Moralez Homer Powers Mustangs Past Glacier

A four-run bottom of the 5th inning for the Mustangs sails Billings past Glacier for the first time this year by a final score of 7-6.

The win snaps the first nine-game losing streak since June of 2021 for the Mustangs (4-12), and it's the first come-from-behind win of the season for Billings this season.

For the fourth time in as many games in the six-game series, Glacier (10-4) took an early lead in the top of the 1st. Starting pitcher Jared Kengott sent down Glacier shortstop Gabe Howell on a groundout to Mustang shortstop Casey Harford. Unfortunately, Kengott beamed right-fielder Crews Taylor, walked center-fielder Kingston Liniak, hit third-baseman Jackson Raper with a pitch, and then first-baseman Edie McCabe grounded out to third-basemen Mitch Moralez, scoring Taylor to make it 1-0.

Glacier picked up two runs on two hits in the second, including an RBI single from Liniak, to make it 3-0, and scored another run on one hit in the third to give the Riders a 4-0 lead.

The Mustangs started the scoring off with a Moralez RBI single to score shortstop Casey Harford from second to bring the Mustangs within three.The RBI To the bottom of the fourth, after Kengott pitched his first scoreless inning, and with two outs,right-fielder Bryce Donovan hit a double off the center-field wall just underneath the 410-foot marker, extending his on-base streak to 12 games. Catcher Trevor Johnson sent Donovan home on the second pitch to make it 4-2.

To the 5th, and second-baseman Luke Fennelly struck out, but the ball escaped from the catcher, Matt Clayton, and Fennelly made it to first safely. Designated hitter Conner Denning singled to move Fennelly to 2nd base, then Moralez tore into a ball for a go-ahead three-run homer to give the Mustangs their first lead in five games by a score of 5-4. The home run marked the second time this year Moralez hit four RBIs in a game.

Two batters later, center-fielder Taylor Lomack sent one over the left field wall that barely cleared the fence for his first home run of the season to make it 6-4 Mustangs.

In the 6th, a first-pitch double from Johnson allowed Denning to make it to the dish, and he knocked in Johnson on the first Mustangs triple of the year to give the Mustangs a 7-6 lead. . Denning finished his night as the only Mustang to gather four hits on the season. The 4-5 effort also gives Denning his sixth multi-hit game of 2023.

Perhaps the biggest play of the evening came in the top of the 8th with runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. With left-hander Omar Sanchez already giving up one run on two walks and a hit, Liniak grounded to Moralez to sling the ball to second to Fennelly, who relayed to first-baseman Tyler Wilber in the dirt and Wilber managed to pick the ball for a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

To the 9th, with the score at 7-5, right-hander Nate Jenkins came to shut the door. After basehits from Raper and McCabe to start the inning, designated hitter Ben Fitzgerald grounded out to second. Clayton flew out to Lomack in center for a sacrifice fly to score Raper and send McCabe to third.

With the tying run on at third, second-baseman Mason Dinesen hit a chopping groundball to Moralez who delivered a dart to first to give the Mustangs a 7-6 win and snap the nine-game losing streak and gives Jenkins his first save of the year. .

Kengott tossed four innings giving up four runs on five hits, two strikeouts, three walks and two hit batters. McLain Harris (1-1) receives the win after appearing in relief for Kengott, tossing three scoreless innings giving up just three hits, no walks, and he picked up three strikeouts.

Glacier's Rob Hamby (0-3) picked up the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits, a walk and he struck out five.

The Mustangs host game five at 6:35 p.m. Saturday evening at Dehler Park with pre-game coverage at 6:15 on ESPN 910/105.5 FM or espn910.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloSports.