Sky Sox Outlast Sounds in Tight 4-3 Contest
July 3, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Sky Sox would slide past the Sounds with a 4-3 victory thanks to big base knocks and a strong bullpen performance before a crowd of 7,377 at First Tennessee Park on Thursday night.
Neither starter made it past the fifth inning in the hitter-friendly contest with the two combining for 8.1 IP with 19 hits allowed.
Hiram Burgos benefitted from an early 2-0 after two innings of work as the Colorado Springs lineups worked Nashville righty Parker Frazier (1-1, 7.45) for five hits in their first two trips to the plate. An RBI sacrifice fly from Matt Clark to score Kyle Wren from third gave the Sox a 1-0 lead after one before Matt Dominguez, Robinzon Diaz, Pete Orr and Nevin Ashley opened the second with consecutive singles to extend the lead. Orr's RBi single drove home Dominguez to give Colorado Springs a two-run advantage.
Still holding a two-run Sox lead heading into the home third, Burgos would be touched up for three runs on four hits in the roughest frame of his young career with Colorado Springs. The big blow came on a game-tying, two-run blast from second baseman Joey Wendle. Former Sky Sox outfielder came up with an important two-out triple against Burgos, leading to a high-pressure situation for the right-hander in early going. Jake Smolinski grounded to Yadiel Rivera in the big RBI situation, reaching on the normally sure-handed shortstop's throwing error. The blunder handed Nashville a 3-2 lead after three in the Music City.
Burgos' evening was over after hurling 87 pitches over four frames of three-run (two earned) ball. The Sounds managed seven hits and two walks over those four frames while striking out twice against the gritty Burgos. Frazier was charged with four runs over 4.1 innings of work in his spot-start for the recently injured Sean Nolin. The Sky Sox got the best of Frazier in the hits column, collecting a whopping twelve of their fifteen knocks off of the Sounds starter.
A Robinzon Diaz double and Nevin Ashley RBI single pulled Colorado Springs even at three in the fourth before the Sox took the lead for good in the fifth. Frazier recorded just one out in the fifth, giving up four singles with the last being a lead-changing RBI single by Diaz. Logan Schafer crossed the plate on the play provide the Sox a lead they would not relinquish as four Colorado Springs arms combined for five scoreless innings out of the pen to maintain the lead and secure the one-run victory.
Ashley and Diaz each recorded three-hits, one RBI games in the strong offensive showing by the slugging backstops. Five total Sky Sox collected mutli-hit games in the 24-hit contest.
Ariel Pena (1-1, 4.22), David Goforth, Rob Wooten and Jaye Chapman held the one-run lead with scoreless outings for the Sox despite the efforts of the strong Sounds bullpen trio. Pena tossed frames, allowing just one hit while striking out three to earn the win. Chapman notched his fifth save of the season to improve the Sox record to 32-46 while dropping Nashville to 36-45.
Drew Gagnon (1-9, 6.82) and the Sox are back at it tomorrow against Barry Zito (5-7, 3.84) and the Sounds as Colorado Springs look to secure a series victory before travelling back home for a nine-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM MDT from First Tennesse Park in Nashville.
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