Helena routs Raptors

OGDEN — The Helena Brewers scored early and often against the Raptors Monday night, winning 12-3 by hitting two home runs amongst 20 hits.

The Brewers would score in six of the nine innings.

"It was just one of those games," manager Juan Bustabad said. "It's only one game. You can't wrap your head around it. We just got to bounce back tomorrow."

Starter Marlon Arias was roughed up by the Brewers, allowing seven runs — four earned — on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in getting pinned with the loss.

The Ogden relievers didn't fair much better, allowing five runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

"We're playing a good team," Bustabad said. "They can hit. We've got to pitch better. That starts with the starting pitcher."

The Raptors fell to 15-12, but maintained their one-game lead over Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League South Division.

The division leader at the end of the first half of the season automatically makes the playoffs.

"It's going to go down to the wire," Bustabad said. "Anything can happen. There's only 11 games left (in the first half of the season). We just got to get hot."

Helena jumped to a big lead early. Matt Gamel singled and Kenny Holmberg followed with a double to drive in three runs in the first inning.

The Brewers followed with two more runs in the second inning on a solo home run by Ned Yost and an RBI single by Angel Salome to make the score 5-0.

Charlie Fermaint also homered for Helena in the fifth inning. Gamel would knock another batter home later that inning to put the Brewers up by a touchdown, 7-0.

The Raptors couldn't put a runner across the plate until the fifth inning until Russ Mitchell singled in Jesus Soto. B.J. Richmond added a sacrifice fly which allowed David Sutherland to score, making it 7-2.

Darren Ford would single in Yost in the sixth inning to make the score 8-2, then Gamel and Ryan Crew would drive in one run each in the seventh, giving the Brewers a 10-2 lead.

Ogden would score once more in the seventh inning when Mitchell drove in Soto for the second time on a ground-out to second base.

The Brewers would rally once more in the ninth on RBI singles from Ford and Salome, both with two outs, to make the score 11-3.