Ogden Raptors rally on another Williams grand slam, then lose late at Idaho Falls
Logan Williams homered for the fifth time in the last four games, including a second grand slam in as many games, to help bring the Ogden Raptors back from a deficit Friday at Idaho Falls.
But Idaho Falls finally tamped down Ogden’s red-hot offensive streak just enough, and did just enough at the plate itself, to get back in the win column.
The Chukars answered the Raptors’ rallies and claimed an 8-7 win, ending Ogden’s five-game win streak (all of which came by double digits) and its streak of six straight games scoring 10 or more runs.
Both starters threw well as most of the action came late in the game. Mitchell Stone allowed three runs on six hits, striking out five and walking zero in 5 1/3 innings for Ogden. Dusty Baird allowed two runs on four hits, striking out two and walking two, in five innings for Idaho Falls.
The Chukars (13-21) scored twice in the first and the score sat at 2-0 until the sixth inning when Reese Alexiades knotted the game 2-2 with a two-run double.
Idaho Falls answered with three runs in the bottom half, keyed by a two-RBI Zach May single, to go up 5-2.
Ogden (21-12) returned serve, giving a sell-out crowd of 3,688 at Melaleuca Field its money’s worth. After Rafael Narea singled in Dakota Conners, Williams went yard with his grand slam to give the Raptors a 7-5 lead.
Williams has 13 RBIs in his last two games.
But Jon Rice and Quinn Waterhouse couldn’t hold the lead in the bottom half of the seventh. Idaho Falls plated three runs and Mark Herron Jr. had the winning play with a two-run single to make it 8-7.
Ogden got what it needed in the eighth when Narea led off with a single and a pinch-running Cam Phelts went to second on a balk. But Dane Tofteland flew out to center field and Phelts was thrown out trying to take third. Coleton Horner then doubled and took third on a wild pitch, but was left there when Nick Ultsch grounded out.
In other action, Boise edged Great Falls 7-6, bringing the Hawks back to within 2 1/2 games of Ogden at the top of the Pioneer League South Division standings.
Ogden plays two more in Idaho Falls on Saturday and Sunday before a first-ever matchup with the Glacier Range Riders starting Monday.