Wilber Go-Ahead Home Run Gives 'Stangs 9-8 Win

The Mustangs overcome a seven run bottom of the third inning for the Vibes, as Billings picks up its second road win of 2023. 

With the game tied at 8 in the top of the ninth, third-baseman Tyler Wilber hits his first home run over the right field fence. The opposite field blast would be enough for the Mustangs (15-17) to hang on.  

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning, with a double by center fielder Wyatt Crenshaw, who stole third, and Wilber hit him home on a groundout to the first baseman. Catcher Brady West would single, and first baseman Jason Ajamian reached on an error by the shortstop Elvis Peralta. West and Ajamian would score on throwing errors to make it 3-0. In the fourth, Wilber hit a double to score shortstop Mitch Moralez to make it 4-0. 

Mustang starting right-hander Jalen Evans ran into trouble in the bottom of the third, allowing four walks and four hits, with a total of seven runs on three different triples to give the Vibes (10-20) a 7-4 lead. 

The Mustangs picked up two more in the sixth, as designated hitter Jalen Evans led off the frame with a solo blast off the batter's eye, and second-baseman Connor Denning scored on a fielding error by first baseman Jacob Barfield to make it 7-6. 

In the top of the seventh, West would single for his third hit of the game, the second multi-hit game and his first three-hit game as a Mustang, and with two outs, Garcia hit a line drive to the center-fielder Brian Danserau, who tried to dive for it but couldn't make the play. West scored standing. Garcia received the wave-around from third to score an inside the park, two-run home run. The first time a Mustang had hit two homers in a game since September 3rd, 2022 against Ogden where the Mustangs won 16-4. The homer gave the Mustangs a 8-7 lead.

The Vibes tied it up in the bottom seventh, as Barfield led off the inning with a single off right-hander Tristen Hudson. Barfield would eventually score after a Danserau double, and a groundout to the first baseman by Peralta. 

Left-hander Hunter Schilperoort appeared in the bottom of the eighth and kept it scoreless facing the minimum three batters, which set up for the lead off top of the ninth home run for Wilber. Schilperoort again faced the minimum in the ninth to give the Mustangs their second road win of 2023. The Mustangs are now 5-2 in one-run ballgames. 

Schilperoort picks up his third win of the season. McLain Harris also tossed three and a third innings scoreless - a season high for him - giving up just two hits.

The Mustangs will try for their first road series win at 6:35 p.m. Thursday against the Vibes. Coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN910/105.5 FM or espn910.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloSports.