The pitchers were dealing Tuesday evening.

Sam Lavin struck out 10 batters and led the Great Falls Voyagers to a 1-0 victory over the Glacier Range Riders Tuesday evening at Glacier Bank Field. 

Lavin went seven innings in his second appearance for the Voyagers (4-27), who picked up a rare victory. In his first start he allowed nine runs on 10 hits in 2 2-3 innings in a 15-8 loss to Boise on June 17.  

Lavin’s opposition — Range Riders (11-20) pitcher Grant Taylor — fanned seven in 5 2-3 innings of work. Nneither pitcher allowed a run. 

“Everything felt good,” Taylor said. “Fastball was working, off-speed was working and defense was working good too, they made some big plays.” 

Taylor’s outing marks another strong performance for the Glacier starting rotation, who now have three of the top four strikeout leaders in the league — Ty Bothwell leads with 44 while Taylor and Luke Schafer sit at 36, one behind Oakland’s Luke Short. 

“I think all of our starters are doing great; they are setting the tone and limiting the damage,” Taylor said. “We are a close-knit staff and everyone is enjoying the game.” 

Behind the pitchers were two locked-in defenses making key plays — like Kingston Liniak,  who made a sprinting grab in center to prevent an extra-base hit in the seventh. 

The lone run of the game came in the eighth inning. Trey Cruz tagged up after TJ Clarkson made a diving catch on a line drive to right from Anthony Swenda. Cruz was pinch-running for Jediar Hernandez, who opened up the inning with a double to the wall in left field. 

“As a team and as a collective we just have to work better together,” Taylor said on how the team will rebound heading into Wednesday’s game. “I don’t think anyone is worrying in (the locker room), we know it’s a long season, we got a whole second half and I think we are all thankful to be out here.” 

Behind the pitchers were two locked in defenses making key plays, like Kingston Liniak who made a sprinting grab in center to prevent an extra-base hit in the seventh. 

Glacier threatened in the third inning, after a walk to Clarkson and a single from Xavier Casserilla put two on. The Voyagers got out of the inning with a sliding snag from shortstop Kody Putnam, who just got the ball to Armando Albert for the third out. 

In the sixth, Great Falls looked to take the lead with two on and two out, but Luke Cooper — just in for Taylor — ended the threat by forcing a shallow pop fly .  

Great Falls had a chance to extend the lead in the eighth with runners on the corners and one out, but back-to-back strikeouts from Jason Franks closed out the inning. 

Glacier’s final hopes in the ninth went down in order as Beard struck out and Casserilla and Levari grounded out to end the game. 

The teams play five more games in this series. Wednesday’s game will start at 7:05 p.m. Sunday’s finale is set for 1:05 p.m.

Great Falls    000    000    010    -    1    4    0 

Glacier    000    000    000    -    0    4    1 

Sam Lavin, Nolan Pender (8) and Jediar Hernandez. Grant Taylor, Luke Cooper (6), Jason Franks (8) and Angel Mendoza. 

GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS — Emilio Corona 0-3, Anthony Swenda 0-2, Roman Kuntz 0-4, Tommy Specht 1-4, Frank Podkul 0-3, Freddy Rojas Jr. 1-4, Kody Putnam 0-3, Jediar Hernandez 1-4, Trey Cruz 0-0, Armando Albert 1-2. 

GLACIER RANGE RIDERS — TJ Clarkson 1-3, Logan Beard 0-4, Xavier Casserilla 1-4, Kenneth Levari 0-4, Kingston Liniak 1-3, Jack Lynch 0-3, Gabe Howell 1-3, Angel Mendoza 0-3, Kyle Ashworth. 

2B — Hernandez. RBIs — Swenda 

    Range Riders starting pitcher Grant Taylor (23) delivers in the first inning against Great Falls at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier second baseman Logan Beard (29) puts the tag on Great Falls' Emilio Corona (2) trying to steal second base at Glacer Bank Park on Tuesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier shortstop Gabe Howell (10) makes a play on a ground ball up the middle against Great Falls at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's TJ Clarkson (13) connects on a single against Great Falls at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Fans watch the action as Glacier takes on Great Falls at Glacier Bank Park on Tuesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider