Early Runs Help Omaha Chase Sox In 4-2 Loss

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Colorado Springs followed consecutive exhilarating walk-off victories with a modest offensive performance on Friday night, falling 4-2 in their series opener with the Omaha Storm Chasers before a crowd of 8,192 at Werner Park.

Elian Herrera and Matt Clark helped the Sox to a quick start with first-inning doubles against Omaha lefty Buddy Baumann. Clark would record his 48^th RBI of the season with the two-out two-bagger, giving his team a 1-0 lead through half an inning.

The Sky Sox did not hold the lead for long as starter Hiram Burgos (2-2, 3.66) would face seven Storm Chasers in the home first, allowing three runs on four hits and a hit batsman. An RBI double by Jose Martinez knocked in Omaha's first run to tie it before Bret Eibner and Francisco Pena singled home runs, with one and two outs respectively, to provide the home team a 3-1 lead after one inning of play.

Burgos would settle down and pitch beautifully from that point on, serving up just two more hits over his final five frames. In all, the right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out three to salvage quality start for his squad.

After Baumann provided the Storm Chasers with 3.2 innings of two-hit ball, right-hander Brian Broderick (5-3, 2.31) tossed 2.1 perfect innings to keep the Sox offense to just two hits through six innings of play.

The Sox would break Omaha's six-inning scoreless streak in the seventh thanks to a Jason Rogers solo blast off of left-hander Troy Patton. The long ball drew the Sky Sox within one run of tying the ballgame as Omaha led 3-2 going to the eighth. The Storm Chasers extended their lead against Ariel Pena in the eighth as Eibner drove in his second run of the night with a solo shot of his own.

In his second inning of work, Casey Coleman would shut the Colorado Springs offense down in the ninth to secure the 4-2 victory for his team. Coleman's first save helped Omaha improve to 56-44 while dropping the Sox to 40-57 on the season.

The Sky Sox collected just four hits on the night, all coming from the lineup's first four batters.

Colorado Springs will look to get back in the win column on Saturday night as they take on these same Storm Chasers in game two of a four-game set. The Sox send Drew Gagnon (1-10,6.96) to the mound against Omaha lefty Brandon Finnegan (0-2, 8.25) with first pitch set for 5:05 PM MDT from Werner Park.