Ivor Hodgson
Second-year Chukars Ivor Hodgson and Tito Espinosa both turned in their best performances of the 2009 season in a 10-3 win in Missoula, Mont.
The left-handed Hodgson made his third start of the season Sunday and pitched five innings for the win. He allowed four hits and one run while walking two and striking out six.
Espinosa, the everyday first baseman, made the move to the cleanup spot pay off as he went 4-for-5 with a double and a ninth-inning, three-run home run.
Tito Espinosa
The Chukars struck first when center fielder Chanse Cooper collected his fourth hit of the season, a bases-loaded triple, to bring his season RBI total from one to four.
Idaho Falls tacked on two runs in the third and in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead before Missoula’s Ramon Castillo belted a two-run home run to left field. Espinosa’s three-run homer provided the final score.
Right-handed pitcher Scott Shimek made his first appearance since joining the Chukars last week when pitched a scoreless ninth inning. He gave up one hit while striking out two.
Shortstop Deivy Batista, who had a 16-game hitting streak snapped Saturday, singled in the third inning Sunday.
The win moves the Chukars to 12-5 and keeps them two games ahead of the Ogden Raptors in the division race.
Filed under: Game recap | Tagged: Chanse Cooper, Deivy Batista, Idaho Falls Chukars, Ivor Hodgson, Missoula Osprey, Ramon Castillo, Scott Shimek, Tito Espinosa
