Mustangs Mash Three Grand Slams to Lead 19-1 Rout

OGDEN-The Billings Mustangs swatted three grand slams in three consecutive innings and got 6.0 sterling innings from Elijah Gill as they routed the Ogden Raptors 19-1 on Friday night at Lindquist Field.

Billings (22-19, 47-40) swatted a season-high four home runs, allowed just two hits on the other side, and bounced back emphatically after allowing 19 runs on Thursday, flipping the script on Ogden (20-21, 49-40) to the disappointment of the 5,868 fans in attendance.

Both teams were hitless and scoreless in the first three innings. Gill worked around a pair of walks while the Mustangs failed to get a single runner in that time against Ogden starter Jorge Gonzalez.

In the fourth, though, Crews Taylor led off with a single and stole second. After a walk and hit batter loaded the bases, Andrew Fernandez got the party started by blasting a first-pitch fastball over the center-field wall for the first Mustangs slam of the night, making it 4-0 on Fernandez's first career slam and fourth homer of the season.

An inning later, a single and two walks loaded the bases for Fernandez. However, he was also plunked, driving in his fifth run with a hit-by-pitch. The very next hitter, Jordan Hovey the stepped up and deposited a 1-0 offering over the right field wall for his slam, the second in as many innings, and Hovey's seventh homer of the season.

In the sixth, Juan Teixeira led off by lining a solo homer to left, his first as a Mustang and 14^th overall. Billings wasn't done, though, as two singles and a walk re-loaded the bases. With two outs, Bryce Jackson unloaded and hit a laser over the wall in right-center for the Mustangs third slam in as many innings, making it 14-0 Billings on Jackson's fourth long ball of the season.

Ogden got a run back as Jesus Valdez launched a solo homer with two outs in the sixth, but that was all the Raptors would get off Gill, as the left-hander spun 6.0 innings of two-hit ball, allowing just the one run with two walks and nine strikeouts, tying his season high.

In the seventh, the Mustangs added three more as Hovey drew a bases-loaded walk before Jackson doubled to left-center, scoring two more runs as he matched the Mustangs' season high with his sixth RBI of the night, making it 17-1 Mustangs.

After a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts from McLain Harris, the Mustangs added single tallies in the eighth and ninth inning against Ogden position players on the mound. Jack Cunningham then shut down his former team by striking out three over 2.0 hitless innings in relief, finishing off a 19-1 romp.

The Mustangs will finish the series, and with it the 2022 road schedule, on Saturday night in Ogden. Billings will start LHP Ethan McRae (1-1, 4.22) and Ogden will counter with RHP Homer Cruz (0-0, 0.00). Pregame on Saturday 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.