Ogden Raptors pitch, homer way to 13-3 home win over Grand Junction
ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner
A view of Lindquist Field from behind home plate on May 27, 2023, in Ogden.The Raptors reversed the problems that led to a 13-10 loss Tuesday to open their home series with the Grand Junction Jackalopes, turning in clutch pitching and hitting efforts Wednesday to defeat the visitors 13-3 in front of 4,988 fans at Lindquist Field.
Playing first base, Landen Barns hit 4 for 4, drove in three runs and scored three runs. He got things going at the plate for Ogden (27-35, 5-9 second half) with a solo homer, sparking a third inning that later saw catcher Chris Sargent hit a two-run home run for a 4-2 Raptors lead.
Right-hander Rafael Vazquez, meanwhile, shrugged off a first-inning run and a third-inning homer to otherwise stifle Grand Junction (22-40, 7-7) in a long start. Vazquez allowed three runs on six hits, striking out six and walking one in seven innings.
The Jackalopes’ only other run came when David Rivera got Vazquez on another solo homer in the seventh.
Barns kept things going in the fourth with a two-RBI single, handing big GJ lefty Will Buraconak the loss; he allowed eight runs on seven hits over four innings.
Raymond Gil drove in a Raptors run on a squeeze-bunt single to start a three-run fifth.
Newcomers in second baseman True Fontenot (sixth inning) and outfielder Drew Brutcher (eighth) added solo dingers to build Ogden’s lead.
Raptors relievers Gabriel Pacheco and Brayden Bonner allowed one baserunner (a hit) in the final two innings, striking out three and walking zero.
Barns’ four hits led Ogden to a 15-7 hit margin over the visitors; Brutcher, Sargent and Cole Jordan each had two hits.
The two teams play again at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.