Sky Sox Fall 7-2 to Rainiers
July 17, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - For the third straight game, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox struggled offensively in Tacoma, as the Rainiers defeated the Sky Sox 7-2 on Saturday night in front of 7,203 at Cheney Stadium.
From the start, Tacoma starter Jarrett Grube (1-1, 4.62) was at the top of his game. Over the first three innings, he retired the first nine batters he faced before Kyle Wren drew a walk to lead off the fourth.
Making his second start for the Sky Sox, Aaron Wilkerson (0-1, 7.36) struggled early. In the first, Stafan Romero singled to bring home Nori Aoki with the first run of the game. Tacoma doubled the lead in the second on a single from Rob Brantley that scored Zach Shank to make the score 2-0 Tacoma. In the third, the Rainiers once again doubled the lead off Wilkerson as D.J. Peterson hit a two-run home run to increase the lead to four after three innings.
Colorado Springs got on the board in the fourth. With two outs and Wren on second base, Josmil Pinto lined a single to left to score Wren and cut the Tacoma lead to 4-1 after three and a half.
Another pair of Rainiers runs increased the lead to 6-1 and forced a Sky Sox pitching change. Austin Ross came out of the bullpen. Wilkerson finished with six earned runs against on nine hits while striking out five in three and a third innings. He suffered his first loss with the Sky Sox in the game.
A sacrifice fly from Wren scored Garin Cecchini and cut the deficit to 6-2 after four and a half. Then Ross struck out the side in the bottom half to hold the deficit at four.
For the Rainiers, Grube earned his first win of the season after allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out five in five innings on the mound.
Ross was strong out of the Sky Sox bullpen in relief. He pitched two and two thirds scoreless relief innings with four strikeouts to keep the Rainiers off the board. Brent Suter followed by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.
Tacoma relievers Kevin Munson and Charlie Furbush each pitched scoreless innings to keep their team ahead.
Rob Brantly homered off Damien Magnifico in the eighth to extend the Tacoma lead to 7-2 going to the ninth.
Rainiers reliever Guido Knudson pitched the final inning and two thirds to finish off the win for Tacoma.
The Sky Sox and Rainiers will play their final matchup of the season on Sunday afternoon. Jorge Lopez (1-6, 6.33) is set to get the start for the Sky Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. MDT at Cheney Stadium.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 17, 2016
- Reno 6, OKC 2 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Round Rock Splits Series with 6-1 Win over Sacramento - Round Rock Express
- Sounds Take Series But Drop Finale in El Paso - Nashville Sounds
- River Cats Lose Steam, Fall to Express 6-1 - Sacramento River Cats
- Isotopes Complete Sweep for Seventh Win in a Row - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Chihuahuas Win 5-2 Sunday to Avoid Sweep - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Redbirds Cannot Finish Comeback in 7-6 Loss - Memphis Redbirds
- Fresno 2, New Orleans 0 - Fresno Grizzlies
- Tacoma 7, Colorado Springs 3 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Bregman, White Homers Enough for Grizzlies - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sky Sox Drop Finale 7-3 in Tacoma - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Ninth-Inning Rally Sinks I-Cubs - Iowa Cubs
- Isotopes Walk off over the Redbirds for Sixth Straight Win - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Rainiers Down Sky Sox, 7-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Sky Sox Fall 7-2 to Rainiers - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Sounds Destroy Chihuahuas on Record-Setting Night - Nashville Sounds
- Stratton's Career-High 12 Strikeouts Shuts Down the Express - Sacramento River Cats
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