That hasn’t stopped Ogden from racking up wins and creating drama atop the standings in the process. The Raptors won a third straight game against the Paddleheads on Thursday at Lindquist Field, scoring five runs in the sixth inning to take control in an 11-4 victory.

That helped Oakland (34-11) clinch the first-half title after the Ballers rallied in later innings to defeat Rocky Mountain 6-5.

It also nearly put Missoula (30-15) in a tie for second place with Yuba-Sutter with three games left, but Yuba-Sutter (29-16) lost Thursday after Grand Junction’s Mason Minzey hit a seventh-inning grand slam. Still, the battle for the second playoff bid may go down to the first-half finale Sunday because Ogden (26-18), now 15-5 in its last 20 games, is off to a 3-0 series lead against Missoula.

Missoula scored four early against Ogden starter Chase Chatman to take a 4-2 lead after three innings. The Raptors gave Paddleheads starter Nick Parker a no-decision when a Kenny Oyama two-run double tied things at 4-4.

But things got cooking for Ogden in the sixth when Jake Dixon took the mound. Damian Stone singled in Elliott Good to put the Raptors up 5-4 to get things started. After a pitching change, the Raptors loaded the bases against Julien Hernandez before Missoula made another pitching change to Pablo Garabitos. Two more runs plated on an Oyama infield single and an error, then Cole Jordan doubled in two more to make Ogden’s lead 9-4.

Two-way lefty Kyler Stancato held down middle relief with three scoreless innings for the Raptors, allowing two hits and striking out three. That dropped his ERA to 2.69 for the season; Stancato did not hit or play the field Thursday but is hitting .358 at the plate this season.

Nik Cardinal pitched the ninth again for Ogden, getting around two baserunners for a scoreless frame that moved his ERA down to 0.83.

Ogden and Missoula play again at 6:30 p.m. Friday.