Rafael Vazquez gave a pitching performance Ogden desperately needed and the Raptors again avoided a series sweep by taking the Sunday finale, defeating the Missoula Paddleheads 7-4 at Lindquist Field.

The Raptors, currently in last place, next hit the road for the first time this season, a six-game series against the first-place Glacier Range Riders (9-3) in Kalispell, Montana, beginning Tuesday.

Vazquez blanked Missoula (9-3) through five innings, striking out eight and walking just one to get the Raptors (2-10) deep into the game with a lead.

Pearce Howard led off the bottom of the first with a walk for the Raptors. Jack Cone, Chris Sargent and Landen Barns then hit doubles in three of the team’s next four at-bats, grabbing an early 3-0 lead against Missoula starter Connor Schultz.

Ogden got three more in the third when Cone hit a solo homer and Anthony Herron Jr. added a sacrifice fly, giving Vazquez a 6-0 cushion.

Missoula finally got to Vazquez for three runs in the sixth inning, sparked by a two-RBI single from Alec Sanchez. Vazquez finished allowing two earned runs on four hits, striking out nine and walking two, in six innings.

After Ogden got another shutdown relief inning from Christian Griffin, the Paddleheads threatened in the eighth and Josh Elvir doubled home a run to cut the margin to 6-4. With a runner on third, Quinn Waterhouse took the mound and got a foul-out to end the eighth.

Cone finished his 4-for-4, three-RBI day with a sacrifice fly to score Raymond Gil in the bottom half for the final tally.

After two quick outs in the ninth, Waterhouse gave up a double, a walk and a single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate — then Cameron Thompson flew out to center field to end the game.

Averaging about 10 walks per game, Raptors pitchers matched Missoula by issuing just four on Sunday.

PADDLEHEADS 14, RAPTORS 4

Starting pitcher Chris Macca made his season debut Saturday for the Raptors and had Ogden in the game until surrendering a fourth-inning grand slam to Missoula’s Taylor Smith.

That made the score 7-1 and Missoula went on to a comfortable victory. It was one of two homers for Smith, who finished the game with six RBIs.

Nick Ultsch hit 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in the fifth for Ogden. Jack Cone and Thomas Greely each had two hits.

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