The Skinny:
The Osprey open up a nine-game homestand with a two-game series with the first-place Billings Mustangs. It is a key series for both teams, who will follow this series up with 14 games against both Ogden and Idaho Falls as the second South swing begins on Monday.
Last Time Out:
Jared Ray and two relievers combined to scatter seven hits and collect the second straight shutout by the Missoula Osprey pitching staff in a 3-0 win over the Helena Brewers in front of 840 fans on Thursday here at Kindrick Legion Field. Ray (3-4) went seven innings, allowing just four hits and struck out five batters to win his second straight start. Chris Thomas allowed just a hit and struck out a batter while pitching a scoreless eighth inning, and Justin Thompson pitched around two ninth-inning hits while striking out a pair of batters and earned his seventh save of the season. The Osprey scored first, breaking the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning as Pedro Ruiz singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a balk and scored on Jake Lamb one-out double down the right field line. Missoula added a pair of runs with single tallies in the eighth inning, on a Evan Marzilli run-scoring single, and in the ninth, on a Danny Pulfer two-out RBI double. Pulfer and Kevin Dultz each had two of Missoula’s 10 hits, while Breland Almadova, Ty Linton and Michael Perez added base hits for the Osprey.
Historic Series in Helena:
The Osprey pulled off a franchise first on Thursday night, logging its second straight shutout against the Helena Brewers. No other Osprey team, not even the 2006 squad, which statistically was the stingiest pitching staff in club history, could pull off that feat. The Osprey staff finished the Helena series on a 19-inning scoreless streak. It’s also the first time in club history that the O’s have been involved in three straight shutout games, the first of which was the Brewers blanking the Osprey. In August 27-28, 2008, the Osprey were shut out twice in a row, and in August 20-21 of 2006, the Osprey blanked Casper one night, only to have the Rockies blank the Osprey one night later. The closest occurrence was in 1999, when the Osprey posted two shutouts in a three-day span – August 6 and 8, which were 4-0 and 9-0 shutouts of Ogden.
On the Mound Tonight:
Missoula will send right-hander Ross Gerdeman to the mound tonight as he looks to get back on the winning track. Gerdeman (3-2, 4.39) has made two starts against Billings this season, and it was a tale of two different pitchers. In his first start of the season, on Opening Night, Gerdeman scattered five hits while allowing two runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings pitched in a win at Dehler Park. Gerdeman then pitched against the Mustangs at Ogren Park on July 3, and suffered the loss, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks. He has also committed all three of his balks this season against the Mustangs. In his last start on Sunday, Gerdeman allowed four earned runs (five total) on seven hits and a walk in a no-decision against Helena.
The Mustangs will counter tonight with right-hander Jon Moscot, who is making his sixth start of the season for the Mustangs. Moscot (0-0, 2.70) has been capped off at two innings in each outing, allowing eight hits and four runs (three earned) in 10 innings of work. He will be followed by Jose Amezuca (1-4, 4.91) who has allowed three runs in three prior innings of work against the Osprey this season (0-1, 9.00). |
Pitching Probables
Saturday, August 11
MIS RHP Chris Pack (5-1, 4.95) vs. BIL LHP Amir Garrett (0-0, 0.00)
Sunday, August 12
Off-Day
Mon.-Wed., Aug. 13-15
Osprey vs. Ogden
Mon. – RHP Karl Triana vs. OGD LHP Jake Hermesen
Tues. – RHP Yoimer Camacho vs. OGD RHP Lindsey Caughel
Wed. – RHP Jared Ray vs. OGD LHP Matt Laney
Thurs.-Sun., Aug. 16-19
Osprey vs. Idaho Falls
Thurs. – Ross Gerdeman
Fri. – Chris Pack
Sat. – Karl Triana
Sun. – Yoimer Camacho
(IF Starters TBA)
Stat of the Day:
Evan Marzilli was 0-for-4 on Thursday, yet jumped up to 4th in the Pioneer League in hitting. He’s tied with two others with a .354 batting average. |