Taylor Magnificent in 7-1 Win

Grant Taylor spins eight fantastic innings in a 7-1 Mustangs win Thursday night. 

Billings has won five of their last six games since snapping a five-game losing streak in Boise last week. 

Taylor gave up just one run on three hits with one walk and a season-high nine strikeouts by a Mustangs pitcher. 

Dylan Leach gave the Mustangs the lead with a home run in the bottom of the second. 

In the bottom of the third, Dylan Leach scored on an error by the third baseman Raymond Gil, while Brendan Ryan brought home Gary Lora on a sacrifice fly to left to make it a 3-0 lead. Gabe Wurtz scored on a single by Casey Harford, and an error by the third baseman Raymond Gil to lead 4-0. 

The only run given up by Taylor came on a 1-1 fastball to Drew Brutcher in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-1 game. 

Billings got the run back in the bottom of the fifth after a leadoff walk by Wyatt Crenshaw. He went from first to third on a single by Jacob Kline, and scored on a balk by starting pitcher Chris Macca. 

Brendan Ryan hit his first home run in the month of August with one out in the bottom of the sixth, while Blake Evans brought Harford Home on an RBI double to take a 7-1 lead. 

From the time Taylor gave up the home run, he retired 11 of the last 13 batters he faced. 

He showed dominance all night tossing 23 of 28 first pitches for strikes. 

In the top of the ninth, Daniel Willie gave up a hit to Chris Sargent, but then retired the final two hitters. He recorded the final out with a come-backer into his glove at 92 miles per hour. 

Ethan Ross takes the mound Friday night as the Mustangs look to tighten their grip on the series lead. Coverage starts at 6:15 p.m. with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. on ESPN910/105.5 FM or espnbillings.com. You can also watch every pitch on FloBaseball.TV.