The Colorado Springs Sky Sox secured the five-game series sweep of the Omaha Storm Chasers, using a seven-run eighth inning to pull off an 8-4 win in front of 6,209 Thursday night at Security Service Field.
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox secured the five-game series sweep of the Omaha Storm Chasers, using a seven-run eighth inning to pull off an 8-4 win in front of 6,209 Thursday night at Security Service Field.
Trailing 4-1, the Sky Sox (48-30) sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth for the first time since June 9, 2011, when the hosts defeated the Reno Aces, 13-6.
After Kyle Wren and Mauricio Dubón reached on a pair of singles to start the rally, Lewis Brinson chopped a RBI double down the third base line to score Wren. One batter later, Ivan De Jesus lined a two-run triple to right field to score Dubon and Brinson and tie the game at 4.
Omaha reliever Malcom Culver intentionally walked Garrett Cooper and Brett Phillips, loading the bases for Jett Bandy. The catcher went 0-for-3 entering the eighth, but Bandy lined a bases-clearing double into the right field corner, giving the Sox a 7-4 lead and giving Bandy his eighth RBI since being optioned to Colorado Springs on June 27. Andrew Susac drove in his eighth run of the series two batters later, lofting a sacrifice fly to right field to score Bandy and give the Sox their final four-run margin.
Cooper opened the scoring in the first inning, lining a RBI double over the head of center fielder Billy Burns to score De Jesus and give the 2017 PCL All-Star his 68th RBI of the season.
For the second straight start, RHP Forrest Snow pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out five strikeouts. Snow took the no-decision in the outing, but lowered his earned run average to 3.45 after not allowing an earned run since June 17 against Oklahoma City. Tim Dillard (2-1, 5.79) earned the win with a scoreless eighth, while David Goforth stranded a pair of runners on base in a scoreless ninth inning.
Colorado Springs and Omaha continue their nine-game home-and-home series in Nebraska for four games beginning Friday night at 6:05 p.m. MT. RHP Taylor Jungmann (4-1, 1.67) looks to bounce back from his first Triple-A loss of the season against Omaha RHP Luke Farrell (7-3, 3.83) at Werner Park.
