a Tony Coble de delivers in the clutch Two-out hit in 9th produces 8-7 win over Mustangs By TOM STUBER IR Sports Writer Tony Coble took the final hack at a deficit the Helena Brewers had been chipping away at all night and left the Billings Mustangs smarting on the wrong end of a 8-7 final score Wednesday night at Kindrick Legion Field. Coble's hack came with runners on second and third, two outs, and a 1-2 count, as he drove a shot over the outstretched glove of Mustang center fielder Dave Wheeler capping off one of the most dramatic games of the season for the Brewers. Coble said, "I just wanted to hit the ball. You get behind 1-2 in the count with the game on the line and you get real nervous. That's what I was, real nervous, scared I wouldn't hit it. But as often happens fear brings out your best and this theory applied to Coble on this •night. The Mustangs jumped all over the Brewers early on scoring three runs on five hits in the first and then following that with two more runs in the second, courtesy of a Roy Hammargren tworun homer over the right field fence and into the Memorial Park playground giving the Mustangs a 5-0 lead. Then the chipping began. Helena scored single runs in second, fourth, and sixth innings while starting pitcher Don Pruitt settled down and retired 12 of 13 Billings batsmen during the same stanzas, as Helena closed the gap to 5-3. Billings operated the hit-andrun play to perfection in the top of seventh. After Trey Wilburn singled, he advanced to second on Victor Perez' sacrifice bunt and then got a good jump from second while teammate Bobby Felotei was driving a ball into BAL back into first base in the third inning, but he was able Helena's Randy Hood injured an ankle going to stay in the game. (Staff photo center field to put the Mustangs up 6-3. Helena cut the lead to 6-5 in their half of the seventh on a pair of walks, an RBI single by Vince Castaldo, and a run producing ground out by Tim Carter. After Billings went up 7-5 by putting another digit on the board in the eighth the Brewers set for one last chiseling at the Mustangs. The ninth inning started quietly with Michael Carter popping out. Castaldo drew a walk on a 3- 2 pitch from reliever Mike Ferry by George Lane) trying to scramble back to third (2-5) and after Ferry after taking a wide turn, but threw a pitch into the advanc- threw the ball away from Kevin backstop, ing Castaldo to second, Tim Car- Jones breathing new life into the ter lined a single into left field making the score 6-5. Gordon Brewer After rally. Benjamin stole second Powell came on pinch-run uncontested, Coble launched his to for Carter and got winner, giving Helena its he barely his Glenn warm-up sent jacket base hit into center. 11th win in the last 12 outings. off before Leon game a Billings, 31-33, will be in town Billings let a golden opportu- for one .more game with the nity to win the game slip away 35-28. Game time is when Bob Benjamin a slated for 7 p.m. tonight at Kindhit slow Brewers, grounder to shortstop Keith Gordon, who flipped the ball to second baseman Felotei. Felotei had Powell nailed (More on BREWERS, page 2B) an overaggressive