Ivan De Jesus and Stephen Kohlscheen provided some extra-inning heroics as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox outlasted the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 8-6, in 14 innings in front of 3,613 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Tuesday night.
Ivan De Jesus and Stephen Kohlscheen provided some extra-inning heroics as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox outlasted the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 8-6, in 14 innings in front of 3,613 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Tuesday night.
With two outs and facing an 0-2 count from OKC reliever Steve Geltz (1-2, 3.38), De Jesus gave the Sky Sox a lead for the first time since the ninth inning by lining a triple down the right field line, scoring Garrett Cooper. After intentionally walking Yadiel Rivera, Kohlscheen grounded a single up the middle to give the Sox a crucial insurance run.
Playing in his native state, Kohlscheen (1-0, 6.52) earned the win for the Sox (14-7), throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings, while striking out two Dodger batters. After OKC tied the game in the ninth on a solo home run from Bobby Wilson, the quartet of David Goforth, Andy Oliver, Kohlscheen and Michael Blazek (1, 1.93) retired 12 of the final 16 batters, including nine straight at one point.
For the second straight game, the Sky Sox came from behind to take an early lead. The Dodgers (12-12) scored single runs in the first two innings, but the visitors fought back and scored three times in the top of the fourth inning. Brett Phillips drove in three runs on a pair of doubles, with his first base knock scoring Ryan Cordell and Garrett Cooper to tie the game.
Nate Orf lofted a sacrifice fly to score Phillips and give Colorado Springs a lead off OKC starter Trevor Oaks, who allowed his first earned runs of 2017 in Oklahoma City.
One inning later, Phillips drove in Eric Sogard with his second RBI double to left field. After allowing runs in six innings out the past 64 innings, Oklahoma City allowed four earned runs in two straight innings to the Sky Sox the second time through the lineup.
After the hosts chipped away at the deficit, Colorado Springs added a pair of seventh-inning unearned runs to their lead. After the first three batters reached safely off reliever Layne Somsen, Cooper drove in his team-leading 22nd run of the season on a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Lewis Brinson. Sogard would come in to score one batter later, when Somsen unleashed a wild pitch behind Phillips.
Despite receiving a no-decision, Brandon Woodruff threw another quality start, tossing six innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out a season-high six batters.
After surviving the marathon affair, the two teams meet back up Wednesday night at 6:05 p.m. MT. Josh Hader (2-2, 4.38) takes the mound for the Sky Sox against Oklahoma City's Wilmer Font (2-2, 5.11).
