OREM — The Orem Owlz pulled rival Ogden down to earth on Thursday night, handing the Raptors their first loss of the 2012 Pioneer League season, a 14-7 drubbing at Brent Brown Ballpark.
The Raptors actually created much of their own problems with a miserable five errors on the night.
It was Orem’s first win of the season after three losses at Idaho Falls to open play.
Down 13-1 after seven innings, the Raptors (1-3) scored four in the eighth and two in the ninth to prolong the contest in front of 2,700 fans.
The two I-15 rivals meet again tonight, followed by contests Saturday and Sunday at Brown Ballpark.
Ogden led 1-0 through 2 1/2 innings but allowed the Owlz to jump ahead with six runs in the bottom of the third.
Orem’s Kyle Johnson reached base on a slow throw by the Raptors’ Justin Boudreaux on a grounder. Ogden pitcher Carlos De Aza induced a double-play grounder by the next hitter, but De Aza and the Raptors infield mismanaged the throw.
Orem pounced with four more hits, punctuated by back-to-back homers from Wade Hinkle and Jonathan Walsh. Just like that, the Raptors for the first time in ’12.
Orem starter Gabriel Perez earned the win with five innings of work, striking out six.
De Aza took the loss.
Jesus Valdez rapped out three hits with a pair of RBIs for Ogden, which led the league in hitting going into the contest. Devin Ethier, Eric Smith and Alex Santana each had of pair of hits for the Raptors.
Hinkle enjoyed a four-hit, four RBI night, while Walsh and Andrew Hinkle each recorded three hits.
Hinkle added another homer, a solo shot in the seventh. Orem scored three in the fifth and fourth in the seventh.
Valdez singled home Ethier in the top of the first for Ogden’s only lead of the contest.
Ogden returns home to host Idaho Falls on Monday at Lindquist Field.
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