Sky Sox Take Game One, 8-0

Brandon Woodruff allowed one hit in six innings, and the bottom third of the order combined for five RBI to lead the Colorado Springs Sky Sox to an 8-0 shutout over the Nashville Sounds in game one of Sunday's doubleheader at First Tennessee Park.

The visitors earned their third straight win by shutting out a Pacific Coast League opponent for the first time since April 28, 2017, when the Sox defeated Iowa, 7-0. The Sox pitching staff allowed two hits to the Sounds, marking the first two-hitter since Opening Day 2017, when Colorado Springs defeated Omaha, 2-1, at Security Service Field.
Woodruff (6-3, 3.04) earned his first win since May 7 by allowing three base runners to reach during his outing. His second win against the Sounds in 2017 featured the righty retiring 12 straight before Franklin Barreto singled for the first hit of the game with two outs in the sixth inning.
In the first full game after his five-RBI outburst against New Orleans, Garrett Cooper drove in run No. 44 in his first at-bat in Nashville, grounding an infield single to score Kyle Wren to give the Sox an early lead. Since coming off the disabled list on May 21, Cooper has gone 12-for-21 with a home run, six runs and six RBI in his familiar No. 4 spot in the lineup.
The Sky Sox (28-17) doubled their lead one inning later, when Ivan De Jesus clubbed his second home run of the season on a 3-2 offering from Nashville starter Chris Smith onto the concourse in left field. Like Cooper, the veteran infielder has also been hot since in his last five games, recording a pair of three-hit games and driving in four runs.
Colorado Springs blew the game open with a four-run third inning which saw the first six batters reach safely. De Jesus opened the scoring with a RBI single to right field, scoring Brett Phillips and driving in his second run in as many at-bats. After Yadiel Rivera drove in Nate Orf on a fielder's choice, René García launched his first home run of the season-a two-run shot to left field-to extend the lead to six.
The Sox capped their offensive outburst with two more runs in the seventh inning. With two outs, Phillips lined his fourth triple of the season to center field to score Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who reached via a walk for the third time in the contest. Orf added on one batter later, lining a single to plate Phillips.