billings second baseman Billy Hamilton.

Osprey starter Robby Rowland (1-4, 6.84 ERA) picked up his first professional victory. Rowland went five innings, giving up one earned runs on four hits and striking out four. Tanner Robles (2-2, 3.82) took the loss for the Mustangs. Robles worked five innings allowing three unearned runs on just one hit and striking out six with no walks and hitting two batters.

Billings and Missoula will conclude their three game series on Sunday. Jonathan Correa gets his first start for the Mustangs. Correa has gone 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA pitching 39.1 innings over eight starts with the Goodyear Reds of the Arizona Rookie League. Correa starts in place of Daniel Tuttle. Tuttle has had his next start pushed back to Monday at Helena in order to rest a sore knee. Lefty Patrick Schuster (2-3, 3.80 ERA) gets the ball for The Osprey. Schuster picked up a win in his only start against Billings this year, giving up no runs and two hits in five innings work on June 26.

Game time at Dehler Park is 4:05 p.m.
Tickets here
Radio: AM 970 or online here

Complete Box Score Here

Notes

Mud-luscious: The start of Saturday's Game was delayed 42 minutes to allow the infield to allow more time for the infield dirt to dry out following a late afternoon thundershower.

Two is not always better: The Mustangs hit into four double plays on Saturday. The Missoula defense got two outs on one play in the fourth, fifth sixth and eighth innings. According to the Pioneer League website, the league record for double plays turned in a game is six. The record was set by Medicine Hat in a game against Helena on September 3, 1998.

Band of Brothers: Saturday's Missoula starter Robby Rowland will not have to look far to find a familiar face to celebrate his first pro win with. Rowland's older Brother Richie is also an Osprey. Richie Rowland was the DH in Saturday Night's game going 0-3 in four plate appearances reaching base on an error in the sixth inning.

The Road from Omaha: It has already been quite the summer for Missoula reliever Blake Cooper. In addition to being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the MLB draft and pitching for the Osprey (including a 1-2-3 ninth on Saturday), Cooper capped off his college career at the University of South Carolina by helping the Gamecocks to their first ever College World Series Championship. Pitching on three days rest the righthander dominated UCLA in the first game of the championship series going eight innings and striking out 10 Bruins in the 7-1 South Carolina victory.

Attendance: 3179

Time of Game: 1:57