MISSOULA — The Missoula Osprey won for the seventh time in the past nine games, holding off the Orem Owlz 4-3 in Thursday night Pioneer League Baseball action.
The Os used power hitting and aggressive base-running to build a 4-0 lead through the first four innings. Francis Martinez hit an opposite-field, two-run home run to left in the bottom of the second. Tristen Carranza added a solo shot in the third. Then Liover Peguero hit a triple in the fourth. When Dominic Canzone grounded out to the pitcher, the young shortstop broke for home and scored what turned out to be the deciding run.
Osprey starter Tyler Poulin did not give up a hit through the first four innings. Then Jose Verrier put the Owlz on the board with a solo home run. Adrian Rondon and Johan Sala each added home runs in the seventh to bring Orem back within one run. But Mailon Arroyo shut down any comeback, retiring the last five Owlz to end the game.
The Osprey have now won the first two games of a series against the struggling Owlz. Game 3 of the four-game set starts at 7:05 p.m. Friday.
