Ogden Raptors open 2nd half with late rally to beat Rocky Mountain Vibes
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- Oggie, the Ogden Raptors mascot, watches the bullpen before a game July 15, 2024, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ryan Owens, of Roy, drops a bag of canned food into a bin Monday, July 15, 2024, at Lindquist Field in Ogden. The Ogden Raptors hosted their annual JustServe night, soliciting food donations in exchange for tickets to the game. JustServe brought in an estimated 3,000 pounds of food at the same night in 2023. A crowd of 4,648 fans supported the event Monday.
BRETT HEIN, Standard-Examiner
Oggie, the Ogden Raptors mascot, watches the bullpen before a game July 15, 2024, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
OGDEN — In a well-pitched game, walks stand out.
Rocky Mountain left-hander Jaxon O’Neal got that unwanted spotlight Monday night, and it helped swing the game’s result.
The Ogden Raptors scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and rallied to defeat the Vibes 6-5, opening the Pioneer League’s second half with a victory in front of 4,648 fans at Lindquist Field.
With one out in the eighth and his team leading 5-3, O’Neal issued consecutive walks to Ogden infielders Cole Jordan and Raymond Gil — two of just three walks by Rocky Mountain pitchers.
First baseman Landen Barns cracked a single to left, scoring Jordan. Gil then scored on a lost-in-the-lights pop fly to center field, off the bat of Ogden newcomer Elliott Good and lost by Brett Carson, to tie the game.
BRETT HEIN, Standard-Examiner
Ryan Owens, of Roy, drops a bag of canned food into a bin Monday, July 15, 2024, at Lindquist Field in Ogden. The Ogden Raptors hosted their annual JustServe night, soliciting food donations in exchange for tickets to the game. JustServe brought in an estimated 3,000 pounds of food at the same night in 2023. A crowd of 4,648 fans supported the event Monday.
Jack Cone delivered the winner, lifting a sacrifice fly to right and scoring Barns for a 6-5 lead.
Brayden Bonner closed the ninth for Ogden (23-26, 1-0 second half). He surrendered two singles but also got help from Gil on a tough groundout to third.
With runners on second and third and a 1-2 count, Bonner froze Rocky Mountain third baseman Eddie McCabe with an offspeed strike to end the game.
Raptors pitchers struck out 12 and walked just two.
With the game close, it looked for long stretches it would be decided in part by a strange play and call in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Ogden’s Pearce Howard scorched the ball up the middle and off the foot of Rocky Mountain starter (and former Raptor) Christian Day.
The ball went to Vibes first baseman Dane Tofteland (also a former Raptor) in the air, which he corralled and touched first for an out. Connor Bagnieski appeared to score on the play to tie the game 4-4.
But, after conferring, umpires ruled that the ball never hit the ground, instead going directly from Day’s foot to Tofteland’s glove — meaning Howard was out on the fly and the touch of first base doubled off that runner to end the inning.
While the sun was up, the ball seemed to carry inordinately well and Rocky Mountain (21-26, 0-1) took advantage for a 4-0 lead against Ogden starter Eli Elliott. Ernie Yake hit a three-run homer in the first and Steven Rivas a solo shot in the third.
The Raptors got on the board in the third when a Good RBI groundout scored Barns.
Chris Sargent kept it going in the fourth, hitting a solo homer, and Ogden cut it to 4-3 that inning when Jordan scored from third on an erroneous pickoff throw to second.
Dylan Matsuoka made his professional debut in the eighth for Ogden, throwing a 1-2-3 inning.
Yake’s three-run homer led RMV at the plate.
Good, also making his pro debut, drove in two runs for Ogden. Sargent hit 3 for 4.
The two teams play again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
