Gold belts three homers for RedHawks
The 28-year-old first baseman matched a career high with three homers and drove in four runs, but Adam Melhuse belted a three-run shot in the ninth as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox walked off with a dramatic 12-9 victory over the RedHawks at Security Service Field.
Gold and the rest of his teammates have looked on with amazement as slugger Nelson Cruz has hit 37 homers this year, one fewer than Minor League leader Dallas McPherson of Albuquerque.
Cruz had gone deep in each of the RedHawks' last three games and amassed 11 long balls over the previous 10 contests, including a three-homer effort of his own on July 19.
"It's really unbelievable the numbers he's put up," Gold said of Cruz. "Not too many of us have ever seen anything like it."
However, while Cruz ripped three singles and drove in four runs Monday night, it was Gold who put on the power display.
The former 10th-round pick launched a two-run shot to spark a five-run second, cranked a leadoff blast in the third and connected for his 20th of the season with the bases empty in the seventh to give Oklahoma an 8-6 lead.
"The first two [homers] were 2-0 fastballs and the third one was a 2-2 fastball," Gold said after his second four-hit effort of the season. "[Cruz] was goofing around and cheering me on like he always does."
Gold came to the plate again to lead off the ninth, but had to settle for a single to center. The three-homer game was the second of his career. He also accomplished the feat for Double-A Frisco against Tulsa on July 13, 2006.
Ultimately, the performance wasn't enough as former Major Leaguer Kiko Calero (2-2) was unable to protect a three-run lead in the ninth. After getting Sean Barker to ground out to start the frame, the 33-year-old right-hander fell apart quickly.
Doug Bernier walked, Mike McCoy reached on a bunt single and Kenny Perez connected for his first homer of the year to forge a 9-9 tie. Christian Colonel followed with a single and Calero intentionally walked Joe Koshansky before Melhuse drilled an offering over the right-field wall to end it.
Major League veteran Mark Redman (6-2) picked up the win in relief after yielding a run on five hits over two innings. Colorado Springs starter Jason Hirsch was pounded for eight runs on 11 hits and three walks with three strikeouts in seven frames.
McCoy and Colonel each finished with three hits -- including a pair of doubles -- for the Sky Sox (52-57), who nearly rallied from a 12-run deficit in Friday's 15-12 loss to the RedHawks (62-48).
"[Colorado Springs] came back on us that night and luckily enough, we had a big enough lead," Gold said. "But tonight, three [runs] wasn't enough."
Jason Ellison, Drew Meyer and Kevin Richardson each had two of Oklahoma's 16 hits.
John Torenli is a contributor to MLB.com.