(Mustangs media release)
BILLINGs – The Billings Mustangs (8-14) secured their first series win of the season with an 8-2 win over the Helena Brewers (12-10) in front of 2,537 at Dehler Park.
The Mustangs scored four runs over the first three innings off Helena starter Victor Castaneda (0-4), who gave up a pair in the first. Zeek White led off the game with a homerun. White, making his return to Billings Friday, now has three homeruns over his last 10 games after hitting just three in his previous 92 games. Another run followed when Jake Turnbull and Drew Mount hit back-to-back doubles. The Mustangs would set a new season-high with seven extra-base hits in the game including three homeruns.
That lead stretched out over the next two frames when Juan Martinez and Turnbull each smashed solo homeruns in the second and third, respectively. Turnbull, playing just seven innings in the game, finished 3-for-3 and a triple shy of the cycle. He added in a walk and scored three runs.
The Brewers got on the board in the third when Yeison Coca homered to right, the first homerun given up by Ricky Salinas (1-1) this season. Salinas went five innings in the start, setting a new season-high for innings pitched. He gave up just two hits and struck out three.
Billings put the game away in a four-run seventh; an inning which saw them load the bases on two occasions. Jay Schuyler sacrificed in the first run before Drew Mount cleared the bases on a three-run double to left. Mount had four RBI in the game to push his league-leading total to 20 runs batted in this year.
The Mustangs have now won four of their last six games and three of the last four to earn the series victory. They now head to Helena to take on the Brewers in a two-game series at Kindrick Legion Field. First pitch on Saturday is set for 7:35 p.m.
