Sky Sox Lose to Fresno, 4-3, in Season Finale
The Fresno Grizzlies (68-75) scored two runs in the eighth inning to retake the lead from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (67-76) and win the season finale 4-3.
For the 78th time this season the Sky Sox struck first when Hernan Iribarren doubled home Ben Paulsen who reached earlier in the inning on a walk. The team maintained the one run advantage until the bottom of the next inning.
Juan Perez began the bottom of the third inning by reaching on a fielding error by third baseman Ryan Wheeler. After reaching on the error, Perez moved to second on a ground out by Guillermo Quiroz and then scored on a single by Fresno's starting pitcher, Mitch Lively.
Despite giving up an unearned run in the third, Sky Sox starting pitcher Armando Galarraga was superb in his final start. The righty gave up his first earned run of the day in the fifth, but finished the afternoon only allowing four hits in six innings while striking out one batter.
Before Galarraga left the game in the seventh, the Sky Sox' offense tied the game up in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Kent Matthes. They then took the lead in the seventh inning on Iribarren's second home run of the season.
Relieving Galarraga in the bottom of the seventh was Cory Riordan (L, 4-6). Riordan got off to a great start, getting the first two batters he faced to line out and then striking out Mason Tobin to end the inning. The right-hander did not have the same success in the next inning however, as he gave up a single to Kensuke Tanaka and then a RBI double to Ehire Adrianza. The shortstop then advanced to third on a single by Francisco Peguero and scored on a sacrifice fly by Johnny Monell to give the Grizzlies the 4-3 lead.
The Sky Sox sought to tie the game up in the top of the ninth, but Grizzlies' reliever Brett Bochy shut down the Sox to earn his second save of the season.
The loss gives the Sky Sox a final record of 67-76 and the team finishes the season with the franchise's 15th best record in their 26-year history.
Sky Sox Notes: The team finishes the year with 71 triples which led the PCL and was three away from the franchise's mark for most triples in a season.