Sky Sox Walk off 8-5 in Thriller
June 18, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Colorado Springs Sky Sox may find themselves down, but they rarely find themselves out.
Will Middlebrooks capped a dramatic comeback with a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to give the Sky Sox a thrilling 8-5 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Friday night in front of a season-high crowd of 8,076 at Security Service Field.
The game didn't start as well as it ended for the Sky Sox. Omaha took the early lead in the first against Sky Sox starter Tim Dillard (4-0, 4.25). Jorge Bonifacio drove in a pair of Storm Chasers with a double, then Angel Franco singled to score the third Omaha run.
For Omaha, starter Miguel Almonte (3-4, 4.87) got into trouble in the third, as the Sky Sox put runners on second and third with one out, but Almonte got a strikeout and a pop up to escape the damage and keep his team ahead.
In the fifth, Omaha scored another run on a single from Bonifacio that scored Reymond Fuentes that increased the Omaha lead to 4-0. After the Sky Sox turned to Sam Freeman out of the bullpen, Travis Snider singled to score Hunter Dozier and make the score 5-0. In four and two thirds innings on the mound, Dillard allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out four.
In the seventh, Omaha loaded the bases with one out against Freeman. But the Sky Sox reliever escaped the jam by striking out Travis Snider and getting Angel Franco to ground out to third to get through the inning unscathed.
Freeman pitched two and a third scoreless relief innings for the Sky Sox, allowing just three hits to keep his team in the game.
The Sky Sox offense finally broke through in the seventh. Eric Young Jr. singled with two outs, and then Kyle Wren laid a bunt down the third base line. Omaha catcher Parker Morin fielded it, and his throw toward first base went array for an error that allowed Young Jr. to score the first Sky Sox run. Michael Reed followed with a single to center to score Wren and cut the Sky Sox deficit to 5-2.
Damien Magnifico came on for the Sky Sox in the eighth and pitched as scoreless frame to keep the deficit at three.
In the bottom half, the Sky Sox got closer. Garin Cecchini doubled off Omaha reliever Scott Alexander with two outs. The next batter, Josmil Pinto, blasted a two run home run to left field, his first with the Sky Sox, to cut the Omaha lead to just 5-4 in the eighth.
Magnifico returned to the mound in the ninth and again held the Storm Chasers scoreless. For the second time on the homestand, he ended up the winning pitcher thanks to his offense.
In the bottom half, Wren and Arcia started off with infield singles to get the winning run aboard. Then Omaha reliever Kevin McCarthy intentionally walked Wilkins to get to Middlebrooks, who provided the walk-off winner for the Sky Sox.
Wren and Reed both contributed three hits for the Sky Sox in their league leading 11th win when trailing after six innings.
Game three of the series between the Sky Sox and Storm Chasers will be a Father's Day matinee tomorrow afternoon. The Sky Sox will send Brent Suter (1-3, 3.90) to the mound. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. MDT at Security Service Field.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 18, 2016
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