Casper Ends the Laramie Rangers Win Streak

A six-run sixth inning was the difference for the Casper Oilers in their 9-3 victory over the Laramie Rangers Wednesday night at Cowboy Field.

Laramie led 2-0 before Casper scored nine unanswered runs and backed the solid pitching of starter Daultyn Rux, who went eight innings for the win on the mound.

Rangers’ manager Brandon Ruckman admitted Rux came through with a good performance.

“(He) just was pounding the zone. I think our batters did a great job of hitting the ball, again, we just couldn’t string together. We’d have one hit here and there. We had a couple hits in the second inning there, but after that, kind of just held us down. We were flying out, grounding out, just couldn’t find the holes today.”

Laramie out-hit Casper 11-to-8, but left 10 runners on base. Six of those were runners in scoring position.

Ruckman said, “We need to hit behind the runners a little bit better, drive those in. We did miss a couple signs, too, that didn’t help.”

Casper (7-9) got one run back in the third before they exploded in the sixth inning. The Oilers sent 11 batters to the plate that frame. They took advantage of an error, two RBI doubles, two more RBI hits, a walk and a hit batter.

Ruckman added that’s what happens when you have defensive miscues.

“It just goes to show you those errors really do matter. We’ve gotta keep from making those little mistakes, cause they end up hurting you. You can’t give up five outs in an inning.”

Casper scored two more runs in the eighth with an RBI sacrifice fly and an RBI double.

The Rangers were led by Blake Moore with two hits and two RBI’s. He had an RBI single in the second that gave Laramie a 1-0 lead and added an RBI double in the ninth. Michael Schutterle and Reid Baty added three hits apiece. Schutterle drove in the other Rangers’ run. Albert Steiner started and lasted five-and-two-thirds innings on the mound, but took the loss.

Laramie’s three-game win streak was halted with this defeat. The Rangers return to action Sunday when they host Rawlins in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. from Cowboy Field.