Zephyrs finish road trip with comeback win

Jordany Valdespin followed what the New Orleans Zephyrs had used as their extra-base hit of choice Sunday when he hit the team's third consecutive double in a four-run seventh inning that helped push them past the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 4-3 at Security Service Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Valdespin's two-out hit scored Matt Angle after he had hit a double of his own to drive in Zack Cox after he had entered the game as a pinch runner for Juan Diaz, who began the doubles parade with two outs in the inning.

Diaz's two-run double was the Z's first extra base hit of the game but their third base hit of the inning, as Justin Bour led off the frame with a single and Brian Bogusevic hit a one-out single to left field against Sky Sox starter Yohan Flande. 

Flande had held the Zephyrs to two hits with two walks and four strikeouts through the first six innings, but he was charged with the first two runs, while Rob Scahill (1-1) gave up the final two runs and all three of the doubles.

Colorado Springs had built a 3-0 lead early in the game against Z's starter Elih Villanueva (4-2) with two runs in the second inning and another in the fourth.

The Sky Sox picked up four of their nine hits against Villanueva in the second inning that included back-to-back doubles by Evan Frey and Dustin Garneau to begin the inning followed by a run-scoring single by Paul Janish.

Colorado Springs nearly scored a third run in the inning but Diaz threw out Janish at home plate on the base hit by Josh Rutledge.

Villanueva also gave up three consecutive singles to open the fourth inning, and Garneau scored when Tim Wheeler hit a pop up that Z's third baseman Josh Rodriguez caught in foul territory.

The Sky Sox managed just one hit, a Kyle Parker fifth-inning double, in Villanueva's final two innings before Chris Hatcher entered the game for what would be a three-inning save.

Hatcher struck out one batter, and the only hit he allowed was a lead off single by Garneau in the ninth inning.

Garneau reached third after a sacrifice bunt by Janish and a ground out to first base by Ryan Wheeler, but Hatcher got Tim Wheeler to ground out to second base to end the game and clinch his fifth save of the season.

Diaz and Valdespin were two of the key players in the Z's seventh-inning rally, and they were the only two Zephyrs batters who had two hits. Diaz finished 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, and Valdespin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.

The Zephyrs finished their road trip 4-4 with series splits against the Sky Sox and Omaha Storm Chasers. They will return home to face the Oklahoma City RedHawks at 7:00 Monday to begin an eight-game homestand at Zephyr Field.