Sky Sox break out of slump, thump Portland 11-4
August 31, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL) - Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox rode Matt Murton's hot bat to an 11-4 thumping of the Portland Beavers on Monday evening at Security Service Field in front of 1,778 fans.
After suffering through a very rough stretch in the last nine days and losing seven of eight games and their 7.5 game divisional lead, the Sky Sox broke out of their funk by knocking out 14 hits off Portland hurlers Josh Banks (7-7), Walter Silva and Eulogio De La Cruz. The star on the night was Murton who finished the night going 3-for-5 with two homers, three runs scored and six RBIs. His six RBIs were one short of his season-high of seven that he recorded on June 19 at Fresno.
The big offensive night started early for the Sox as they plated two runs in the first and second innings. Murton got things started in the first with an RBI single and later scored on a Christian Colonel single. In the second, Jonathan Herrera doubled in Sal Fasano and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Mike McCoy.
That four run lead would be short lived however as Portland struck for four runs of their own in the fourth. Sky Sox starter Adam Eaton was perfect through the first three innings of the contest but then gave up six hits and four runs in the frame to tie things up. That would be as close as the Beavers would get though.
Colorado Springs erupted in the fifth for four runs and three more in the seventh highlighted by a Murton three-run homer in the fifth and two-run bomb in the seventh.
Eaton picked up the win for the Sox after working six innings and giving up four runs on nine hits. Banks was tagged with the loss after surrendering eight runs over five innings. Scott Munter worked three scoreless innings to finish off the game and notch his first save of the season.
Game two of the four-game series with Portland is set for tomorrow night at 6:05 PM. The Sky Sox will be sending out RH Esmil Rogers (1-5, 8.51) to face RH Josh Geer (2-4, 4.89).
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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 31, 2009
- Seventh-inning rally helps 'Topes derail Express, 6-4 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Sky Sox break out of slump, thump Portland 11-4 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
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- Murton ends Sky Sox skid with two homers, six RBI - Portland Beavers
- OKC tops New Orleans, 9-4 - Oklahoma City Dodgers
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- John Bowker named to All-PCL Team - Fresno Grizzlies
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- PCL Names Players of the Week - PCL
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- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Dodgers
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- 2009 All-PCL Team Announced - PCL
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