Offense goes quiet as Chukars slide continues

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — The Chukars’ troublesome July continued Wednesday night, with a second straight loss to the 11-win Voyagers.

Since the calendar turned to July, the Chukars (26-17) have won just two of seven games and dropped 1.5 games in the playoff race to a Missoula PaddleHeads team suffering through its own losing skid.

Following an 11-6 loss to the Voyagers (11-33) on Wednesday, Idaho Falls has lost three in a row, two at the hands of a Great Falls team that entered the series with just nine wins on the season, barely poking their collective heads out from the cellar.

The struggles continued for the beleaguered Idaho Falls pitching staff, which surrendered 15 hits and 11 runs to a squad still at the bottom of the league in team batting average (.263). And the Chukar offense, which leads the league in hitting (.377), could muster just 11 hits and six runs against a pitching staff with the second-highest ERA in the PBL (10.20).

During these recent struggles, even the defense had let the Chukars down — though they still boast the fifth-best fielding percentage (.966) on the season.

Starter Garrett Van Deventer (ND, 3,3) was tagged with eight hits and six runs in his 4 innings of work. Reliever Robert Hughes (L, 1-3) was first out of the bullpen, and served up another four hits and four runs in his 2 innings.

At 10-6 heading into the seventh inning, there was still more time for the Chukars. But the offense never could get things going.

Benjamin Rosengard, Trevor Rogers and Calyn Halvorson recorded two hits apiece — including a two-run first-inning homer from Rogers — but Idaho Falls put together just one sustained rally all game. The fifth inning featured four of the Chukars’ hits, and both of the Voyagers’ errors, leading to four runs. But that was it from the offense.

All but eliminated from contention for a first-half playoff spot, the Chukars will need a get-right game as soon as possible, should their potential postseason lives depend on their overall record.

The same two teams return to Voyager Stadium Thursday four game three of the six-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Current PBL standings
1. Oakland Ballers (33-11)
2. Missoula PaddleHeads (30-14)
3. Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers (29-15)
4. Idaho Falls Chukars (27-17)
5. Boise Hawks (26-18)
6. Ogden Raptors (25-18)
7. Rocky Mountain Vibes (22-21)
8. Grand Junction Jackalopes (19-25)
T9. Billings Mustangs (16-28)
T9. Glacier Range Riders (16-28)
11. Great Falls Voyagers (11-33)
12. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (9-33)