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Birkins a Hard Luck Loser, Sox Fall 1-0

June 16, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release


The Sky Sox and Rainiers embroiled in the day's second pitcher's duel, Tacoma squeaked out a 1-0 victory with seven stellar innings from Yusmeiro Petit and Levale Speigner.

In a start oddly reminiscent of the doubleheader's first matchup, starters Petit and Kurt Birkins cruised through the game's opening innings, the game deadlocked at 0-0 through four.

Mike Wilson broke up the tie in the fifth, however, with a long solo homer to left. The shot seemingly benign at the time, it would be all the scoring Tacoma would need.

The Sky Sox would make a late charge in the sixth, however. Michael McKenry drawing a leadoff walk, Travis Metcalf grounded into a fielder's choice - reaching first while McKenry was called out at second. Reliever Speigner attempting to pick the runner off first, his throw sailed high, allowing Metcalf to scamper all the way to third. Omar Quintanilla grounding out to first in the next at-bat for out number two, Chris Nelson was able to coax a nine-pitch walk to extend the inning for Matt Miller. Miller, working on a 17-game hit streak after going 2-for-4 in the day's first game, was unable to come through, striking out on four pitches.

Birkins throwing a scoreless seventh, the Sky Sox took their last hacks in the bottom half of the inning.

Brad Eldred reaching first on a wacky error at third - a routine grounder ate up third baseman Jack Hannahan; Eldred barely beat out the play on a very late break after confusion whether the ball was fair - he was replaced on the basepath by Dexter Fowler. Fowler advancing to second on a wild pitch, Jay Payton advanced the runner to third on a deep fly to center for the frame's first out.

In the second consecutive inning, however, the Sox were unable to score the runner from third with one out - this time Cole Garner grounding out to third while Fowler stood idle on the bag. Mike Paulk falling behind 0-2, he admirably fought to keep the at-bat alive, ultimately striking out to end the game.

With the loss, the Sky Sox and Rainiers split today's doubleheader - the Springs falling to 31-35 while Tacoma improved to 33-31. Kurt Birkins (3-4, 6.69) took the hard-luck loss while Yusmeiro Petit (2-1, 6.00) took the win.

The two teams will conclude their series tomorrow before the Sky Sox play host to Las Vegas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

Notables:

- The Sky Sox and Rainiers both tallying singles on the first pitch of the game, both runners were out on the basepaths by the game's third pitch. Tacoma's Chris Woodward was forced out at second on a double play while Colorado Springs' Omar Quintanilla was thrown out attempting to advance to second on his initial hit.

- After Omar Quintanilla's leadoff single in the first, starter Yusmeiro Petit did not allow a hit until Jay Payton's one-out double in the fifth. The double was the only extra base hit of the day that was not a home run.

- Kurt Birkins' nine strikeouts were a season high by a Sky Sox pitcher.

- In both ends of today's doubleheader, the losing pitcher threw a complete game. In game one, David Pauley allowed two runs in 8.2 innings in a 2-1 defeat. In game two, Birkins lost 1-0 after allowing one run in seven innings.

- Both of Tacoma's runs in today's double header were the result of solo homers. In the fourth inning of game one, Brad Nelson took Greg Smith deep while Mike Wilson homered off Birkins in the second leg.

- Going 0-for-3 in the second match, Matt Miller saw his 18-game hit streak snapped. Miller concluded the streak having hit .429 (33-for-77). It was his second hit streak of 18 or more games this season, having strung together 21 consecutive games with a hit earlier this year.



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 16, 2010


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