By Steven Barrus
The Provo Angels walked away from the Aug. 5 game against the Ogden Raptors with a 13-9 win, but it was anything but pretty.
In fact, sometimes it was downright ugly.
Although the Angels scored runs in all but one inning, the Raptors were rarely far behind. Even after a a five-run eighth, Provo was still in danger.
“We just needed to get a win,” Angels coach Tom Kotchman said.
The game didn”t look close early on. Provo”s first two batters hit a double and a triple, and the Angels jumped out to a 6-1 lead after four innings.
Even with the Angels” hot hitting, no lead was safe.
Although Provo totaled 16 hits, the Angels left 12 runners on base, six of them with the bases loaded.
The Raptors picked up three runs in the fifth, another in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
That”s when the Angels exploded for five in the bottom half of the inning.
But Ogden wasn”t through.
When the Raptors came to bat in the ninth trailing 13-7 things looked good for Provo.
The Raptors scored two runs with only one out, bringing them within a grand slam of tying the game, before Angels pitcher Justin Fuller got the final two-outs for his first save of the season.
Provo”s second victory in a row pulls the team to within one game of division-leading Ogden.
The Angels improved to 6-4 in the Pioneer League, while the Raptors fell to 7-3.
Provo”s 13 runs were the most scored by the Angels since a July 3 win over Idaho Falls.
Angels” second baseman Alberto Callaspo led the barrage going 5-for-6 with four RBIs. Callaspo was just a home run shy of the cycle.
Provo”s top three hitters accounted for ten of their team”s hits.
The combination of Callaspo, shortstop Erick Aybar, and catcher Alex Dvorsky have powered Provo all season.
“As they go, we go,” Kotchman said.
Angels pitching was hot and cold all game.
After giving up only one run in four innings, Provo starting pitcher Brian Williams surrendered three in the fifth to draw the Raptors within one run.
“I struggled in the fifth,” Williams said.
Provo got a scare in the bottom of the eighth inning when centerfielder Quan Cosby was hit in the hand by a pitch on an attempted two-strike bunt.
Cosby lay on his back on top of home plate hardly moving his fingers for five minutes while the trainer examined him.
He is doubtful for the Aug. 6 rematch with Ogden.
The Angels scheduled starter will be right-hander Leonardo D”Amico. He will be up against Ogden”s Manny Parra. Kotchman said Parra is one of the best in the league.
“We have our work cut out for us,” he said.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Miller Park.
