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Will Leads Way to 7-6 Sky Sox Win

June 10, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Where there's a Will, there's a way.

Third baseman Will Middlebrooks was the star with a pair of home runs for the Sky Sox, including the game winning solo shot in the 10th inning to give the Sky Sox a thrilling 7-6 come from behind victory over the Memphis Redbirds on Friday night at AutoZone Park.

Another player with a similar name started off the game strong for Colorado Springs.

Andy Wilkins picked off where he left off on Thursday night in the first inning on Friday. After his ninth inning grand slam on Thursday, Wilkins crushed a two-run home run, his eighth of the season, to right field in the first on Friday to give the Sky Sox the early 2-0 edge against Memphis starter Arturo Reyes (5-2, 4.41).

Middlebrooks also picked off where he left off on Thursday with a two-run home run of his own in the third to put the Sky Sox up 4-0.

Sky Sox starter Taylor Jungmann (1-3, 9.87) was strong for the first three innings, but couldn't hold the lead in the fourth. The Redbirds rallied for five runs on a few hits, a couple walks, and a hit batter off Jungmann to take a 5-4 lead. That proved to be the end of the night for Jungmann. In four innings pitched, he allowed five runs on six hits while striking out two.

The Redbirds increased their lead in the fifth when Jose Martinez led off the inning with a home run against Sky Sox reliever Drew Gagnon to give his team a 6-4 lead.

Sam Freeman entered in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings for the Sky Sox against his former team to keep the game within reach.

In the eighth, Colorado Springs rallied to tie the game off Memphis relievers John Church and Juan Gonzalez. With two outs, pinch-hitter Yadiel Rivera knocked a single to center to score Manny Pina. The next batter, Michael Reed, followed with a double into the left-center field alley to score Middlebrooks and tie the game at six for the Sky Sox.

Austin Ross kept the score tied for the Sky Sox in the eighth, then Gonzalez returned to the mound in the ninth and did the same for Memphis. Ross went back out in the bottom of the ninth and struck out Michael McKenry with the winning run at third to force extra innings. Ross earned his fourth win of the season by pitching two scoreless innings on the mound for the Sky Sox.

In the top of the 10th, Corey Littrell came in for Memphis and gave up the go-ahead home run to Middlebrooks. He suffered the loss.

In the bottom half, Michael Kirkman got the first two outs for the Sky Sox but gave up a hit to Kolten Wong to put the tying run aboard. The Sky Sox turned to Tim Dillard to get the final out, and he delivered by striking out Tommy Pham on three pitches to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. MDT at AutoZone Park. Jorge Lopez (1-4, 6.04) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Sky Sox against Jerome Williams (0-1, 5.40) for the Redbirds.



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 10, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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