PL Idaho Falls Chukars

Battle of Early Draft Picks Won by Grand Junction

Published on July 31, 2014 under Pioneer League (PL)
Idaho Falls Chukars News Release


GRAND JUNCTION, CO -- The headline entering Thursday's game was the profile of the two starting pitchers. Chukars arm Eric Skoglund built a resume at the University of Central Florida that made him worthy of the Royals third round draft choice. The left-hander was overshadowed by another lefty, the 8th overall draft pick Kyle Freeland. The Evansville product comes out the winner in a Grand Junction 8-5 victory.

Freeland (1-0) laid down the law after allowing a leadoff single to Brandon Downes. The left-hander retired the next eight Chukars (21-22, 1-4) in order, including his college teammate Kyle Pollock, who was Freeland's catcher at Evansville. Pollock got to face his former batterymate in the fourth inning, and roped a double to right field. That put runners at second and third base with nobody out. Kyle Freeland got the last laugh by escaping the frame without any of those runners coming home. The Denver native went five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.

Eric Skoglund (0-2) was not as fortunate for Idaho Falls. Thanks largely to three errors in his three innings of work, the Rockies (26-17, 3-2) made the left-hander struggle through his frames. Forrest Wall began Grand Junction's offense with a single to right, and Brawlun Gomez struggled to deliver the ball back to the infield, for his first of two errors. Another error on Jecksson Flores allowed the first run of the game to score in the first inning. With two outs, Kevin Padlo singled to left to give the Rockies the 3-0 lead.

Skoglund allowed a home run to Forrest Wall to put the Rockies ahead 4-0. The University of Central Florida product lasted three innings, allowing those four runs, with just one of them being earned.

Idaho Falls committed a season high four errors in the loss. Sugar Ray Marimon and Mariel Checo made their 2014 Idaho Falls debuts out the bullpen for the Chukars. Marimon went three innings, and allowed just one run, while Chero retired the only batter he faced.

Two triples in the ninth inning for Idaho Falls were a part of a three run inning, but it wasn't enough to avoid the fifth loss in the last six games. The Greybirds have lost four in a row away from home.

The Chukars and the Rockies continue the four game series at Sam Suplizio Field tomorrow. Jake Newberry is scheduled to throw for Idaho Falls.

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