One Pitch the Difference as Mustangs Fall 1-0
OGDEN-Kenny Serwa pitched 7.0 excellent innings, but a first-inning home run was too much to overcome as the Billings Mustangs fell 1-0 to the Ogden Raptors in the series opener on Monday night at Lindquist Field.
OGDEN-Kenny Serwa pitched 7.0 excellent innings, but a first-inning home run was too much to overcome as the Billings Mustangs fell 1-0 to the Ogden Raptors in the series opener on Monday night at Lindquist Field.
Billings (20-17, 45-38) was shut out for just the second time this season as Ogden (18-19, 47-38) snapped a four-game losing skid on a night where both teams were held to just four hits in a game that lasted just 2 hours, 13 minutes.
After the Mustangs went down in order in the first inning, Ogden took the lead immediately in the bottom of the first. Against Serwa, Josh Broughton teed off on his second pitch of the night and deposited it entirely out of Lindquist Field in left field to put the Raptors up 1-0.
Afterwards, Serwa settled down, setting down the next ten hitters. However, Billings had zero answer for Ogden starter Chase Stratton. The left-hander allowed just three singles over his 6.0 innings of work. Billings hit just two balls out of the infield against him over his six scoreless frames.
Serwa held up his end of the bargain through the middle innings. Ogden only mounted one serious threat, as Ty Lewis led off the fifth with a single and moved to second on a groundout. An intentional walk put two men on, but a fielder's choice ended the threat.
Serwa followed with a 1-2-3 seventh, finishing 7.0 innings by allowing just one run on three hits while striking out six.
However, the Ogden bullpen picked up where Stratton left on. Miguel Cirino set down the Mustangs in order in the seventh and Jake Mulholland did the same in the eighth. In the ninth, Juan Teixeira lined a two-out single, but Jackson Lancaster induced a pop-up to end the game as Billings fell 1-0.
The Mustangs will play game two in Ogden on Tuesday night. Billings will start LHP Patrick Maybach (1-3, 6.35), while Ogden counters with RHP Ronny Orta (6-6, 5.34). Pregame on Tuesday on the home of the Mustangs, ESPN 910/105.5 FM with Brennan Mense will begin at 6:10 ahead of a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.