Mustangs stay hot, beat Great Falls 8-4

Posted: Aug 5, 2012 5:30 PM by Casey Conlon - Q2 Sports

BILLINGS - The Billings Mustangs kept their title as the hottest team in the Pioneer League Sunday, using a 5-run 4th inning to beat the Great Falls Voyagers 8-4, and run their 2nd-half-best record to 7-1.

For the second straight game, the Mustangs fell behind 3-0 after Great Falls scored one in the 1st and two more in the 3rd. But the Stangs found life at the plate in a wild 4th. The inning opened with Voyagers batting coach Charles Poe getting ejected, which set the tone for Great Falls' demise.

Seth Mejias-Brean extended his league-leading hitting streak to 22 games with an RBI single that got Billings on the board. Later in the frame, with the bases loaded, Fray Sosa reached on what was ruled a fielder's choice, after Voyagers third baseman Tyler Williams crashed into Daniel Pigott and shortstop Justin Jirschele couldn't get Zach Vincej at second base in time. Mejias-Brean scored on the play to make it 3-2.

Voyagers manager Ryan Newman came out to argue for runner's interference, and was also ejected by the umpire crew. Then Jon Matthews delivered the big blow, a bases-clearing triple to dead center, his first of the season, and suddenly the Mustangs led 5-3.

Great Falls cut it to 5-4 in the 6th, but Billing got the run back in the bottom half of the inning, and Carlos Sanchez doubled the advantage with a 2-run homer, his 6th, in the bottom of the 7th.

Erik Miller got his first win as a Mustangs, and Joel Bender got his second hold of the season, pitching 3.1 innings in relief, giving up just one run while striking out five.

The Mustangs will go for the sweep tomorrow at 7:05 pm. The Voyagers are still looking for their first win of the 2nd half after winning the first half title. They are now 0-8.