Four-Run Seventh Sparks Sox 5-2 Comeback Win
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - On a night where Colorado Springs welcomed their 7 millionth fan through the gates, the Sky Sox set a home field strikeout record while rallying to a late 5-2 win over the Tacoma Rainiers before a crowd of 5,788 on Friday at Security Service Field.
Ariel Pena and Tyler Olson treated fans to quite the pitcher's duel as each held their opponent scoreless through five innings of work.
Pena would depart after dazzling over 5.1 frames. The right-hander allowed just four base hits while striking out a whopping 10 Rainiers hitters and walking none in his best Sky Sox performance to date. Brandon Kintzler (1-1, 7.50) came on with one out and the bases empty in the sixth with Pena reaching his pitch count limit; retiring the frame's final two batters to maintain the scoreless tie.
Tacoma broker through for the game's first runs in the top of the seventh against Kintzler in his second inning of work. With two on and two-out in the frame, Patrick Brady singled on a soft groundball back to Kintzler who was unable to make the play in time at first when Matt Clark missed the catch. John Hicks and Leury Bonilla scored on the play to give the Rainiers a late 2-0 lead.
Colorado Springs' offense would finally break through in the home seventh against Olson and Rainiers reliever Logan Bawcom (2-3, 4.54). The Sox plated four runs on three hits, a walk and a sac fly. Juan Centeno's one-out RBI double scored the Sox first run before Matt Dominguez's two-run triple against Bawcom gave Colorado Springs their first lead of the night. Matt Long added an RBI sac fly to extend the Sox advantage to 4-2 by inning's end. Olson would be charged with two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three over six innings of work.
Jaye Chapman took over in the eight to help the Sky Sox maintain their newly-acquired two-run lead. Chapman would strike out the side to do just that, giving Colorado Springs pitching a combined 15 strikeouts through eight innings of play. This was the first time a Sox staff has recorded 15 punchouts in a game since a 13-inning contest at home against the Iowa Cubs on April 26, 2014. The home record for strikeouts in a game was set at 16 on May 12, 1998; coincidentally against Iowa. Chapman would have his chance to help break that record in the ninth.
The Sox added the final run of the night on back-to-back doubles by Nevin Ashley and Matt Clark in the eighth. Clark's 68th RBI of the season came off of lefty Lucas Luetge and extended Colorado Springs' lead to 5-2.
Chapman would slam the door in the ninth, striking out two in the frame to secure the 5-2 comeback win and set a new Sky Sox record for strikeouts in a home game. The record-setting 17th strikeout came courtesy of Rainiers infielder Ji-Man Choi to end the contest. The Sox improve to 53-73 with the exhilarating win as they drop Tacoma to 59-68 on the season.
The Sky Sox hope to make it two straight as they look to secure a series-clinching win in the final game of this four-game set with Tacoma. Colorado Springs sends Zach Davies to the mound (1-0, 4.50) against Rainiers righty Forest Snow (8-8, 3.91) with first pitch set for 6:05 PM MDT at Security Service Field.