(Billings Mustangs release)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Billings Mustangs (10-14) were able to survive a late rally from the Rocky Mountain Vibes (9-15) on Wednesday, winning 8-5 in front of 3,204 in the series opener.
Billings grabbed the first lead of the game in the top of the second powered by back-to-back hits. Edwin Yon singled and took second on a wild pitch. He would then score on Eric Yang’s RBI single to center. Yang is now on an eight-game hitting streak, matching Leonardo Seminati for the longest by a Mustang in 2019. Yon was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs while Yang went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
The Vibes took their only lead in the bottom of the second on the power of three hits. Nick Egnatuk delivered an RBI single and Ernesto Martinez doubled in a run right behind him to make it a 2-1 Rocky Mountain advantage.
After the Mustangs tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI double from Quin Cotton in the third, the scored stayed even into the seventh.
Justin McGregor threw a season-high 5 2/3 innings in the start, giving up two runs on six hits, not issuing a walk and striking out six. McGregor retired 12 consecutive batters between the second and the sixth innings.
Seminati put his power into a new gear later in the game, hitting a solo home run in the seventh and a three-run blast in the eighth to propel a pair of three-run innings for the Billings offense. Seminati finished Wednesday’s game 3-for-5 with a double, two home runs, two runs and four RBI. It was the first multi-home run game for a Mustang this season. He leads the team with five homers this year.
The Vibes made a late run, scoring three runs in the ninth. Going into the inning trailing by six, Rocky Mountain collected three hits, two walks and a hit batter to load the bases with two outs, putting the tying run at first and the winning run at the plate. Jess Williams flew out to center to end the game and preserve the win for the Mustangs.
The meeting was the first time Reds and Brewers affiliates have played in Colorado Springs since 1958.
The Mustangs and Vibes will play in game two of their four-game series Thursday, July 11. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. MDT at UCHealth Park.
