5-Run 9th Leads Missoula Past Glacier Wednesday

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads would trail for a large chunk of the night Wednesday in game 2 of a 3 game set opposite the Glacier Range Riders. After being held off the board in game 1, Glacier would immediately find the scoreboard in their half of the 1st. The Range Riders would also tally 6 runs over the first 5 innings to grab more momentum. Glacier also turned away numerous PaddleHeads rallies strainding 9 runners on the bases. Going into the top of the 9th, Missoula would trail by 2 runs. No team had defeated Glacier this season when trailing in the 9th inning. Thanks to a few huge swings, that trend would be turned on its head. 

Roberto Pena would launch a game tying home run to kick off a 5-run rally in the top of the 9th inning. Adam Fogel would then give Missoula the lead 2 batters later, hitting a home run of his own to make the score 7-6. Despite getting more insurance in the inning, this proved to be enough for Mark Timmins who shut the door with a save in home half of the inning as Missoula turned Glacier away in a dramatic 9-6 win. 

The PaddleHeads sent all 9 batters to the plate in their rally in the 9th. After a leadoff walk to Patrick Chung in the frame, Pena would launch his 2nd home run of the night to knot things up at 6. Pena would finish with 5 RBIs in the win as part of a 2-for-5 effort. Chung scored a pair of runs in the win finishing 2-for-4. Fogel would enter his at-bat in the 9th hitless and would choose the perfect time to find his swing. 

Fogel would launch a majestic drive over the left center field wall to give the PaddleHeads their first lead since the 3rd inning with a solo blast making the score 7-6. Fogel has launched 12 home runs in his last 13 games played overall. A PaddleHeads veteran would later give Missoula more breathing room. 

With 2-outs recorded, Cameron Thompson came up with a clutch 2-out single to right to extend the PaddleHeads advantage to 9-6 scoring Luis Navarro and Josh Elvir. Thompson finished his night 2-for-4. Navarro also continued his recent run of success at the plate in a 5-for-5 performance Wednesday. Navarro has tallied 7 hits to this point in the series with Glacier and has finished with 2 hits or more in each of his last 6 games played. 

The Glacier offense had the advantage thanks to extra base hits in the early innings. 4 of Glacier's first 8 hits in the contest would be doubles. A double to left center from Christian Kirtley also would give the Range Riders the lead first in the bottom half of the 1st. Glacier's offense would remain proactive in the innings that followed to keep themselves in front. 

After Pena gave Missoula a brief lead in the 3rd with his 1st home run of the night,  Glacier would immediately tie things up in the bottom of the inning. First baseman Chad Castillo would single home a pair in the frame to deadlock things at 3. Castillo would also score a run in the win as part of a 2-for-5 performance. Glacier would take the lead back and then some over the next 2 innings.

A single up the middle from Nick Block would give the Range Riders the lead back in the 4th to make the score 4-3. With 2 outs in the 5th, JD McGlaughlin would knock in a pair with a double into left center giving the Range Riders their largest lead of the night at 6-3. McGlaughlin finished the evening 2-for-4. This would also be the last time Glacier found the scoreboard as the Missoula bullpen stiffened down the stretch. 

Trent Anderson would earn the win for his work in the later innings. The rookie southpaw would not allow a run over 1 ⅔ while striking out a batter. Anderson has now worked through his last 5 innings scoreless. Mark Timmins would also earn his 1st professional save for his work in the 9th. Timmins struck out a pair in the frame allowing only 1 baserunner as the PaddleHeads came away with a dramatic win. Now Missoula will look to come away with 3 wins in as many nights on the road opposite the Range Riders. 

Missoula (39-11) will look to build even more momentum going into the upcoming homestand in game 3 on the road opposite the Range Riders (29-21) Thursday. After Thursday's contest, the next 9 games for the PaddleHeads will be played in the Garden City at Allegiance Field. The Finale at Glacier Bank Park in game 3 will begin with a 7:05 first pitch. Catch all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.