Rylan Bannon hits a pair of threes, Raptors take a 1-0 lead

The Ogden Raptors took Game 1 of the Pioneer League Championship Series. That means both the Raptors and the Tulsa Drillers need to win only one more game to win their respective league titles.

Player of the day

Rylan Bannon was named earlier this week by Baseball America as their All-Star third baseman for the combined Rookie Leagues. During the regular season, Bannon hit .336/.425/.591 in 158 plate appearances at Ogden.

In Game 1 of the Pioneer League Championship Series, Bannon hit two three-run homers to provide nearly all the runs in the 7-4 win.

Double-A Tulsa

The Texas League Championship Series had their travel day on Thursday. They will play Game 3 at Tulsa on Friday with the Drillers needing just one win to win the title.

Rookie Pioneer - Ogden

The Raptors jumped out to an early lead and then held on to beat the Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox) 7-4 on Thursday. The win game the Raptors a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

The series will resume on Saturday at Great Falls with today being a travel day.

In the top of the first inning, Raptor starting pitcher Adalberto Pena stranded two runners and kept the Voyagers off the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the first, with two on and no out, Rylan Bannon hit a three-run homer to give the Raptors the early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Luis Paz hit a solo shot to make it 4-0.

Pena would give up a two-run homer to Nate Nolan in the fourth and he was replaced by Devin Hemmerich. Hemmerich would eventually get the win, he pitched 2⅔ innings and gave up one run, two hits and a walk. He also struck out three.

With the score 4-2, Bannon hit his second three-run homer in the fifth inning.

Zach Hartman, Miguel Urena and Justin Hoyt combined to pitch the final three innings and Hoyt picked up the save.

Transactions

Triple-A: Los Angeles sent right-handed pitcher Fabio Castillo outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Thursday box score

Game 1: Ogden 7, Great Falls 4 (Ogden leads 1-0)

Friday schedule

5:05p.m. PT: Game 3 — Tulsa (TBD) vs. Midland (Heath Fillmyer)