The Billings Mustangs put the finishing touches on a successful homestand Sunday afternoon and at the same time built some valuable momentum for an upcoming road trip that could prove to be their toughest of the season.
Starting pitcher Jordan Smith was solid again and Drew Stubbs had probably his best offensive game of the season as the Mustangs defeated the Casper Rockies 9-2 on a hot afternoon at Cobb Field.
The temperature hit 100 degrees at game time, but the heat didn't seem to bother Smith or the Mustangs' offense.
Billings scored five times in the bottom of the first and Smith (2-0) shut the door on the Rockies for six shutout innings, giving up just three hits and no walks while striking out five. He lowered his ERA to 1.80 as the Mustangs won for the third straight time and concluded a seven-day homestand with a 5-1 record. One game was rained out.
"I was just locating my fastball a lot today," Smith said. "I didn't throw too many off-speed pitches, I was just working down and out with my fastball. I went in a lot with my fastball, too. So I was working both sides of the plate and it seemed to work for me today."
Stubbs, the first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds this season, entered Sunday's game with a .221 average. Batting leadoff for the second straight game, the speedy 6-foot-3 center fielder knocked three doubles and scored three times. It was his first multi-hit game since June 30, a span of 10 starts, and he bumped his average up to .247.
"I've been struggling a little bit as of late and the past few days I've been hitting some balls hard, it seems, right at people," Stubbs said. "Things haven't been falling for me. Today was a nice turnaround. Hopefully, it's a turning point in the season for me where I can get things back on the right foot."
Danny Dorn and Logan Parker added two hits each in the Mustangs' 12-hit attack.
Chris Valaika, batting third in the Mustangs' lineup, got the scoring started in the first inning with a two-run double to deep center, which scored Stubbs, who opened the the inning by getting hit by a pitch, and Billy Rojo, who had singled. By the time the inning was over, the Mustangs had batted around against Casper pitcher Ronny Lopez (1-4) with Chris Heisey, Parker and Justin Turner adding consecutive RBIs. Parker finished the game with two RBIs and Valaika drove in his third run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning for a 6-0 Mustangs' lead.
"Today we came out swinging, got ourselves the lead and all of a sudden put ourselves in a position to win the series," said Mustangs manager Rick Burleson, whose team won three of four from the Rockies after losing the opener Thursday night. "The kids did a good job. We got a great starting outing from Smith, enough offense and good base running today.
"We just have to keep it going. Idaho Falls is fighting for a pennant in the other division, so we have a tough five games ahead of us in the next four days."
The Mustangs, who have the Pioneer League's best record at 17-7, begin an eight-game, seven-night road trip tonight in Idaho Falls, which is 11/2 games behind South Divison-leading Orem. Tuesday sees the Mustangs and Chukars (14-11) play a doubleheader to make up for last Wednesday night's rainout. The Mustangs have had four three-game winning streaks, but have yet had a streak reach four.
"It's tough to beat a team three days in a row like we just did," Valaika said. "I have a good feeling going into Idaho Falls this next week that we'll continue playing well and hopefully we'll get that fourth (straight win) tomorrow."
NOTES: Smith didn't allow more than one base runner in any inning and only one runner reached second base. ... Rojo left the game after the second inning with a bruised hand. He's expected to miss at least a couple games. ... Continuing a season-long trend, the game was completed in a quick two hours and 25 minutes. ... The paid attendance was 1,948. ... Pitcher Rafael Gonzalez, who went 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in three games with the Mustangs before leaving to have a stomach ailment checked out, has been cleared to play. He's been assigned to the Reds' Class A Midwest League affiliate in Dayton, Ohio.
Published on Monday, July 17, 2006. Last modified on 7/17/2006 at 1:01 am
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