Last Time Out:
Josh Parr had three hits, Eric Groff hit his second home run in as many nights, and Justin Bianco collected two hits and three RBIs as the Missoula Osprey knocked off the Casper Ghosts on Sunday, 7-4, before 2,323 fans at Ogren Park Allegiance Field. Stephen Cardullo also had two hits for Missoula, who collected 12 safeties on the night. The Osprey jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind the pitching of Jesse Darrah (2-0), who allowed just three hits and three walks in six innings of work, striking out eight batters in the process. Osprey pitchers fanned 12 batters on the night, and have struck out 28 batters in the past two games. Casper (9-24) would rally against the Missoula bullpen, getting a run off of Frank Santana in the eighth and then three more in the ninth off of Matt Sample – the first earned runs he had allowed all season – but could not pull off any more dramatics, dropping their sixth straight game overall.

The streak continues … :
Eric Groff extended his current hitting streak to 12 straight games in style, again, hitting a second-inning home run to get the Osprey on the board. During the 12-game streak, Groff is 21-for-49 at the plate (.429), with five doubles, a triple, six home runs and 15 RBIs. Groff has also collected six multi-hit games during what is now his longest career hitting streak. Groff put together a 10-game streak from June 23-July 6 earlier this season. Groff, in fact, as collected at least one base hit in 24 of the 28 games he has played this season, and currently also has a 14-game road hitting streak.

Tidbits:
The Osprey remain tied with Ogden for the Pioneer League’s best record with the win. Both teams are 21-12, and both beat Casper seven times in the first half of the season … Missoula also now leads the league in home runs, with 42 roundtrippers on the season … The Osprey pitching staff also leads the Pioneer League in strikeouts (342). Idaho Falls is second (316).

On the Mound Today:
Missoula will send out left-hander Taylor Siemens, to the mound as they look to clinch at least a tie for the Pioneer League North Division First-Half title. Siemens (2-0, 1.99) has been very effective as a starter – posting a 2-0 record with a 1.56 ERA in his four prior starts this season – and okay as a reliever (3.38 ERA in two relief outings, including one against Idaho Falls). In July, Siemens has been better than that – 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, with all four runs (three earned) charged to him coming as a reliever. The Chukars counter tonight with a left-hander of their own in Brian Peacock, who has been a Jeckyl-and-Hyde pitcher against the Osprey in his two Pioneer League seasons. At home, he had a run of 10 consecutive no-hit innings against Missoula, which lasted until the fifth inning of his win on July 19. At Ogren Park Allegiance Field, Peacock (1-3, 1 save, 4.41) allowed four runs and 12 hits in five innings of work in his lone start in Missoula in 2010.