Mustangs Comeback Bid Falls Short in 4-3 Loss at Rocky Mountain

COLORADO SPRINGS-The Billings Mustangs made a late push, but a four-run deficit was too much to overcome as the Mustangs fell 4-3 on Friday to the Rocky Mountain Vibes at UC Health Park in Colorado Springs.

Rocky Mountain (9-22) got 7.0 innings of two-hit ball from Johandry Perez and Billings (17-14) struck out 12 times in the game as the Mustangs' four-game winning streak game to an end.

The Mustangs had an opportunity to strike right away as Crews Taylor led off with a double and Jordan Hovey drew a walk. However, Perez struck out the next three hitters to end the threat.

Both pitchers settled in from there as neither team scored in the first three innings. Yasnier Laureano did not allow a hit over the first 3.2 innings as he set down 11 of the first 12. However, in the fourth, the bottom fell out with two outs.

Laureano first walked Ethan Lopez on a full-count pitch, then was ahead Mike Annone 1-2. Annone, though, rolled the next offering through a vacated left side on a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners. Domonique Hernandez then ripped a two-run triple to right-center to put the Vibes in front. Joseph Encarnacion followed with an RBI single which gave Rocky Mountain a 3-0 lead.

On the other side, the Mustangs had no answer for Perez, who walked three batters, but held the Mustangs to just two hits as he threw 7.0 shutout innings with nine strikeouts.

However, once Perez was lifted in the eighth, the Mustangs immediately went to work making a comeback. A leadoff single by Mason Dinesen turned into a run when Taylor tripled to right-center to score the first run for Billings. A balk then scored Taylor. Jalen Garcia was hit by a pitch and came home on a two-out double from Gabe Wurtz, trimming the lead to 4-3.

In the ninth, Jacob Kline drew a leadoff walk against reliever Seth Davis. However, Davis picked him off for the first out. Dinesen singled with two outs, but Taylor was called out on strikes to end the game.

The Mustangs will throw RHP Jean Correa (3-1, 3.20) while Rocky Mountain counters with RHP Brock Knoten (0-0, 2.25). Pregame on Saturday afternoon will begin at 6:10 ahead of a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.