Trappers Homer Four Times but Lose to Sky Sox

May 24, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release


The Edmonton Trappers pounded out a season-high four home runs on Friday night in Colorado Springs, but still lost 10-8 to the Sky Sox, who drilled three homers of their own. The Trappers entered the game ranked 13th in the Pacific Coast League with 28 home runs. The club had homered just four times in the last six games and had gone deep only 12 times in 18 games in May. On the flipside the Trapper pitching staff had yielded just four home runs in the last 16 contests, none by the starters, who hadn't allowed a homer the entire month of May. Everything changed on Friday night in the thin air at Sky Sox Stadium as four different Edmonton players went deep and starter Sun Woo Kim (5-3) yielded a home run in each of the first three innings of the game. Despite the loss the Trappers remain only two games behind the Portland Beavers in the North Division of the PCL. Edmonton and Colorado Springs continue this four-game set on Saturday afternoon at Sky Sox Stadium.

The Trappers opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with a single run off left-hander Brian Looney (1-0). Scoring the first run of the game is usually a good sign for the Trappers, who are 16-7 when plating the first run, but on this night it wouldn't be to their advantage. Choo Freeman homered off Kim in the bottom of the inning, the first home run surrendered by an Edmonton starter in 19 games. Edmonton right fielder Valentino Pascucci homered off Looney in the top of the second inning, but first baseman Mandy Romero answered right back with a solo shot off Kim in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at two. Center fielder Terrmel Sledge put the Trappers back in front with another solo home run off Looney in the third inning, but again the Sky Sox answered back with a longball of their own. Third baseman Garrett Atkins clubbed his eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot that capped a four-run inning for Colorado Springs, who took a 6-3 lead after only three innings.

The Trappers tied the game with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth. Kim led off the inning with a double to right field and scored when second baseman Luis Figueroa followed with a double of his own. Figueroa was tossed out attempting to take third on a fly ball, but Sledge singled and first baseman Luis Ortiz homered to tie the game at six. Once again the Sky Sox had an answer for the Trappers. Freeman drew a walk to open the bottom of the fifth and eventually scored on a single by Atkins. Luke Allen plated Rene Reyes with a sacrifice fly that accounted for the second run of the frame and Romero knocked home Atkins to cap the inning. Randy Knorr hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to draw the Trappers within one run of the lead, but Reyes singled home David Newhan in the bottom of the inning to restore the three-run lead. Sledge scored the Trappers eighth and final run of the game in the seventh inning on a ground out by Edwards Guzman. Brad Clontz pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his ninth save of the season.

Highlights:

Trappers: Are 16-10 in the last 26 games and 3-2 on this road trip...surrendered 10 or more runs for the fourth time this season and the second day in a row...starting pitchers had not allowed a home run in 19 games (110.2 IP) before Kim gave up three longballs on Friday night...staff has yielded only 24 longballs all season, the lowest total in the PCL...are 10-15 on the road...Colorado Springs leads the season series, 1-0...Edmonton leads the All-Time series between the two clubs, 94-83.

RF Terrmel Sledge: Was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run and two RBI to extend his hitting streak to seven games...is batting .519 (14-for-27) with a home run and four RBI during the streak...began the night with a .439 on-base percentage.

Alumni Report:

3B Eric Chavez (OAK) vs. KC: Hit his ninth home run, a leadoff shot in the eighth inning off D.J. Carrasco, as the A's downed the Royals 4-1...scored two runs in the game and stole his fourth base...is batting .259 with 20 RBI.



Pacific Coast League Stories from May 24, 2003


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