Portland improves to 2-3 on its current seven-game, 10-day road trip with a win at Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah --- The Portland Pilots scored three times in the top of the ninth then withstood a Utah rally to win 10-8 in a non-conference baseball game Friday afternoon at Cate Field. Leading 7-6 heading into the ninth, Pat Geraghty and Travis Vetters each knocked in a run as Portland added some insurance to take a 10-6 lead. The insurance was needed as Utah scored twice, before UP reliever Austin Dirkx recorded the final out for his third save this season.
Portland improves to 4-13, while Utah drops to 8-9.
The Pilots wasted little time getting on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. After back-to-back singles to open the game, Jesse Rodgers knocked in Sean Nicol with a fielder’s choice. A few batters later, Geraghty brought home Rodgers with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 in favor of Portland. Utah answered with a run in the bottom of the first.
Portland then tacked on four more in the third. The Pilots scored on a passed ball and a bases-loaded walk before Andrew Wrisley brought home two with a single.
After taking a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh, Utah scored once in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull within one run at 7-6.
Portland then tallied three in the ninth, before Utah rallied for two in the bottom half. The Utes had the tying run on second when Dirkx got Mike Tummolo to fly out to right field to end the game.
UP freshman pitcher Blaine Hardy (2-0), who replaced starter Danny Meier in the third inning, went 4.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits to pick up his second win this season. Dirkx went three innings for the save.
Utah starter Josh Cooper (2-2) lasted just 2.2 innings as Utah used four pitchers in the loss.
Portland tallied 11 hits for the game and got two each from Vetters, Geraghty and Nik Kosach. Vetters hit his second triple of the season and also knocked in two runs. Geraghty and Wrisley also had two RBI’s, while Rodgers scored four runs.
Utah had 11 hits, while each team committed two errors.
The Pilots and Utes are scheduled to play the second game of a three-game series tomorrow at 12 p.m. (PST).
