Chukars Drop Close 6-4 Game Against Boise

BOISE, ID - Despite a great effort by the bullpen, the Idaho Falls Chukars (24-21) dropped a 6-4 defeat against the Boise Baconators (17-28) on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium. The loss ties the series with Boise 2-2.

The Chukars opened up the scoring in the first facing Gavin Gorrell (W, 2-3). Steve Barmakian doubled to left field to bring Hunter Hisky to the plate. Hisky hit a groundball to shortstop Trevor Minder, who fielded the groundball cleanly but airmailed the throw past first baseman Jacob Cruce into the Boise dugout which allowed Barmakian to score and make it 1-0. 

Boise countered against starter Nicholas Trabacchi (L, 1-3) in the home half. Two RBI singles from Raymond Gil and Cruce but the Baconators up 2-1 over the Chukars. 

The Baconators grew their lead in the second on an RBI bloop single to left center field from Haloa Dudoit to go up 3-1, and chased Trabacchi from the ballgame in the fourth on two RBI singles that made it 5-1. Boise's hitting lineup was able to light Trabacchi up for 11 hits.

Andrew Cartier made his Chukars debut in relief of Trabacchi, and got the Chukars out of the inning after walking the bases loaded.

In the fifth, Idaho Falls cut into the lead. Brendan Hueth reached first on an infield single that slowly rolled down the thrid base line, fielded by catcher Jordan Rathbone. Barmakian lifted a double in to left center field to score Hueth and make it 5-2. Hisky traded places with Barmakian, hitting an RBI double down the left field line cut into the Boise lead 5-3.

Cartier returned to the mound in the fifth and proceeded to toss a 1-2-3 innng, recording his first Chukar K. He followed up in the sixth by tossed another scoreless three up, three down frame t0 keep the score as is. Keagan McGinnis took over in the seventh and pitched the thrird conesecutive 1-2-3 inning, blowing away the last two batters on strikes.

Facing Michael Cabeza in the eigh, Jose Bermudez laid down a two-out bunt single to keep the inning alive for Jose Reyes, who drew a walk to put the potential tying run at first base. On the first pitch he saw, Eric Callahan connected for a single that bounced past Gil at third base, scoring Bermudez and making it 5-4. Boise reliever Noah McBride (SV, 3) took to the mound for Cabeza aqnd managed a lineout of Hueth to end the Chukars rally.

Boise scored an important insurance run in the eighth. McGinnis struck out the first two batters of the inning for his third and fourth strikeouts, before he surrended a double from Rathbone. Ryan Walstead tripled to right field to score Rathbone and make it 6-4. 

McBride worked around a two-out single from Calvin Estrada to end the ballgame and secure the win for Boise.

The series continues tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Idaho Falls will roll out RHP Joe Slocum (3-3, 6.05 ERA) and Boise's starter is TBD.