BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner
Ogden raptors pitcher Nico Saltaformaggio winds up to throw against the Oakland Ballers on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
The Ogden Raptors added another one to the win column Wednesday, rallying back early via Idaho Falls errors and winning late bullpen innings to claim a 12-7 win over the homestanding Chukars at Melaleuca Field.
The two teams finish the three-game set at 7:05 p.m. Thursday. Ogden (22-16) is 11-3 in its last 14 contests but remains six games out of first place with 10 games left in the first half as Missoula and Oakland, both 28-10, continue to rack up victories.
Idaho Falls (24-14) first baseman Benjamin Rosengard picked up all three of his RBIs early, including a two-run homer in the first, to put the Chukars up 4-0 through two innings against Ogden starter Rolando Gutierrez Rosario.
The Raptors eventually got the deficit to 6-5 when Idaho Falls committed all four of its errors over the space of seven batters in the fourth and fifth innings.
Ogden outfielder Kyler Stancato singled home Carmine Lane, who was the catcher Wednesday, to tie it 6-6 in the top of the sixth but Idaho Falls second baseman Garrett Ostrander put the home team back up 7-6 with a solo homer against Nico Saltaformaggio in the bottom half.
But after the error-fueled early rally, Ogden used four hits and a walk in the seventh to plate four and take control with a 10-7 lead. Chris Sargent started matters with a double; Kenny Oyama, Dylan Wilkinson and Damian Stone each added RBI singles, and Lane pitched in a sacrifice fly.
True Fontenot added a solo homer in the eighth and Stone a sacrifice fly in the ninth for the final score.
Ogden’s 7-8-9 reliever lineup did its job to hold the lead. Christian Ciuffetelli struck out the side in order in the seventh. Cameron Edmondson allowed a one-out double to Anthony Mata in the eighth but left him on second. Nik Cardinal, lowering his ERA to 0.92, issued a two-out walk but otherwise got three flyouts to end it.
Ostrander and catcher Johnny Pappas each hit 3 for 5 to lead Idaho Falls. Robert Hughes got the loss, allowing three of the four seventh-inning Raptors runs while recording no outs. Starter Garrett Van Deventer got a no decision, allowing five unearned runs in five innings.
Sargent and Lane each hit 3 for 4 at the plate for Ogden. Fontenot, Wilkinson and Connor Bagnieski each had two hits as the Raptors outhit the Chukars 17-12. Saltaformaggio got the win as the pitcher of record when Ogden took the lead in the top of the seventh.
