Serwa Shuts Down Chukar Bats in 3-2 Triumph

IDAHO FALLS-The Billings Mustangs rode 7.0 strong innings from Kenny Serwa, received lockdown bullpen work from Beaux Bonvillain, and shut down the hard-hitting Idaho Falls Chukars 3-2 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Melaleuca Field in Idaho Falls.

Billings (9-10, 34-31) missed some key opportunities to blow the game open, but relied on their league-best pitching staff to quiet the Idaho Falls (11-8, 38-28) bats and earn their first win of the current 11-game road trip.

In the first inning, both teams got the bats going. The Mustangs opened the game with a walk and single off Chukars starter Jake Binder, putting runners on the corners with no outs. With one out, Gabe Wurtz lofted a sacrifice fly to right-center that scored Crews Taylor for the first run of the game.

Idaho Falls, though, had an answer right away. The first two batters singled against Serwa. A double play put the right-hander on the verge of getting out of the inning, but Hunter Hisky roped a double to right to tie the game at one apiece.

The Chukars then took the lead in the second. Brendan Hueth reached on an error to begin the inning, stole second and advanced to third when the throw sailed into center field. A groundout brought Hueth home, staking Idaho Falls to a 2-1 lead.

Billings did respond right away, though. A walk and a single put two on with nobody out for Wurtz, who worked an 11-pitch walk to load the bases with nobody out. Andrew Fernandez then brought in the tying run, however, it was on a double play which put a damper on the inning, the Mustangs would not pull away. Billings, though, had tied the game at two each.

In the fifth, it was time for the Mustangs to regain the lead. With one out, a walk and a single put runners on the corners with one down. Fernandez came up and hit a soft one-hopper to second, but he successfully legged out the return throw on the attempted double play to extend the inning, allowing Jackson Raper to score, putting the Mustangs ahead 3-2.

On the other side, Kenny Serwa settled in. From the second through fifth innings, he retired 11 of 12 batters, with the only runner erased on a double play. In the sixth, he encountered serious trouble as two singles put runners on the corners with no outs. However, he struck out Dusty Stroup on three pitches and started a 1-6-3 double play off the bat of Hisky to end the inning.

In the seventh, he had one more escape act in him. After allowing a one-out double, a flyout moved the tying run to third with two outs. He then struck out Eric Callahan to end the inning, securing a 7.0-inning gem with just one earned run and seven strikeouts against no walks.

The Mustangs stranded runners in scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings, but it did not matter. Bonvillain came out of the bullpen and fired a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts. In the ninth, though an infield single and wild pitch put the tying run on second with no outs. However, Bonvillain shut down the Chukars, fanning two straight hitters and coaxing a ground ball to second to end the game, securing a 3-2 win.

The Mustangs play the second game against the Idaho Falls Chukars on Wednesday. Billings will start LHP Patrick Maybach (1-2, 6.39) and Idaho Falls will start RHP Jack DiCenso (4-4, 5.79). Pregame on Wednesday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:45 ahead of a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.