Ghosts take series opening series against Ogden

The top of the Ghosts order did its job going a combined 9-for-17 in its 9-7 win on Thursday night over the Ogden Raptors, in a rubber game of a 3-game series in front of 1,034 fans at Mike Lansing Field.

Ogden struck first in the top first as Jake Lemmerman doubled with 2 down. He would score on a Mike Pericht RBI single up the middle to give the Raptors a 1-0 lead, but it would be short lived because the Ghosts came right back and put two runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning.

Cristhian Adames got it started with a 1-out single, and Ryan Casteel reached on an error to give the Ghosts runners at first and second. Adames would score on an RBI by Jordan Ballard, and Casteel would score on a fielder’s choice to give the Ghosts a 2-1 lead.

The Raptors would stage another 2-out rally against Ghosts starter Albert Campos in the fourth. Jonathan Garcia doubled, and was brought home by Jesse Bosnik to tie the game at 2, but once again, the Ghosts would strike back with another big inning in the bottom of the fourth.

Ballard started the inning with a double, he was moved over to third on ground out. He would score when Robert De La Cruz reached on an error. De La Cruz would move up to second after a Jeff Squier walk, then Anthony Aguilera walked to load the bases. David Hernandez would pop out for out number two, but Rafael Ortega would get the job done and single in two runs to give the Ghosts a 5-2 lead.

Campos pitch five innings and allowed just 2 runs on six hits, but the bullpen faltered in the sixth.

Lemmerman led off the inning with a double. He would score on a 1-out double by Blake Dean, who would score on double by Garcia to cut the Ghosts lead to 5-4. Bosnik would walk, and then Steve Domecus would give the Raptors their third double, which scored Garcia and moved Bosnik up to third. Ogden would take the lead on a sacrifice fly by Casio Grider.

Once again, the Ghosts would answer with a four spot of their own, and grab the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Aguilera led off with a single, and would move to second on a passed ball, and get to third on a wild pitch. He would score on a triple by Hernandez to tie the game at 6, and the Ghosts would gain the lead when Hernandez scored on an RBI single by Rafael Ortega, who would move to third when Adames followed with a single. Ortega scored on an error, and Adames would score on a sacrifice fly to give the Ghosts a 9-6 lead.

The Raptors would add a run in the 7^th, but then Clinton McKinney came in and retired all five batters he faced, striking out the side in the 8^th. Coty Woods would pick up the save by throwing a scoreless ninth inning to give the Ghosts a 9-7 win.

Adames and Ballard each had three hits, Ortega drove in three runs. Lemmerman had three hits for the Raptors, as did Dean and Garcia.

The Ghosts hit the road for the first time in 2010 with a 5-game road trip starting tomorrow night in Idaho Falls. First pitch is set for 7:15. The Ghosts will play two in Idaho Falls, and then three in Ogden before returning home for a 7-game homestand.