Pena Sets New Pioneer League Home Run Record In Win
3 Home Runs From Pena Highlights 22-7 Win Over Sky Sox
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 16 | 1 |
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3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 4 |
MISSOULA, MT- Missoula PaddleHeads first baseman Roberto Pena was on the cusp of Pioneer League history entering Wednesday's contest with the Colorado Spring Sky Sox. Pena entered the ballgame with 34 home runs on the season which was only one home run away from tying the league record of 35. Fittingly, the man who set this mark a season ago Adam Fogel was hitting one spot behind him Wednesday night. Fogel would prove to have a first person point of view to what would prove to be a historic night at Allegiance Field.
Pena surpassed the Pioneer League home run record and then some on Wednesday in a spectacular performance. The Kansas State product would go on to tally 3 home runs in the contest to bring his league record total to 37 on the season. The PaddleHeads offense would do plenty of damage around this effort as well running away from the Sky Sox in the late innings in a 22-7 win. The trend of spectacular power hitting in the Garden City has continued with Pena carrying the torch. Now the question will revolve around how far will Pena carry it in the games to come.
Christian Hall of the Sky Sox got Colorado Springs off to an ideal start in the 1st inning with a 3-run blast. The long home run to center field would be the first of 2 home runs hit in the contest in a 3-for-5 performance. 'Chamo' made sure the early lead for Colorado Springs would be short-lived.
Pena found a fitting way to bring himself level with Fogel's home run total in the top of the 2nd inning. With the bases loaded, the Miami native launched a grand slam to dead center field, sending a baseball into orbit that traveled nearly 470 feet. This big swing gave the PaddleHeads a lead they would never let go the rest of the way at 6-3. Pena set a new league record in his next at-bat.
A line drive to the opposite field set a new high water mark in the Pioneer League record books in the top of the 3rd. The solo home run for Pena was his 2nd of the contest and 36th of the season. Fogel greeted Pena with an embrace after making his way around the bases to acknowledge the new single season home run record holder. This swing also gave the PaddleHeads a 9-3 lead. More power from the Sky Sox allowed them to fight back into the game.
Hall, and Marco Martinez put Colorado Springs on the comeback trail in the 5th and 6th innings with a pair of home runs. The home runs in consecutive frames totaled 4 runs, trimming Missoula's lead to 9-7 in the process. The PaddleHeads offense ran away with things in the late innings however to end any ideas of a comeback.
The Missoula attack tallied 13 runs in the final 3 innings to completely break Wednesday's game open. Missoula jumped started this stretch with a 5-run rally in the 7th. 4 RBI singles in the frame fanned the flames from Colin Gordon , Jeremy Piatkiewicz, Alec Sanchez, and Carlos Perez as Missoula took a 14-7 lead. Pena then put on the finishing touches to a monster performance in the next half inning.
Missoula's 1st baseman launched his 3rd home run of the night as part of another 5-run push in the top of the 8th inning. Pena would go on to finish 4-for-4 on the night with 6 RBIs and 5 runs scored. Perez also left earth in the frame hitting a towering home run to left center to blow the game open even further making the score 19-7. Perez knocked in 5 runs himself at the plate in a 2-for-4 performance.
A new high water mark for home run hitters in the Pioneer League has been set for the fourth time in the last five seasons in Missoula. Pena joins Zach Almond (2021), Jayson Newman (2022), and Fogel (2024) continuing the trend of power hitting in the Garden City. The record book has been rewritten. Pena stands alone. Now fans in Western Montana will have a chance to see how many more home runs leave the yard off Pena's bat.
The PaddleHeads (51-22) continue this 6-game series with the Sky Sox (18-54) on Thursday evening. Action at Allegiance Field gets rolling with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. If you cannot enjoy a night at the ballpark in person, tune in on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
