Late Blast Leads Mustangs to 7-4 Win to Open Homestand

BILLINGS-Jackson Raper hit a two-out, tie-breaking three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, Gabe Wurtz added a homer and three RBI of his own, and the Billings Mustangs started off a nine-game homestand in style with a 7-4 victory over the Great Falls Voyagers in front of 2,981 fans on Friday night at Dehler Park.

McLain Harris earned his first professional win for Billings (15-13, 40-34), who bounced back from a collapse on Thursday night to pull back in front of Great Falls (14-14, 41-34) for second place in the North Division second-half standings.

In the first, both teams got in on the act early on. Against Billings starter Pablo Arevalo, Great Falls strung together a single and double to put two men in scoring position. Chris Monroe hit a fly ball into shallow left-center, but it was just out of the reach of a sliding Gabe Wurtz, allowing a run to score.

In the bottom of the inning, though, Billings struck back against Voyagers starter Tyler Naumann. Crews Taylor and Jacob Kline both singled to left, putting runners on the corners with no outs. After a shallow fly out failed to advance the runners, Wurtz reached on a fielder's choice that brought in Taylor, tying things at one.

Great Falls had an answer in the third, though. After a leadoff pop-up, the Voyagers strung together four consecutive singles, which netted a pair of runs. Arevalo managed to strand two runners, but Great Falls had the lead back at 3-1.

Arevalo bounced back to throw a five-pitch fourth, which set up the Mustangs to draw even again. Andrew Fernandez doubled to lead off the inning, then came home when Wurtz smashed a 1-1 offering to deep center, clearing the wall for his 18^th homer of the season, tying the game at 3 apiece.

Arevalo threw two more scoreless frames to finish off 6.0 innings of three-run ball with 11 straight batters retired to end his outing.

The Mustangs gave him a parting gift by taking the lead in the sixth. Wurtz struck again, blasting a leadoff triple to dead center field. Two pitches later, Brian Parreira drove a deep fly to center of his own. His drive was ran down, but it was plenty deep to score Wurtz, giving the Mustangs a 4-3 lead.

That lead, though, did not survive the seventh. Against Harris, a leadoff single began the inning. Breydon Daniel laid down a bunt, but the throw sailed over Parreira, putting runners on the corners. A groundout then tied the game at four apiece. However, Harris buckled down to retire the final two hitters of the inning before throwing a 1-2-3 eighth.

In the eighth, Billings took the lead back, though. A leadoff single set up Wurtz, who hit a ground ball to third. Riley Jepson, though, bounced the throw to second, making both runners safe. After a pitching change, a strikeout and groundout left Anthony Becerra-Lopez one strike from escaping the jam. On a 1-2 pitch, though, he hung a curve that Jackson Raper deposited over the right-field wall for a three-run blast, putting Billings ahead 7-4.

Beaux Bonvillain then entered the contest and struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth, securing his sixth save, in addition to his 21^st straight scoreless outing.

The Mustangs will play the middle game against Great Falls on Saturday night at Dehler Park. It will be Back to School Night at Dehler Park. Fans are encouraged to bring school supply donations to Dehler Park tomorrow night. Billings will start RHP Kelvan Pilot (6-4, 4.27) Great Falls counters with RHP Andrew Garcia (0-2, 16.68). Pregame on Saturday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:15 ahead of a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.