Pena Belts 3 Home Runs In PaddleHeads Win Saturday
8-Run Rally Leads Missoula Past Idaho Falls In 15-7 Win
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | X | 15 | 20 | 2 |
MISSOULA, MT- The Idaho Falls Chukars looked to continue a run of momentum in this 6-game set with the Missoula PaddleHeads in game 5 Saturday evening. The Chukars found success in the last 2 ballgames to grasp momentum in this series. After being held in check offensively Friday, the PaddleHeads attack got things going in a big way en route to success. Missoula's most feared hitter was also a big reason why.
After being held off the board in the first inning, the offense came unglued, scoring in the next 4 innings consecutively. The PaddleHeads outscored Idaho Falls 12-0 in this stretch jumping to a huge lead. An 8-run rally in the top of the 5th highlighted this onslaught. Roberto Pena proved to be the highlight of this barrage hitting a pair of home runs in that inning alone. Pena finished with 3 home runs total in the contest to bring his league record total to 46 on the season. The rest of the offense did plenty in their own right tallying 20 hits as a team. The end result was a 15-7 victory.
Carlos Perez, and Leyton Barry kicked the offense into gear in the early innings in at-bats that proved to tell stories of success. Berry drove home Perez with a double in the 2nd before Perez came up clutch with a 2-out single to bring home a pair in the bottom of the 3rd. Perez and Barry tallied 7 hits combined in the contest with Perez finishing 4-for-5 and Barry tallying a 3-for-5 effort.
Taylor Smith kept the pedal down in the bottom of the 4th hitting a towering home run to left field. The 430 foot bomb gave the PaddleHeads a 4-1 advantage. Smith finished the day 2-for-4 in his at-bats. Pena got Missoula's monster 5th inning started quickly.
An 8-run rally in the bottom of the 5th began with a solo blast from the 1st baseman to right field. An RBI single from Mike Rosario just added more fuel to the fire in the frame as the line kept moving. Rosario had a big performance collectively as well finishing 4-for-6 in the win. Pena's 2nd home run of the bottom of the 5th put on the finishing touches to the rally bringing home 3-runs more. When the dust settled Missoula held a 12-1 advantage.
PaddleHeads starter Dawson Day did more than hold up his end of the bargain in 5 innings of work to earn his 4th win of the season. Day retired 9 batters in a row in one stretch from the 2nd to the 5th inning. The southpaw only allowed 2 hits and 1 run through 5 innings while striking out 6 to earn the victory. 'Chamo' was then heard from one last time with the long ball to help put icing on the cake.
Pena's 3rd home run of the night came in the bottom of the 7th inning to bring his season total to 46. This marked the 2nd consecutive week that the 1st baseman has tallied 3 home runs in an individual contest. Pena knocked in 5 runs in the victory for the PaddleHeads as part of a 3-for-5 performance. These teams will now meet for the final time in the regular season in the series finale Sunday.
The PaddleHeads (59-24) will be in search of a series win over Idaho Falls (46-36) in a matinee affair on Sunday afternoon. Action on a 'Kids Free Sunday' at the ballpark gets rolling with a 2:15 first pitch at Allegiance Field. Be a part of the final Sunday home game of the summer in person or listen in on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
