Clayton Cashes in as Glacier Bops Billings
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
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2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
BILLINGS, MT. – The Glacier Range Riders (24-15) will go for a series sweep tomorrow against the Billings Mustangs (18-23) as they took care of business Friday night at Dehler Park with a 9-4 win. Matt Clayton led the way offensively, going 3-4 with four RBIs, while Jonathan Pintaro picked up the win throwing seven innings and allowing just three runs.
The Mustangs tested him early, however, floating two runs across in the first and a solo home run in the third to get Glacier in a 3-0 hole. Starting in the fourth, the Range Riders were able to flip the script. When Dean Miller reached on a one-out walk, Ben Fitzgerald got him to third with a single then Clayton ripped a single to score Miller. In the next inning, Clayton was part of the biggest offensive outburst from Glacier. It started with a Nick Lucky double to deep center before he was carted home with a solo homer. A two-out error and a walk put Fitz and Miller aboard for a rocket into the gap from Clayton that scored both runners and put the Range Riders up two.
Clayton tacked on a sac fly in the seventh, but when Pintaro returned on 90+ pitches in the bottom of the inning, things got sketchy quick. Two singles and a walk stuffed the bases for Pintaro before he pulled a magic act to escape the jam with a strikeout before a 5-4-3 double play turned by the defense.
In the eighth, the Range Riders for the second straight night, put the game out of reach. Sam Linscott and Lucky walked before Mason Dinesen drove them home on a double, then a wild pitch eventually scored Jackson Raper. John Natoli pitched a scoreless ninth, before Ryan Cloude slammed the door with one unearned run crossing in the ninth.
Glacier has officially clinched their second straight series win in Billings after only winning one game total in Dehler Park last year, as well as the 17th comeback win of the season for the squad, surpassing their total from the entirety of the 2022 campaign.
The Range Riders go for the sweep tomorrow, with a chance for their first road sweep of the year. First pitch in Billings is set for 6:35 PM from Dehler Park. Listen live at 1240 AM, 102.7 FM or SAM1240.com.