(Helena Brewers Press Release)
Great Falls, MT – David Fry has been dynamite on the road in 2018, with all six of his home runs coming away from Kindrick Legion Field. The 2018 7th round selection gave the Brewers a big boost to start the second half in Great Falls. He tied the game in the sixth with a solo homer, and then gave the Brewers the lead for good with a double in the eighth inning. Joey Matulovich pitched four shutout innings out of the bullpen, giving Helena the 5-2 win over Great Falls to start the second half.
Great Falls struck for a run in the bottom of the first, as Steele Walker began the frame with a single, and Lenyn Sosa followed with a single that moved Walker to third. Logan Sowers grounded out to short, scoring Walker to give the Voyagers the early one run lead.
The Brewers responded in the top of the second, as Je’Von Ward led off with a single, and got to third with nobody on two wild pitches from Codi Heuer. Pablo Abreu drew a walk, and Jose Sibrian reached first on a runners interference call that sent Ward back to third. Jesus Lujano then delivered with a single to right, plating Ward to tie the game.
However, the Voyagers kept the line moving offensively, as Brewers starter Blake Lillis plunked Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Amado Nunez followed with a single. Gunnar Troutwine’s fly out to right moved Fitzpatrick to third, and he scored on a single to center from Ramon Beltre.
From the second inning on, Lillis was locked in, allowing just one more hit over the next three innings. Lillis went five innings, allowing just the two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out five.
After the second inning single from Lujano, Voyagers pitching retired 13 straight Brewers, until two out in the sixth, when David Fry took an outside fastball from Lane Ramsey and parked it over the right field fence. His team leading seventh homer tied the game at two.
Fry wasn’t done offensively, as the game remained tied going into the top of the eight. New righty Vince Arobio (1-4) walked Chad McClanahan to start the inning, and then hit Eddie Silva with an 0-2 count. That brought Fry to the dish, and he smacked a double off the left field wall, scoring McClanahan to give Helena a 3-2 lead. Ward then followed with a double down the line, scoring Silva and Fry to extend the lead to three.
Joey Matulovich (W, 1-1) got the win, as he pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, finishing the game. He stranded two walks on base in the sixth, and got an inning double play on a strike out and caught stealing. The former California Golden Bear struck out seven over his outing, marking the longest outing by a Brewers reliever in 2018.
Tomorrow Helena returns to Centene Stadium for a Friday night showdown with the Voyagers, as Victor Castaneda takes the hill, opposed by Matt Portland for Great Falls. First pitch is at 7 PM, with the pregame show hitting the airwaves of helenabrewers.net at 6:40.
