Raptors rout Orem Owlz for second straight night
Orem Owlz shortstop Livan Soto (7) beats the tag by Ogden Raptors third baseman Jefrey Souffront (29) after successfully stealing second and third bases during a game between the Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors on June 29, 2018, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Orem Owlz pitcher Jerryell Rivera (1) walks back to the dugout after giving up two runs and being subbed out for pitcher Anfernee Benitez (14) in the top of the first inning during a game between the Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors on Friday, June 29, 2018, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Ogden Raptors outfielder Niko Hulsizer (12) safely touches back to first base, evading a tag by Orem Owlz first baseman Tim Millard (39) during a game between the Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors on Friday, June 29, 2018, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Hootz, the Orem Owlz mascot, watches a game between the Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors on Friday, June 29, 2018, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Ogden Raptors manager Jeremy Rodriguez (7) blows a bubble in the top of the first inning during a game between the Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors on Friday, June 29, 2018, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Like a nagging virus, the errors continue for the staggering Orem Owlz.
Not coincidentally, so do the losses.
One night after booting the ball around for five errors in an 11-0 loss to Ogden, the Owlz were way too generous again in Friday’s 14-4 blowout by the Raptors at UCCU Ballpark.
Orem — which committed six errors — has now lost four straight to their rivals from up north.
The damage started early.
Starting pitcher Jerryell Rivera didn’t last through the first inning for the Owlz, which began the game with two throwing errors — one on a failed pickoff play — and two walks to load the bases with nobody out. A 4-6-3 double play allowed one run to score on a ground ball by Hunter Feduccia, and a double by Ronny Brito to center scored another for a 2-0 Ogden lead. Rivera walked two more to load the bases again and was relieved by Anfernee Benitez, who got a ground ball out to end the inning.
Orem got on the board in the third when Livan Soto doubled and came home on Kevin Maita’s single, closing the Ogden lead to 2-1.
That’s the way it stayed until the top of the sixth. Ogden broke the game wide open by sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring nine eight against three ineffective Orem pitchers. The top highlights for the Raptors included an RBI triple of the center field wall by Daniel Robinson, followed by Jefrey Souffront’s two-run homer to left and a two-run single by Ronny Briton.
By the time Austin Warren struck out Chris Roller to mercifully end the inning, Ogden held a commanding 10-1 lead.
Ogden’s James Outman — 0-for-24 this season from the plate — tacked on a towering three-run homer to deep center to push the lead to 14-1 in the seventh.
The Raptors (9-6) pounded out 12 hits, led by Brito’s 3-for-6, four-RBI night at the plate. Soto, Ray Rosario and Kevin Maitan all had two hits for Orem.
The Owlz (5-10) open a four-game home stand with Grand Junction on Saturday.