The Ogden Raptors got late, timely hitting and solid pitching to end a four-game losing streak and top the Northern Colorado Owlz 5-2 on Wednesday night in Johnstown, Colorado.

After a string of games where Ogden pitchers issued scores of walks and couldn’t get past opponents’ bats, Polo Portela put in a strong start Wednesday, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out six and walking two in 5 1/3 innings.

He was on the hook for the loss, however. After Ogden infielder Alejandro Rivero doubled in Brian Dansereau to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the sixth, Portela gave up a solo homer to Tim Bouchard to lead off the bottom of the sixth to put the Owlz back on top 2-1.

In relief of Portela, Miguel Cirino faced one batter, inducing a double play to end the sixth. From there, Jake Mulholland pitched what would have been a perfect two innings if not for an error, striking out four and walking zero. That set up Jackson Lancaster, who gave up one hit but struck out three in the ninth.

The four Ogden (50-43, 21-24) pitchers combined to strike out 13 and walked two while allowing seven hits to the Owlz (35-55, 18-27).

Mulholland got the win when the Raptors rallied in the top of the eighth. A costly error put Dansereau on base with one out, then Ogden pushed across three runs for a 4-2 lead when Rivero, Freddy Achecar, Kevin Elefante and Dakota Conners all singled.

Josh Broughton tripled to lead off the top of the ninth and scored an insurance run on a Dansereau single, leading to Lancaster’s 12th save of the season.

Achecar hit 3 for 5 at the plate. Ogden’s late rally erased the start of NoCo’s Austin Schneider, who gave up one run on five hits, striking out seven and walking one in six innings.

The two teams play again at 6:05 p.m. Thursday with three games left in the regular season.

WEDNESDAY SCORES

Ogden 5, Northern Colorado 2

Grand Junction 14, Rocky Mountain 10

Boise 8, Missoula 1

Billings 4, Idaho Falls 3

Glacier 6, Great Falls 4

PIONEER LEAGUE STANDINGS

Second Half – 3 games left

NORTH DIVISION

*^Missoula 32-13 (67-25 overall)

#Billings 26-19 (51-40)

Idaho Falls 21-23 (48-44)

Glacier 21-23 (38-53)

Great Falls 17-26 (44-46)

SOUTH DIVISION

^Grand Junction 34-11 (60-33)

Rocky Mountain 22-23 (37-54)

*Ogden 21-24 (50-43)

Northern Colorado 18-27 (35-55)

Boise 11-33 (28-64)

*-1st-half champion

^-2nd-half champion

#-at-large playoff bid

Newsletter