The Arizona Diamondbacks purchased the contracts of two Ogden Raptors players to play in their minor league system, team president Dave Baggott said, with a third former Raptor also on the way.

Right-handed pitcher Gunnar Groen and shortstop Fox Semones are headed to affiliated ball.

Groen was the apparent emerging ace for the squad in his first year in Ogden. The 6-foot-6 Texas native who played at Pepperdine collegiately threw three starts for the Raptors, allowing three earned runs in 16 innings for an ERA of 1.69. He allowed 10 hits, struck out 17 and walked six.

Ogden drafted Semones, a Virginia native and alum of James Madison University, at the pro tryout camp held April in Arizona. He held the leadoff spot in Ogden’s batting order, hitting .228, stealing nine bases in 14 games and scoring 16 runs.

Additionally, Baggott said the Diamondbacks will sign 2021 Raptors star Jakob Goldfarb after his release last week from the Pirates organization. He appeared in only 19 games over two months with Pittsburgh’s single-A affiliate, hitting .228 in 57 at-bats while playing only catcher. Arizona, he said, intends to use him in the outfield and at catcher, like the Raptors did in 2021 when Goldfarb hit .346 with 24 home runs and 91 RBIs over 89 games.

CHUKARS 15, RAPTORS 3

The Idaho Falls Chukars jumped on Ogden Raptors starter Christian Day in the first inning and rolled to a 15-3 win to open a six-game split series between the two division leaders Tuesday night in Idaho Falls.

Idaho Falls starter Ramsey Romano got the win in 5 2/3 innings. He held Ogden to a two-hit shutout through five innings before issuing a pair of walks in the sixth inning that Raptors infielder Jesus Valdez cashed in with a single to put a blemish on Romano’s win.

The Chukars were off and running early. Dusty Stroup capped a five-run first inning with a three-run homer. In the fifth, Matt Feinstein doubled in a pair of runs to make it 9-0 before the Valdez two-run single in the top of the sixth made it 9-2.

Eric Callahan hit a solo home run in the eighth to cap the Chukars’ scoring at 15-2 as the home team racked up six earned runs on Ogden reliever Chris Campbell in two innings.

The Raptors added a run in the ninth when an Anthony Ray groundout scored catcher Sonny Ulliana.

Steve Barmakian, Hunter Hisky and Sam Troyer each totaled three hits for Idaho Falls, with Hisky and Stroup each driving in three.

Ulliana and Nick Michaels each doubled and totaled two hits for Ogden. Freddy Achecar hit 2 for 4.

The teams play two more games Wednesday and Thursday in Idaho Falls before the series shifts to Ogden for three games from Friday through Sunday.

TUESDAY SCORES

Idaho Falls 15, Ogden 3

Grand Junction 8, Northern Colorado 2

Rocky Mountain 10, Boise 3

Great Falls 11, Missoula 4

Billings 9, Glacier 4 (7)

PIONEER LEAGUE STANDINGS

Through June 14

NORTH DIVISION

Idaho Falls 14-4

Great Falls 14-5

Missoula 11-7

Billings 8-8

Glacier 7-11

SOUTH DIVISION

Ogden 10-7

Grand Junction 8-9

Northern Colorado 8-9

Boise 5-13

Rocky Mountain 3-15

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