IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Chukars made it two wins in a row against the Ogden Raptors Saturday night with an offensive explosion.
The Chukars (19-9) gave the ball to newly added starter Jorge Romero. They also gave him a 2-0 first-inning lead when Spencer Rich blasted a two-run homer (9) two batters into the bottom half of the first inning.
Ogden (14-15) made a late push but fell well short, as the Chukars grabbed a 27-13 victory.
Romero (ND, 0-0) lasted just 3-2/3 innings, surrendering eight hits and six runs (five earned), and departed the game with his new club trailing, 6-5. Reliever Steven Ordorica escaped the fourth, an inning he entered with two outs and runners on the corners, without allowing any more damage. And the high-flying Chukar offense took over from there.
Idaho Falls scored 21 runs over the next three innings to seize complete control.
Joining Romero as the Chukars’ two new additions this week was reliever Dante Zamudio (W, 1-0), who made his PBL debut Saturday. The hard-throwing right-hander worked 2-plus innings, allowing four hits and one run — which scored after he allowed a lead-off single before being lifted in the eighth — as his offense emerged from its slumber in the middle innings.
With a massive lead, catcher Johnny Pappas came on to record the final four outs of the game.
Offensively, the Chukars saw several massive performances.
Tyler Wyatt, Garret Ostrander and Simon Baumgardt finished with game-highs of four hits apiece, with Wyatt adding three runs scored and four RBIs. Every Chukar started recorded at least one hit.
Rich’s first-inning homer gave him a team season-high total. Wyatt (4), Gabriel Vasquez (4) and Trevor Rogers (5) added homers of their own.
The Chukars will look to earn a series split with a Sunday finale, scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
Current PBL standings
T1. Missoula PaddleHeads (20-9)
T1. Oakland Ballers (20-9)
T3. Idaho Falls Chukars (19-9)
T3. Rocky Mountain Vibes (19-9)
5. Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers (18-10)
6. Boise Hawks (17-11)
7. Ogden Raptors (14-15)
8. Billings Mustangs (13-16)
9. Grand Junction Jackalopes (11-17)
10. Glacier Range Riders (11-18)
11. Northern Colorado Owlz (5-22)
12. Great Falls Voyagers (3-25)
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