Pacheco’s gem puts Ogden Raptors back in win column at Great Falls

ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner
The Ogden Raptors' dugout on May 27, 2023, at Lindquist Field Ogden.Gabriel Pacheco returned to the starting rotation with his best performance of the season, leading the Ogden Raptors to an 11-2 victory Wednesday night at Great Falls.
The 22-year-old rookie led a near-shutout by throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out six and walking three.
Great Falls (23-45, 7-13 second half) left just one batter on base from the second through sixth innings as Pacheco minimized baserunners and the Raptors (30-38, 8-12) cleaned two up with two double plays.
After two quick outs in the seventh, Pacheco finally ran into trouble by walking two batters and hitting another to help the Voyagers load the bases, but Pacheco induced a groundout to Elliott Good at shortstop to end his night.
Ogden, which outhit Great Falls 15-6, scored its runs in just two innings.
In the first, Chris Sargent and Drew Brutcher hit RBI singles before Brutcher scored on an error, setting Pacheco up with a 3-0 lead before he took the mound.
Connor Bagnieski launched a two-run homer to spark what became an eight-run fifth inning, handing GF starter Danny Galvan the loss in 4 1/3 innings.
Pearce Howard (single) and Nick Ultsch (double) each drove in a pair of runs during the rally to put the Raptors ahead 11-0.
The Voyagers avoided a shutout when Hylan Hall hit a two-run homer off Brayden Bonner in the ninth inning.
Third baseman True Fontenot led Ogden with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate. Howard, Sargent and Cole Jordan each tallied two hits.
The two teams play again at 7 p.m. Thursday.