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PL Rocky Mountain Vibes

Knock out Victory Ends Marathon Game

July 2, 2023 - Pioneer League (PL)
Rocky Mountain Vibes News Release


GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The longest game of the season for the Rocky Mountain Vibes was a drama-filled contest that saw the team win their first Knock-Out Round by the score of 12-12, 1-0 in KO Round 2.

In a game of three acts and an encore, the Vibes broke out big early. Three runs crossed the plate for Rocky Mountain in the top of the first, with Dusty Stroup and Elvis Peralta supplying timely RBI hits.

Three more runs were put up on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Two RBI triples by Joe Encarnacion and Stroup added one each and an RBI single by Edmond Americaan brought in the third.

Christian Day was cruising through the Jackalopes batting order and enjoyed a 7-1 lead going into the sixth. Then came act two.

A two out error in the sixth allowed Grand Junction to keep batting, and boy would they. The next five batters all reached base off Day and reliver Jackson Cunningham. The big hit of the inning was a Joe Johnson bases-clearing double; in total six scored to tie the game at 7-7.

In the top of the seventh, Vibes catcher David Martinez got his first hit for the club, and it left the yard. It was a lead once more, now at 8-7.

Rafael Kelly came out of the 'pen in the bottom of the inning and immediately got into some trouble. He allowed a leadoff double, one that would come around to score three batters later. Three more batters later three more runs would score, giving the Jackalopes an 11-8 lead. Then, at the end of the inning the benches cleared, likely as a reaction of yelling and gesturing between Kelly and the GJ dugout. Luckily, the incident did not erupt into a physical altercation, but it did lead to a lengthy delay in the game.

The action had reached a fever pitch, but now it was time for the third act.

Three walks and a double had a run in and the bases loaded for the Vibes in the top of the eighth, now at an 11-9 score. Ethan Lopez was called on off the bench to pinch hit against Jackalopes closer Diego Jordan. The at-bat was a power matchup, with a number of fastballs fouled back to the screen on big swings from Lopez. Then, Lopez sent a ball fair down the right field line that the right fielder took a poor angle on, leading all runners to score on a bases-clearing triple.

It was the Vibes with the lead back at 12-11.

In the bottom of the inning Chris Macca took over and showed iffy control from the get-go. Grand Junction had the bases loaded with one out. Austin Shumaker hit a fly ball to right field, not too deep to Steve Barmakian who threw out the third base runner at the plate to end the inning with the lead intact.

Macca would walk another tightrope in the ninth. Back-to-back hits with one out by the Jackalopes tied the game and the potential winning runner stood at second. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Macca was starting out most hitters with ball one, but was able to get the next hitter Anthony Ray to strike out. Now with two outs, Matt Wong lined a ball to first which was speared by Casey Petersen who ran to the bag for the final out.

The encore is now upon us, and you guessed it - the first Knock Out Round for the Vibes this season. With the game tied up at 12, David Martinez was the first man to bat, a bit of a surprise pick to start things out. He got one ball out of six swings over the wall. Ron Washington Jr. had the same result as Martinez (although he got VERY close to a second) and it went to a second round.

Jacob Cruce was chosen as the second batter and came up with no home runs. Vibes home run leader Dusty Stroup ended the game with his second swing, winning the game 12-12 (1-0).

The game was as long as this article is.

The Vibes won their third straight series and now they go for their first sweep of the season tomorrow at 2:05pm.

Check out the Rocky Mountain Vibes Statistics



Pioneer League Stories from July 2, 2023


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