Vibes Bounce Back Against Great Falls with Succinct Win

Colorado Springs, COLORADO - After a tough first two games of this four-game set against the Great Falls Voyagers, the Rocky Mountain Vibes bounced back Tuesday night with a swift, succinct two-hour and 10-minute 3-2 win in game three. Carlos Luna delivered a quality start under a full moon for the Vibes, followed by a lights out performance from Karsen Lindell on the mound down the stretch to cinch up the Vibes victory.
After a tough night on offense last night, the Vibes wasted no time on Tuesday night, with the first two batters reaching. Ernesto Martinez Jr. led off with a four-pitch walk, advancing to third on an Antonio Piñero single. Micah Bello then hit into a double play for the first two Rocky Mountain outs of the contest, but it was enough to score Martinez Jr. from third to make it 1-0.
After two scoreless innings, both teams would score in the fourth frame. In the top half, Joshua Rivera led off with a single for the Voyagers, advancing to third on a Harvin Mendoza single to put runners on the corners with one out. Luis Mieses then hit a sacrifice fly on the very next pitch to tie the ballgame.
In the bottom half, Edwin Sanó hit his second triple of the year, coming home one at-bat later on a Jess Williams sacrifice fly to give the Vibes a one-run lead again.
For the third half-inning in a row, a sole run would cross the plate in the top of the fifth as Great Falls tied the game. Cabera Weaver led off with a single, stole second, and then moved to third on a Kleyder Sanchez single. In the next at-bat, a Tom Archer groundout brought him home to tie the game at two runs apiece.
Tuesday night was a full moon, in perfect time for Carlos Luna to deliver a marvelous quality start for the Vibes against the Voyagers. Unfortunately for the Vibes, Great Falls' starter Jason Morgan also delivered a quality start against Rocky Mountain. Luna finished the night with 6.1 innings pitched, allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits while walking none and striking out four. Conversely, Morgan threw 6.0 innings, also allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits with a trio of walks and a pair of punchouts.
Immediately following the stretch, Sanó led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching second on Great Falls' first error of the night, moving to third on a beautiful Williams bunt. Luís Avila then hit a shallow sacrifice fly to right field to score Sanó and once again give the Vibes a one-run lead for the third time in the penultimate game of this series.
Karsen Lindell finished the game off strong for the Vibes, facing the minimum as he took over for Luna, striking out six of eight batters he retired to earn the win for himself as the Vibes took game three of this series 3-2.
The Rocky Mountain Vibes continue their eight-game homestand tomorrow with the fourth and final game of the four-game series against the Great Falls Voyagers. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. The game will be available on MiLB.TV as well as on the MiLB TuneIn app. For all information on the Vibes, follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @vibesbaseball and visit the team's website at www.vibesbaseball.com.
Attached photos courtesy of: Paat Kelly
__NOTES__
Tomorrow's Preview: The Vibes wrap up their first-ever series against the Great Falls Voyagers with the final game of the four-game series. The Vibes are slated to start righty Michele Vassalotti (2-3, 6.39) against Great Falls' right-hander Chase Solesky (0-1, 7.36). The game will be available on MiLB.TV as well as on the MiLB TuneIn app, with first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m. MT.
Full Luna: Tuesday night was a full moon, in perfect time for Carlos Luna to deliver a marvelous quality start for the Vibes against the Voyagers. Unfortunately for the Vibes, Great Falls' starter Jason Morgan also delivered a quality start against Rocky Mountain. Luna finished the night with 6.1 innings pitched, allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits while walking none and striking out four. Conversely, Morgan threw 6.0 innings, also allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits with a trio of walks and a pair of punchouts.
Ouch x2:  With Great Falls' Jakob Goldfarb getting two hit by pitches in the same inning Monday night, he becomes the first player to be hit twice in one frame in the past 32 years of Colorado Springs baseball. During the 31-year Triple-A history (1988-2018), the Colorado Springs Sky Sox never had a situation where a player had a two HBP situation in one inning. There were two opponents during the Triple-A Sky Sox era who had three hit by pitches in a game, Kevin Polcovich (Calgary) on August 20th, 1996, and Kevin Frandsen (Fresno) on April 28th, 2007. However, in both cases, the three hit by pitches in each game were each done in three separate innings. The last time a player had two HBP in an inning in an MLB game was Brandon Moss (Oakland) on April 25th, 2014 in the 9th inning against the Houston Astros, at Minute Maid Park.

Hit Hard: The two home run game by Great Falls' Cameron Simmons Monday night marks only the second time a player from a Chicago White Sox affiliate belted a two homer game against a Colorado Springs team. The Chicago White Sox affiliates in the Pacific Coast League during the Sky Sox Triple-A tenure was with the Vancouver Canadians from 1988-1992 and the Calgary Cannons in the 1998 season. The only other player from a Chicago White Sox affiliate to homer twice in a game against a Colorado Springs team was by Vancouver's Steve Springer on June 19th, 1989 at Sky Sox Stadium. Vancouver won that game, 3-2. Springer would play 78 games for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox the next season in 1990.

Game One Woes: With the loss to Great Falls Sunday afternoon following the loss to Billings in game one Wednesday night, the Vibes fall to 1-9 in first games of a series this season.

Familiar Face: Wuilder Rodriguez, who was assigned to the Vibes roster on a rehab assignment on 7/12, made his first appearance for the Vibes on Saturday night, making Rodriguez become the first Sky Sox alum to pitch/play for the Vibes. With his Vibes debut, Rodriguez took over as the oldest player to play for the Vibes (26 years, 5 months, 22 days). Steve Pastora is the next oldest player on the team at 24 years old (turning 25 on September 3rd).

First 26: Historically, almost all new Colorado Springs professional teams have struggled in their first few months of existence. In 1901, the first year professional minor league baseball was ever in Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Millionaires team was 12-14 after 26 games, finishing the season at 45-73. In 1950, the original Colorado Springs Sky Sox (first season for minor leagues back in Colorado Springs since 1916, in the Single-A Western League) team was 12-14 after 26 games, finishing that season at 72-82-2. In 1988, the next rendition of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (first Triple-A season, and first season for minor leagues back in Colorado Springs since 1958) team was 10-16 after 26 games, finishing that season at 62-77. In 1993, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (first Triple-A season as a Colorado Rockies affiliate) team was 11-15 after 26 games, finishing that season at 66-75. In 2015 the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (first Triple-A season as a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate) team was 9-17 after 26 games, finishing that season at 62-81. This year, 2019, the Rocky Mountain Vibes (first season as a Rookie level affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers) team was 10-16 after 26 games.

Double-Double-Double-Double-Double-Double: Prior to Friday night, the Vibes had never executed more than two double plays in any game this season. On Friday, the Vibes collected five twin killings through the first six innings. In the top of the eighth inning, they tacked on double play number six, tying the Pioneer League record of six double plays in a game, set back on 9/3/98 by none other than the Helena Brewers. The six double plays turned by the Vibes equals the club record of six double plays turned during the Colorado Springs Sky Sox era (1988-2018), done three times. Those three instances: April 23rd, 1993 vs. Tacoma Tigers (at Sky Sox Stadium, now UCHealth Park) (Turned in 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings) (Sky Sox won 11-0); June 4th, 1995 vs. Calgary Cannons (at Foothills Stadium in Calgary) (Turned in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings) (Sky Sox won 7-2); May 3rd, 2007 vs. Tacoma Rainiers (at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma) (Turned in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th innings) (Sky Sox won 12-1).

Bello Bombs: Micah Bello hit a team-leading fifth home run on Thursday night, followed by a team-leading sixth home run on Friday night. After hitting his first four homers in the first six games of the season-including a two-homer, five-RBI performance on June 16 in Orem against the Owlz-Bello went 17 games before adding on homers number five and six, which he did in back-to-back contests.

This Week's Preview: The Vibes are home to host the Great Falls Voyagers for the first time ever for four games. The Great Falls series is set to wrap tomorrow, with the Vibes going back on the road to face Ogden on the 19th.
NEXT GAME: Wednesday, July 17 @ 12:30 p.m. MT vs. Great Falls Voyagers @ UCHealth Park
RHP Chase Solesky (0-1, 7.36) vs. RHP Michele Vassalotti (2-3, 6.39) - Broadcast: MiLB TuneIn app
PROMOTION: Kids Day!
RMV TOP PERFORMERS
    Carlos Luna (6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 SO)
      Edwin Sanó (2-for-3, 2B, 3B, 2 R)
    Karsen Lindell (W, 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO)
  
GTF TOP PERFORMERS
    Jason Morgan (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO)
      Kleyder Sanchez (2-for-4)
   Cabera Weaver (1-for-4, R, SB)