Game 92: Hawks can't hold early lead

Boise, ID - An early lead wouldn’t be enough for the Boise Hawks (26-18) who saw the Grand Junction Rockies (24-20) come back in the middle innings during an 8-6 defeat on Sunday night at Memorial Stadium.

Like Friday night, it was Alejandro Rivero who gave Boise an early lead, connecting on his 20th homer of the year with two men on in the very first inning to put the Hawks up 3-0 in a flash.

It was Rivero again in the second who gave the Hawks some breathing room after Grand Junction scored two in the top half of that inning.

With Sean Skelly on second base, Rivero went down the left field line for a two out double giving Boise a 4-2 lead.

The Rockies would strike back in the fifth, scoring four times, with three coming home on a Jose Gutierrez opposite field home run handing Grand Junction their first lead of the night at 6-4.

A two out RBI single from Skelly in the home half of the fifth brought Boise within one, but a two run top of the seventh put the game out of reach.

Boise’s final run on the night would come courtesy of Hidekel Gonzalez, who mashed a ball down the left field line for a lead-off jack in the seventh.

With the loss Boise’s lead in the Southern Division is down to two games, but they can still clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win in Monday’s contest.

Mitch Lines is scheduled to start for Boise, on a Labor Day matinee with first pitch scheduled for 1:15 as the Hawks try to win the series and secure their spot in the playoffs.