(Mustangs media release)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado – The Billings Mustangs (13-19) were unable to win their third consecutive game, falling 7-2 to the Grand Junction Rockies (15-17) in front of 1,755 at Suplizio Field.
The Rockies jumped on the board early and never trailed in the game. Hunter Stovall tripled in the first and scored on the RBI single of Coco Montes. Daniel Montano later singled in Niko Decolati. Stovall would finish the game a single shy of the cycle, scoring three of the seven Rockies runs.
Bren Spillane delivered his third home run of the season in the second to get the Mustangs on the board. Spillane went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
It was one of just two hits Alfredo Garcia (2-3) gave up in the first six innings of his outing before being knocked out of the game after two batters faced in the seventh. He retired 12 in a row between the third and sixth innings to earn the win, setting a new career-high in innings of work.
Stovall homered in the fifth inning to start his game 3-for-3 and bring him a single shy of the cycle. He would get two more at-bats in the game, but would ground out and fly out to right to be denied the feat. The only player to hit for the cycle for Grand Junction in their brief history is Max George who accomplished the task in 2014 against the Helena Brewers at Suplizio Field. It was the second time this week Stovall had finished one hit shy of the cycle.
The Mustangs rattled off four straight hits to begin the seventh inning, but got just one run out of it; their final run of the game. Mariel Bautista went 1-for-4 with a run to extend his hitting streak to six games.
The Mustangs and Rockies will face off in the second game of their three-game series Thursday at Suplizio Field. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.
