Sox Drop 17-9 Slugfest

Kirk Nieuwenhuis drove in a season-high four runs, but the Colorado Springs Sky Sox dropped a 17-9 slugfest to the Oklahoma City Dodgers in front of 2,725 Monday night at Security Service Field.

For the third straight game, the Sox (74-52) used a first-inning scoring effort to pull ahead for an early 5-0 lead. After loading the bases three batters in, Nate Orf lifted one-out sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Quintin Berry for RBI No. 60.
Two batters later, Nieuwenhuis grounded a two-run single through the shift to score Mauricio Dubón and Ivan De Jesus. Yadiel Rivera followed with a two-out, two-run triple to left-center to score Tyler Heineman and Nieuwenhuis, the second straight game with a three-bagger for the shortstop.
Oklahoma City (67-61) plated a pair of runs in the top of the third inning, but Colorado Springs responded with a run in the bottom of the third to extend the lead to 6-2. After Orf led off with a triple, Heineman flared a single to left field to score the Sox third baseman for his 19^th RBI of the season.
Nieuwenhuis added to his RBI total in the seventh inning, lining a two-run double on the first pitch from Madison Younginer to the left-center field gap to score Orf and Heineman. The quartet of RBIs mark a new season-high for the veteran outfielder after driving in three runs June 11 against Iowa and July 3 at Omaha.
The Sky Sox and Dodgers conclude the 2017 season series Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. MT, when RHP Taylor Jungmann (8-2, 2.87 ERA) looks to bounce back into the win column in his second start and third appearance against Oklahoma City. Tuesday night is the final $2 Tuesday of the year, with tickets, parking and Coors products all $2.