Not Their Night
Mustangs fall 17-14 amidst brutal conditions and a career night for Great Falls center-fielder Xane Washington.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 4 |
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3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | X | 17 | 19 | 5 |
In a game lasting over four hours in the midst of wind and rain creating poor playing conditions, the Mustangs fall to the Voyagers 17-14.
The Mustangs (1-1) took an early 3-0 lead on a 3-RBI triple by Patrick Mills. The Voyagers (1-1) responded with three of their own. Xane Washington scored on an error by Alex Canty. Frank Podkul hit a two-RBI single to make it 3-3.
The Voyagers benefited from a career night by Xane Washington, who hit for the cycle. His scoring efforts began with an RBI double in the second to make it 4-3 Great Falls.
Mitch Moralez and Alejandro Figueredo had big nights for the Mustangs, too. Moralez went 4-6, including a double with two RBIs, while Figueredo reached six times in a 3-3 effort with a double, three RBIs and three walks.
Moralez's first RBI scored Jason Rooks with a single up the middle in the fourth to tie the game at 4-4. The Voyagers knocked Pat Maybach out in the home half of the frame with a Livingston Morris single to score Washington, a Freddy Rojas Jr single to score Jason Lynch. Morris scored on a wild pitch and the Voyagers took a 7-4 lead.
Jason Rooks responded with his first home run of the season in the fifth inning, but the Mustangs had the bases loaded with nobody out, which forced starting pitcher Steven Washilewski out of the game. However, Nolan LaMere shut the Mustangs bottom half of the order down 1-2-3 and the Mustangs left the bases loaded.
While the Mustangs did score two runs in the top of the sixth to make it 7-7, they left the bases loaded again and trailed by a run.
Morris made the Mustangs pay for their missed opportunities in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double that scored Lynch to take an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the seventh Rooks continued his good night with a double to right-center to score Taylor Lomack (0-3, 3 R) and Blake Evans (1-5, RBI) to give the Mustangs a 9-8 lead, and Figueredo picked up his double to score Rooks and Brendan Ryan (0-4, 2 R) to give the Mustangs an 11-8 lead.
The Voyagers didn't quit, though, as Washington tripled to center which scored Mahki Backstrom, Ryan Major, and Antonio Fernandez to tie the game back up at 11-11. Lynch then doubled to score Washington, and the Voyagers re-took the lead 12-11. Rojas extended the lead with a double of his own to score Lynch and the Voyagers led 13-11.
In the top of the eighth, the Mustangs answered with an RBI single by Evans to bring home Mills to come within a run.
Unfortunately, Washington capped off his night with a grand slam to clinch a cycle and put the game out of reach despite a rally in the top of the ninth where the Mustangs scored two runs. Washington went 5-6 with eight RBIs, and he scored three other times outside of his home run - responsible for 11 of the Voyagers 17 runs in a 17-14 final score.
The Mustangs try to re-take the series lead at 7 p.m. Thursday with pre-game coverage at 6:40 p.m. on ESPN 910/105.5 KBLG or ESPN910.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloBaseball.