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Great Falls Voyagers 12, Grand Junction Rockies 9
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Lenyn Sosa: 2-for-6, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Romy Gonzalez: 3-for-6, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K
Bryce Bush: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Amado Nunez: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Ryan Fitzpatrick: 3-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K **MVP**
Gunnar Troutwine: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K
Jason Bilous: 1⁄3 IP, 0 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 K
The Voyagers got out to a lead in a big way in the first inning, and the major prospects were the catalysts in Game 1 of the championship series.
BAM! The @gfvoyagers score five in the 1st for a 5-0 lead. Bryce Bush with a three-run HR in the frame on a line shot to left-center.
— Great Falls Voyagers (@gfvoyagers) September 12, 2018
Romy Gonzalez drove in the first run of the game with a single, but then Bryce Bush came up with the big hit, hammering a three-run homer just after Gonzalez’s RBI single. Finally, Gunnar Troutwine capped off the first with an RBI double, to make it 5-0. Alas, Jason Bilous could not even last the bottom of the first inning, as he gave three runs back — thanks to four walks.
However, the first innings was just the start of an offensive explosion for the Voyagers. In the second, they scored five more runs, but with a little less prospect fanfare. Amado Nunez started the second barrage with an RBI, as well as Bryan Connell. Ryan Fitzpatrick took one from the Bush bag and hit a three-run homer himself to cap off the inning, making it 10-3 after 1 1⁄2 innings.
The Voyagers offense decided to take a break for the next few innings, unlike Grand Junc’s. The Rockies came back to make it a two-run game after a five-run third inning. Carter Love allowed four of those runs in the third. The Rockies tacked on another run in the sixth inning to reduce the Voyagers lead to one.
BOOM! Fitzpatrick with a his 2nd HR of the night, crushed deep to left leading off the 7th. The @gfvoyagers add another run later in the inning on a balk. It's 12-9 going B7.
— Great Falls Voyagers (@gfvoyagers) September 12, 2018
Then, Fitzpatrick happened again. The 22nd round pick has shown considerable power all year, with an ISO at .198 along with six home runs in just 41 games, and he added two more on Tuesday. The balk that the tweet above was alluding to, scored Gunnar Troutwine to put Great Falls back up by three.
Nick Johnson was able to take over the game after that, with a six-out save. After his sub-one ERA in the regular season, he got the job done in Game 1. It was too exciting at the end, with the tying run at the plate, but Johnson got the save.
Game 2 is on Thursday; the starters have not been announced yet.