MISSOULA — One big inning was all it took for Great Falls to claim a victory at Ogren Park Allegiance Field on Saturday night. The Voyagers started the explosions early on fireworks night, with eight runs in the sixth inning on their way to an 8-6 victory.
The visitors started the sixth with two walks, two singles and two doubles before the Osprey recorded an out. Harvin Mendoza, Lency Delgado and Cameron Simmons each drove in runs with doubles. After 12 batters, nine hits and eight runs Great Falls had built an 8-1 lead. Osprey relief pitcher Landon Whitson gave up seven of the runs.
Missoula did fight back to make it interesting. Liover Pegeuro lined a two-run home run to left in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-3. Another two runs scored on passed balls in the seventh and eighth innings. Pegeuro came through with another RBI single to cut the lead to 8-6 with one out in the eighth, and the Osprey had the tying run on first base. But Karan Patel came in to get the next two outs and end the threat. An error did bring up the tying run again in the bottom of the ninth, but Patel closed the door with a five-out save.
The late drama came after neither team could score through the first four innings.
The Voyagers improve to 4-4, while the Osprey fall to 3-5. The teams will play the rubber match on Sunday, after splitting the first two games of the three-game series. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. in Ogren Park Allegiance Field.
