(Billings Mustangs release)
OREM, Utah – The Billings Mustangs (13-22) dropped their fourth straight game 7-6 to the Orem Owlz (11-24) on Saturday in front of 1,688 at UCCU Ballpark.
The Owlz would never trail in the game and jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, putting 10 batters at the plate in the second. Tim Millard led off the inning with a walk and would come up twice in the frame before being retired to end the inning. Mitch Spires and Cam Williams each had RBI singles for the Owlz in the inning.
The Mustangs pushed back to within a run by the end of the fourth. Carlos Rivero led off the third with a triple and scored on Zeek White’s RBI single. It was Rivero’s first triple of the season. He had two hits in the game for the fourth straight night and has matched the team’s longest hitting streak of the year at six games. Rivero then singled in a pair in the fourth to make it a 4-3 contest.
Trailing 6-3 in the top of the seventh, the Mustangs rallied for three runs with two outs. Pabel Manzanero doubled in Reshard Munroe to start the scoring. Manzanero finished 3-for-5, picking up three hits for the third straight night; he is 9-for-14 in that time. Drew Mount followed up with a game-tying two-run home run to right off Matt Eagle (2-0). It was Mount’s third homer of the year.
After the Owlz reclaimed the lead late at 7-6, Billings pushed back with a ninth-inning rally. With two men on, including the tying run at second, a double play ended the game leaving Billings a run short.
The Mustangs and Owlz will face off in the second game of their four-game series Sunday at UCCU Ballpark. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.
