Late home runs help Owlz avoid series sweep against Ogden Raptors
Matt Herp, Standard-Examiner file photo
The Northern Colorado Owlz paired their best starter with late home runs to beat the Ogden Raptors 10-4 on Sunday afternoon at Lindquist Field, avoiding a series sweep in the six-game Pioneer League set.
Johan Castillo allowed four runs, three of them earned, on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings for Northern Colorado (6-29).
Ogden (20-16) got ahead 3-0 through four innings thanks to an error, a run-scoring double play, and a Carmine Lane RBI double. The Owlz ended a four-inning shutout by Raptors starter Eli Elliot with a Matt Fabian RBI double, an error and a TJ McKenzie RBI single to tie it 3-3.
Lane returned Ogden to the lead with a single to score outfielder Kenny Oyama in the bottom of the fifth but the Owlz answered in the top of the sixth to give Castillo the win. After tying the game 4-4 via error (only six of NoCo’s 10 runs were earned), Brett Roberts put the visitors up 7-4 with a three-run home run off Ogden reliever Jestin Jones.
After Saturday’s 19-15 contest, the Owlz eyed insurance runs and got more when Omar Veloz hit a solo homer off new Raptors pitcher Ryan DuSang in the eighth, and first baseman Christian Hall hit his fourth homer of the series, a two-run shot against Sean Weise, to cap the scoring.
Lane and Oyama each tallied three hits to lead Ogden at the plate. McKenzie and Veloz had two for Northern Colorado.
Ogden next hits the road for three games at Idaho Falls (24-12) followed by three at Great Falls (7-29). The Raptors are six games out of first place behind Missoula and Oakland, both 26-10.
