Tough-luck Owlz down 1-0

OREM — If the Orem Owlz are going to win their fourth Pioneer League championship, they'll have to win two straight games this weekend in Montana.

Leading 5-1 heading into the eighth Thursday night at Brent Brown Ballpark, the Owlz bullpen gave up three runs to Missoula in the eighth and another three in the ninth to fall to the Osprey 7-6 in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.

The three runs Missoula scored in the ninth are runs the Owlz won't soon forget as they were one strike away from hitting the road with a 1-0 series lead. But with two outs and on a 1-2 pitch from Orem reliever David Carpenter, league RBI leader Bobby Stone yanked a low fastball over the right-field fence for a three-run shot that stunned the home crowd.

After delivering the key blow at the dish, Stone then made the defensive play of the game in Orem's half of the ninth to preserve Missoula's comeback victory.

In Orem's final at bat, Carlos Ramirez drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a liner to the right-field gap by Dillon Baird. But Stone was able to cut off the liner on a couple of bounces and hold Baird at first on what looked like a sure double, which proved to be vital two batters later.

Ramirez scored on Casey Haerther's 400-foot sacrifice fly to center, but because Baird was unable to advance to second he failed to score on Michael Wing's line single to center. Both Wing and Baird were stranded when Terrell Alliman flew out to center to end the game.

"That home run didn't lose the game," Owlz manager Tom Kotchman said "We had chances."

The Owlz got on the board first, in the first, when Kevin Ramos led off with a single to right, advanced to second on Richard Cates' groundout and then scored when Baird slapped a two-out 0-2 pitch to center.

Orem had a chance to extend that 1-0 lead in the second after a single by Wing and double by Justin Bass put runners on second and third with no outs. The Osprey avoided any damage, however, when Travis Witherspoon struck out, Jon Karcich hit into a fielder's choice and Cates, after Ramos was hit by a pitch to load the bases, grounded out to short.

Missoula returned the favor in wasting a golden opportunity when it put runners on second and third with no outs in the third and failed to score. Owlz starter Patrick Corbin escaped the jam by retiring the next three via ground out, strikeout and pop out.

The Owlz widened their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Karcich's sacrifice fly scored Bass, who doubled for a second time, and Ramos tripled in Witherspoon.

The Osprey finally posted a run in the sixth when reliever Fabio Martinez walked Ramon Castillo with the bases loaded, but he avoided further damage by enticing first-round draft pick Bobby Borchering into popping out with the bases loaded.

The Owlz added two more runs in the seventh, to go up 5-1, on back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Haerther and Wing.

Those insurance runs proved not to be enough, however as Missoula answered with a three-spot in the eighth to cut the margin to 5-4, setting the stage for Stone's dramatic ninth-inning homer.

Game Two will be Friday at 7 p.m. in Missoula. Game Three, if necessary, will also take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field in Missoula.

e-mail: jimr@desnews.com