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Rockies sweep Raptors with late runs in Saturday doubleheader

By Brett Hein - | Aug 21, 2021

Riding a six-game winning streak, the Ogden Raptors (44-34, 15-15 second half) looked poised to roll into a seventh straight win and beyond until late in the first of two games against Grand Junction (42-33, 16-12) on Saturday night when it came screeching to a halt and, eventually, the Rockies used late runs to win both seven-inning games.

ROCKIES 9, RAPTORS 7

Ogden held a 6-2 lead going to the bottom of the sixth with starter Mitchell Miller throwing well in Friday’s first game. Miller got two outs in the sixth but also issued a walk and gave up two hits to load the bases.

He was pulled for Mark Mixon, who disastrously did not record an out and took the loss. Mixon walked the first batter he faced to make it 6-3, former Raptors outfielder Frankie Jezioro singled in a run to make it 6-4, and Nate Scantlin cleared the bases with a triple for a 7-6 advantage.

The Rockies added two more runs in the frame. Pavin Parks scored on an Owen Taylor single in the top of the seventh but the Raptors did not threaten further.

Miller ultimately gave up five runs on five hits, striking out three and walking five, in 5 2/3 innings.

Reese Alexiades tallied his second straight three-RBI game for Ogden, singling in Jakob Goldfarb in the first inning, and singling in Goldfarb and Parks in the third for a 3-2 lead. That became 5-2 in the fourth with a two-RBI double from Josh Broughton.

ROCKIES 5, RAPTORS 4

Though Grand Junction tallied three runs in the first inning against Anthony Donatella in Friday’s second game, Ogden did rally at the final minute.

Trailing 4-1 in the top of the seventh, Niko Pacheco led off with a walk, Owen Taylor singled and Dom Abbadessa doubled to score a run and make it 4-2 with runners on second and third with zero outs.

After Taylor scored on a Broughton sacrifice fly for a 4-3 tally, David Maberry battled to a walk and Troy Dixon came on to pinch run.

With Pavin Parks batting, Dixon was caught off first base on a pickoff move, perhaps intentionally, and the Rockies eventually committed to getting him out at second, which allowed Abbadessa to dash home and tie the game 4-4.

After all that, Kida De La Cruz came on to pitch in the bottom of the seventh and walked the leadoff hitter Alex Monge, which proved to be the game.

De La Cruz struck out Nate Scantlin, Monge stole second during a Vinny Esposito at-bat that ended with a shallow flyout and, one out from getting to a Knock Out home run derby, Luke Roskam singled to left to score Monge and win the game.

Israel Fuentes gave up two runs in a six-inning start for Grand Junction. Dylan Pearce gave up one run and struck out eight in three innings of middle relief for Ogden.

The Raptors tallied seven hits in the second game, one each for seven different players.

The two teams play another doubleheader Sunday starting at 4 p.m.

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