Stratton shines again, Ogden Raptors claim quick 1-0 win over Billings
After his longest relief outing of the season last week in Colorado Springs, Clearfield native Chase Stratton got his first start of the year for the Ogden Raptors on Monday to open a home series against the Billings Mustangs at Lindquist Field.
Stratton continued his dominant pitching from last week, leading the Raptors in a 1-0 victory over the Mustangs, completed in what has to be a leaguewide best this season of 2 hours, 14 minutes.
Stratton allowed three hits, struck out six and walked none in six innings of work. In his last two outings, the left-hander has thrown 10 1/3 innings, allowing zero runs, striking out 13 and walking zero.
The winning run was scored in Ogden’s first at-bat when Josh Broughton hit a home run to left field to begin the bottom of the first. After that, perhaps the batters were road-weary after skipping the usual Monday travel day, but pitchers sure weren’t.
Each team totaled just four hits and only one walk was issued all night, that by Billings starter Kenny Serwa. He threw seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out six.
Ogden third baseman Ty Lewis and Billings designated hitter Andrew Fernandez each totaled two hits, all singles. Broughton’s homer was the only extra-base hit of the game.
Broughton tried to help his team push across an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, reaching on a fielder’s choice after one of Lewis’s singles, stealing second base before being caught stealing third to end the inning.
Miguel Cirino and Jake Mulholland pitched 1-2-3 innings in relief of Stratton before Jackson Lancaster collected his 11th save of the season, allowing one hit but striking out one and inducing two flyouts to end the 1-0 win. He lowered his season ERA to 1.14 with the save.
The two teams play again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
MONDAY SCORES
Ogden 1, Billings 0
Rocky Mountain 11, Northern Colorado 8
Missoula 12, Glacier 11
Idaho Falls 11, Great Falls 9
Grand Junction 13, Boise 11
PIONEER LEAGUE STANDINGS
Second Half – 11 games left
NORTH DIVISION
*Missoula 25-12 (60-24 overall)
Billings 20-17 (45-38)
Glacier 18-18 (35-48)
Idaho Falls 18-18 (45-39)
Great Falls 15-20 (42-40)
SOUTH DIVISION
Grand Junction 27-9 (53-31)
Rocky Mountain 18-17 (33-48)
*Ogden 18-19 (47-38)
Northern Colorado 13-23 (30-51)
Boise 9-27 (26-58)
*-indicates 1st-half champion