Raptors on top of it again, beat Owlz in home opener

OGDEN — The 2005 Pioneer League season is only five games old, but for the Ogden Raptors it's seemed like much more, since they have played all five games against the Orem Owlz.

With their success against the Owlz, the Raptors wouldn't mind playing them more.

In their home opener Saturday night, the Raptors moved above .500 in the young season with a 5-1 victory over the Owlz (2-3).

"It' great when it's your home opener, and you get a win," Ogden manager Juan Bustabad said.

The Raptors played their best game of the season to date last Tuesday with a 7-0 win, but Saturdays victory was a close second.

Three Raptors pitchers combined to allow just nine hits and strike out eight, while offensively, the Raptors pounded out 12 hits in earning the four-run victory.

"It all starts with the starter. (David) Pfeiffer did a great job by giving us 4 1/3," Bustabad said.

Pfeiffer, in his first start of the year, allowed five hits and stuck out two but didn't throw the minimum five innings to earn the win.

Nathan Hochgesang threw 2 2/3 innings and allowed just two hits and fanned four in earning the victory. Jordan Pratt, who is moving from the starting rotation to the bullpen, gave up just two hits in the final two innings.

The Raptors scored a run in each of the first three innings. Jesus Soto, who doubled in the first inning, scored on wild pitch. Juan Apodaca homered in the second inning, and Russ Mitchell delivered a sacrifice fly in the third to post Pfeiffer to the early lead.

Pfeiffer worked out of a jam in the second inning and stranded Orem runners on second and third.

He gave up his only run in the fourth before giving way to Hochgesang.

Ogden added two more insurance runs in the sixth inning on a ground out by BJ Richmond and a fielders choice out by Juan Rivera.

All but two Ogden hitters had at least one base knock each. Five had two hits each.

Orems Brendan Wilson suffered the loss—his first of the year—by giving up eight hits and three runs (all earned).

Reliever Stephen Marek was touched up for two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.

The first four games against the Owlz were played in Orem, and they will close out the two-game series in Ogden today at 4 p.m.

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E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com