SKY SOX SOAR PAST 51s IN 15-2 SERIES FINALE

POSTGAME NOTES
Friday, June 15, 2018 vs. Las Vegas 51s
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (35-30) | Las Vegas 51s (28-40)
SKY SOX SOAR PAST 51s IN 15-2 SERIES FINALE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Sky Sox completed their eighth series win of the season with a 15-2 landslide victory over the Las Vegas 51s on Friday night at Security Service Field. Right-hander Aaron Wilkerson led the charge on the mound with five shutout, two-hit innings while striking out five on the night. As a team, the Sky Sox combined for 16 hits with four home runs on the night.  
Nate Orf got things started in the bottom of the first when he knocked his second home run of the season and second leadoff home run of the season for the Sky Sox to give the home squad the 1-0 lead.
In the third, the Sky Sox momentum kept rolling when Orf doubled with two outs to keep the frame alive. Dylan Moore stepped up to the plate and launched his first pitch seen over the left-centerfield wall to extend the home lead to 3-0 through three innings.
Las Vegas threatened in the top of the fourth after loading the bases with one out after a double and two walks. However, starter Wilkerson was able to clear himself out of the situation after delivering a fly out and ground out to end the frame with any damage.
In the bottom half, the Sky Sox rallied for runs once again. After Jacob Nottingham snuck a shallow fly ball single to left field, Jett Bandy would walk with one out and Keon Broxton loaded the bases on a stretched single down the third base line just off of the glove of 51s Cody Asche. Shane Opitz knocked a high-chopping infield single just in reach to the pitcher P.J. Conlon, resulting in the Sky Sox fourth run and seventh hit. With the bases still loaded and two outs following Wilkerson's strikeout, Orf drew a walk to bring the Sky Sox lead to 5-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, a pair of doubles by Nottingham and Bandy would manufacture a sixth run for Colorado Springs to take a 6-0 lead. Then, in the sixth inning, Brett Phillips singled with two outs to add a run to the board for a fourth consecutive inning, extending to a 7-0 advantage.
The visiting 51s finally broke through in the seventh with two runs after Kevin Kaczmarksi singled with one out and Christian Colón followed with a double to right field and advanced to third on a fielding error to plate their first run. Phillip Evans groundout to second base plated Colon to make it a 7-2 contest.
In the bottom half of the seventh, the Sky Sox broke out to a commanding 15-2 lead after plating a new season-high run count in an inning with eight runs on six hits, including two home runs by Bandy and Moore respectively, and that is where the scoring would end on both sides Friday night.
The Sky Sox enter into a four-game series against the Salt Lake Bees tomorrow with a 6:00 p.m. scheduled first pitch at Security Service Field. For all information on Sky Sox, follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit the team's website at www.skysox.com.
__NOTES__
Tomorrow's Preview: In the first game of the four-game series against the Salt Lake Bees at Security Service Field in Colorado Springs on Saturday, the Sky Sox are sending righty Brandon Woodruff to the mound to face Bees southpaw Jose Suarez.  Suarez looks to pick up his first win of the season while Woodruff is looking for his third victory with the Sky Sox this season.
10 Over At Home: With the win, the Sky Sox are now 10 games over .500 at home with a 20-10 record. Oppositely, on the road, the squad is five games below .500 with a 15-20 record.
Consecutive Scoring: Colorado Springs plated runs in five consecutive innings on Friday night (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th) and in six of the eight batting halves for the Sky Sox.
Strong Against The Southpaw: The Sky Sox remain resilient against lefty starters and, with Friday night's win, are 11-4 against them.
Wilkerson's First W: Righty Aaron Wilkerson made his sixth start for the Sky Sox Friday night and recorded his first win of 2018. In five shutout innings of work, the righty only allowed two hits, walked four, and struck out five. The four walks surrendered tied a season-high for Wilkerson set on May 21 in Nashville.
Orf's Leadoff Launch: Leadoff man for the Sky Sox Nathan Orf knocked his second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to put the home squad on the board. The leadoff homer by Orf marks the sixth time a Sky Sox player has hit a leadoff homer against a Las Vegas pitcher and the first time against a Las Vegas pitcher in nearly eight years. The last came on June 20th, 2010, by Dexter Fowler in the bottom of first off of Las Vegas' Lance Broadway (at Security Service Field); Sky Sox won 13-4. Orf's first homer of 2018 came on May 14 against Oklahoma City at Security Service Field. In 2017, the infielder totaled nine on the season.
Three Trots: Three batters trotted the bags after launching big flies Friday night. Nate Orf, Dylan Moore, and Jett Bandy combined for five RBI with their long balls.
Double-Digit Scoring: The Sky Sox marked the eighth time this season where they scored 10 runs or more in a contest. The highest amount of runs put up by Colorado Springs this season is 17 runs which was on April 30 against Nashville.
2018 Leadoff Homers: Nate Orf's leadoff home run marked the second leadoff dinger of 2018 for the Sky Sox. The first of the season came off the bat of Keon Broxton on May 18 versus Memphis in game two of the doubleheader.
New High: On Friday night, the Sky Sox set a new high in 2018 for most runs in an inning with eight. The last time the Sky Sox had scored eight runs in the 7th inning came on July 4, 2012, against the Reno Aces at Security Service Field. The Sky Sox cruised to a 19-4 win over the Aces in that game. The previous high this season was seven, which was set on April 30 against Nashville. The Sky Sox just missed other feats of most runs in a game (17) and most hits in a game (20), both also set on April 30 against Nashville at home, and tied for most home runs in a game (team) this season with four total.
Translation of Scoring First: The Sky Sox now improve their record to 23-10 when scoring first in a game. Oppositely, when an opponent scores first, the Colorado Springs squad is just 12-20.
Series Win: The Sky Sox marked their eighth series win on Friday night. In 2018, they have eight series wins, six losses, and three ties.
Sweet Chasing 30: Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet is just 30 wins away from passing Brad Mills for the most regular season wins as Sky Sox manager. Sweet is in his fourth season with the Sky Sox. Mills managed the Sky Sox from 1993 to 1996 and led the '95 squad to their second Pacific Coast League title as they defeated the Salt Lake Buzz. Mills was elected to the Sky Sox Hall of Fame in 2002 and is just one of two managers to be given such a distinction joining the Philadelphia Phillies former manager Charlie Manuel who managed the Sky Sox from 1990 to 1992.
Pacific Southern Stretch: After the first Pac-South series in the books, the Sky Sox welcome in their second series of the division with Salt Lake. Last season, the Sky Sox went 9-7 against Pacific Southern opponents.
Taylor Leadin' The Way: Tyrone Taylor's outfield assist in Wednesday night's game against Las Vegas marked his 11th of the season, which puts him in first in the PCL for assists. Taylor also leads the way in league outfielders for most double plays from the deep end of things with three.
Thursday Recap: After winning game one of this short three-game series last night, the Sky Sox dropped a heartbreaker on Thursday night, losing to the Las Vegas 51s 7-5 in 10 innings to even the three-game series at one game apiece. Springs starter Freddy Peralta finished after three scoreless frames with five strikeouts while Christian Bethancourt collected his first multi-HR game of the year, combining for three RBI on the night.
Mowing 'em Down: Freddy Peralta put together yet another strong outing on Thursday night against Las Vegas, allowing no runs on two hits with five strikeouts and no walks. In his last 61 batters faced, the 22-year-old has only allowed eight hits, four walks, two runs, and struck out 28.  The 11-strikeout appearance by Peralta last Sunday marked a season-high for Peralta with the Sky Sox, and the second-best strikeout appearance of the season for a Sky Sox pitcher.
Orf Continues to Climb: The first inning triple by Nate Orf Thursday night was his 17th career regular season triple with the Sky Sox, moving him into a tie for eighth place on the all-time triples list with Choo Freeman. Next up at tied for sixth: Edgard Velasquez Clemente and Nelson Liriano with 18 triples each. Several of Orf's current teammates are also in the career top 25 in triples: Kyle Wren tied for third with Wayne Kirby at 20 triples, while Brett Phillips tied for 11th place at 15 triples with Sean Barker, Corey Dickerson, Jayhawk Owens, Neifi Perez, Ben Petrick, and Yadiel Rivera. Keon Broxton needs two more triples to move into the Top 25 list in career triples.
Double Trouble:  With Christian Bethancourt belting the game-tying homer in the ninth inning, this marks the 28th time a Sky Sox player has hit a two-homer game against Las Vegas, and only the second time during the Sky Sox four-year affiliation with the Brewers.  The last instance a Sky Sox player hit a two-homer game against Las Vegas: Shane Peterson, May 28th, 2015 at Cashman Field.  The last instance a Sky Sox player hit a two-homer game against Las Vegas in Colorado Springs: Chris Nelson, July 21st, 2011 against Las Vegas at Security Service Field.
This Week's Preview: The Sky Sox are in the midst of a seven-game homestand at Security Service Field and, after completing the first series against Las Vegas, are now beginning four games against the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.
NEXT GAME: Saturday, June 16 vs. Salt Lake - 6:00 p.m. MT @ Security Service Field
RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-0, 2.10) vs. LHP Jose Suarez (0-2, 5.37) | Broadcast on XTRA Sports 1300
STAR WARS Night at Security Service Field with themed post-game fireworks show
COS TOP PERFORMERS

• Nate Orf (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R)
• Jett Bandy (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R)
• Aaron Wilkerson (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K)

   LV TOP PERFORMERS

• Christian Colon (1-for-4, R, RBI)
• Phillip Evans (1-for-4, RBI, 3B)
• Cody Asche (1-for-4, 2B)