Mustang shuts out Owlz

OREM — The Orem Owlz can't seem to keep a grip on that winning feeling.

After thumping the Billings Mustangs 13-1 on Saturday night, the Owlz on Sunday were looking for their first back-to-back wins since they won two straight on July 8 and 9. Unfortunately, they ran into the Pioneer League's hottest pitcher in Billings' starter Luis Montano, who grabbed his league-leading sixth win in a 4-0 Mustangs' victory at Brown Ballpark at Utah Valley State College. It was Orem's first time being shut out this season. It was Billings' fourth shutout.

Montano, a hard-throwing righty, held the Owlz to five harmless hits in five innings, striking out three and walking none. Whenever the Owlz did threaten, that's when Montano did his best pitching. Even though Orem put at least one runner on in each of Montano's five innings, only one advanced past second. Mustang relievers Jeremy Horst and Scott Gafney didn't pitch too shabby either, combining to allow Orem only two hits over the final four innings.

Even though hits finished even at seven for each team, the Mustangs made the most of theirs. All four Billings' runs came on solo homers. Each landed deep on the grass berm behind the left-field fence, and three came with two outs. Todd Frazier started the long-ball show with a two-out shot in the first, his first dinger of the season. With two outs in the fourth, Brandon Waring added a second solo blast. Brandon Menchaca ripped a drive down the line in the sixth to put Billings up 3-0, and Michael Jones finished the long-ball derby off with a deep fly in the seventh.

For Orem, Giovanatto singled with one out in the second to set up an early scoring chance, but was then caught stealing. Trevor Pippin singled with one out in the third but was stranded on second when Montano fanned Andrew Romine to end the inning. In the fourth, Gordon Gronkowski belted a one-out double to right-center and a two-out single by Giovanatto put runners on the corners, but the threat ended when Efren Navarro hit a weak liner to short.

Orem's seventh began with Giovanatto's third single of the game. Navarro followed with a deep drive to left field, but the blast proved harmless when Cal Jones grabbed the fly up against the wall. A 6-4-3 double play ended the frame. The Owlz threw one final threat at the Mustangs when Navarro led off the ninth with a single up the middle. Gafney quickly doused that flame with strikeouts of Gronkowski and Jeremy Moore, and then enticing a game-ending fly to center.

After splitting the four-game series with Billings, the Owlz (14-18) have three home games remaining this week against Great Falls and then three at Idaho Falls next week to wrap up the season's first half. Orem trails Idaho Falls by five games in the Pioneer League South Division.

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Owlz coverage

Orem Owlz management has backed down from its threat to deny media credentials to the Deseret Morning News if the newspaper referred to the UVSC baseball stadium as Brown Ballpark.

So the newspaper again is sending writers to report on some Owlz games.

During the time the threat was in place, the newspaper had elected to not send staff members to Owlz games.

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E-mail: jimr@desnews.com