Osprey Preview: Game #59

Mick Tidrow
Aug 24, 2017 · 4 min read
(Patrick Record) Short stop Brandon Leyton, who homered on Tuesday, makes a nice throw during a game in Missoula.

Who: Helena Brewers (21–37 | 6–14) at Missoula Osprey (27–31 | 8–12)

Where: Ogren Park at Allegiance Field — Missoula, MT

When: 7:05 P.M. (MT) first pitch

How To Listen: ESPN 102.9 FM | MiLB First Pitch App| MiLB.com

THE MATCHUP

The O’s have enjoyed themselves in head-to-head action against Helena this season, posting a record of 6–4. Of those 10 games, the Osprey and Brewers have played 7 times in Missoula, where the Osprey are 5–2 against Helena. All-time, Helena owns a 140–128 advantage over Missoula.

LAST NIGHT

Designated hitter Gavin Stupienski fell a triple short of the cycle and the Missoula Osprey (8–12 | 27–31) used a five-run fourth inning to win their third consecutive game, outlasting the Helena Brewers (6–14 | 21–37) by a final score of 8–4 at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field on Tuesday night.

The Osprey lunged to an early 1–0 lead on a solo home run by Stupienski in the second inning, clearing the right field wall. Two innings later, the Brewers lunged back with a home run of their own, a two-run shot by K.J. Harrison to right field, sinking the Osprey to a 2–1 deficit.

Harrison’s homer was the only notable blemish on the resume of Osprey starter Brady Muller, who earned his fourth win of the season. In five innings of work, Muller surrendered only two runs (both earned) on five hits and a walk, while striking out five batters.

After Harrison’s home run, Missoula exploded for five runs in the home half of the fourth to claim a 6–2 lead. Brandon Leyton opened the inning by reaching on an error before advancing to second base on a single from Gabriel Maciel. After a sacrifice bunt from Keshawn Lynch, Joey Rose lined a double into left field to score a pair of runs. Juan Araujo added an RBI-double, followed shortly after by a two-run double by Stupienski.

In the bottom of the sixth, Dominic Miroglio knocked home a run on a single and, in the next half inning, Leyton swatted a solo homer to left to push Missoula ahead 8–2. Despite surrendering three runs in four innings collectively, the Osprey bullpen finished the victory.

The win was Missoula’s third in as many nights, matching their longest winning streak of the season.

TONIGHT:

The Osprey meet the Helena Brewers for the second installment of a brief two-game home stand on Wednesday night. Winners of three consecutive ballgames, the Osprey own the opportunity to win four straight games for the first time this year. Previously, the O’s have won three straight on two separate occasions, both during the first half. Missoula has not won more than three in a row since the 2016 squad reeled off five straight win from August 18–22.

The Osprey enter play having hit six home runs spread across their last three games, including two each night. On the mound for Missoula will be right-hander Edgar Martinez, the youngest member of the O’s starting rotation. After spending the bulk of the season in the AZL, Martinez enters Wendesday in line for his third start of the season.

In his last time out, Edgar struggled to keep the ball in the yard, surrendering five runs, all accounted for by a trio of homers. Miles Gordon homered to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Billings and Alejo Lopez added a three-run shot later in the inning. Two innings later, Martinez was knocked for a solo homer by Hendrik Clementina to round out his flurry of mistakes.

The three-homer performance by Martinez marked the fourth time an Osprey starter has surrendered three homers in a single outing, joingin Tyler Vail and Brady Muller (twice) as the only Osprey arms to do so. A positive note that emerged from Martinez’s last outing was his career-high four strikeouts.

NOTES

  • Entering Wednesday, Osprey hitters own the three longest hitting streaks in the league during the 2017 season…Andy Yerzy’s is active at 21 games.
  • The Osprey have given up the most home runs in the league, bounced into the second-most double plays, and have hit into the secon-most double plays.
  • Missoula is 16–10 when Keshawn Lynch starts at second base as his is on Wednesday…they are 11–21 when anyone else plays second.

Bird Droppings

)
Mick Tidrow

Written by

Bird Droppings

MLBlog

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade