SKY SOX STING BEES IN WALK-OFF FASHION SUNDAY

POSTGAME NOTES
Sunday, June 17, 2018 vs. Salt Lake Bees
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (36-31) | Salt Lake Bees (40-30)
SKY SOX STING BEES IN WALK-OFF FASHION SUNDAY
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Sky Sox defeated the Salt Lake Bees 8-7 in walk-off fashion on Father's Day afternoon at Security Service Field in front of a lively crowd of 5,020 including special guest Dwier Brown from the film "Field of Dreams". The Sky Sox offense combined for a new season-high of five home runs, including two pairs in back-to-back style.
Salt Lake kick started the day's scoring for a second consecutive night in the third inning. Rehabber Kole Calhoun singled with one out while Matt Thaiss doubled and Rymer Liriano walked to load the bases. Dustin Ackley plated the first run of the contest on his sacrifice fly ball to centerfield and Ben Revere made it a 2-0 ballgame from there on his RBI infield single.
In the fourth, the Sky Sox found their offensive momentum sparked by Tyrone Taylor and Brad Miller, who knocked back-to-back home runs to start the inning and tie the game at two apiece. Christian Bethancourt collected the third consecutive extra-base hit of the frame with his 10th double of the season and was brought around to give the Sky Sox the 3-2 lead on Jacob Nottingham's single to centerfield.
In the sixth and seventh innings, three home runs combined for four more runs in favor of the home team. In the sixth, Bethancourt slugged a solo home run to left-centerfield. In the seventh, Keon Broxton and Nate Orf collected the second pair of back-to-back home runs to combine for three more RBI, giving Colorado Springs a 7-2 advantage.
However, in the top of the ninth, Salt Lake sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs to tie the game at 7-7. With one out and runners on second and third, Matt Thaiss grounded to the shortstop Miller who made an error on the play to grant Thaiss first base and allow a run to score. After Liriano struck out to record the second out, the Bees combined for three two-out singles and a walk to plate four runs and even the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Sky Sox didn't waste any time to strike back. Dylan Moore doubled on a full count to start the inning's rally. After Broxton singled, Orf was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Taylor stepped up to the plate with no outs and missiled a line drive off the left field wall to end the contest in walk-off fashion with an 8-7 final.
The Sky Sox enter into game three of four-game set with the series tied against the Salt Lake Bees tomorrow with a 6:40 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 third game of the four-game series against the Salt Lake Bees at Security Service Field in Colorado Springs, the Sky Sox are sending righty Corbin Burnes to the mound to face Bees southpaw Jose Suarez. Suarez looks to pick up his first win of the season while Burnes is looking for his fourth victory with the Sky Sox this season.
Men in Back (-to-back): The back-to-back homers Sunday afternoon by Keon Broxton and Nate Orf in the 7th inning now marks the 13th time a Sky Sox tandem has hit back-to-back homers against Salt Lake pitching. The back-to-back homers by Taylor and Miller in the 4th and Broxton and Orf in the 7th marks only the fourth time in Sky Sox history where two Sky Sox players hit back-to-back homers in different innings in the same game, all here at Security Service Field. The other instances: June 14th, 1994, home vs. Albuquerque Dukes (Sky Sox won 17-9) - Jim Tatum and Alan Cockrell back-to-back in 5th inning, off Rick Gorecki, and Ty Van Burkleo and Jim Tatum back-to-back in 7th inning, off Jose Garcia, August 22nd, 2004, home vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (Sky Sox won 14-11) - Brad Hawpe and Andy Tracy back-to-back in 3rd inning, off Matt Blank, and Andy Tracy and Erick Almonte back-to-back in 5th inning, off Chris Michalak, June 27th, 2007, home vs. Tacoma Rainiers (Sky Sox won 23-11) - Ian Stewart and Joe Koshansky back-to-back in 5th inning, off Jake Woods, and Alvin Colina and Cory Sullivan back-to-back in 6th inning, off Juan Sandoval.
Takin' It For the Team: The hit by pitch by Nate Orf in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday was his 30th career hit by pitch, moving past Jayhawk Owens for third place all-time in hit by pitches (Owens had 29). Clint Barmes holds the record with 47 HBP, with Mark Strittmatter second all-time at 35 HBP.
Over the Fence:  The Sky Sox belted five four-baggers on Sunday afternoon, setting a new season high for home runs in a single game.
Third Time's the Charm:  The Sky Sox walked off in the bottom of the ninth inning on Father's Day (Sunday), marking their third walk-off of the season and their first since 5/12.
Salt Lake Happenings: In 2017, the Sky Sox faced Salt Lake four times on the road, sweeping the Bees 4-0. In 2016, the Sky Sox a franchise-high in innings in a home game (18 innings) on May 14, 2016 at Security Service Field against the Bees, in which the Sky Sox won 2-1. On June 11, 2013, the Sky Sox trailed 9-1 after five and a half innings and went ahead to put up a 10-run inning in the bottom of the sixth against Salt Lake to take an 11-9 lead; the Sky Sox ended up winning 15-9.
No RBI Night: Despite plating two runs on the night, the Sky Sox as a team did not collect one RBI on Saturday. The squad went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Saturday night.
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.
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 Friday night. 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.
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.
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.
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.
Pacific Southern Stretch: After one Pac-South series in the books, the Sky Sox are in midst of their second series of the division with Salt Lake. Last season, the Sky Sox went 9-7 against Pacific Southern opponents. Colorado Springs is currently 3-2 overall against Pacific Southern opponents this season.
Saturday Recap: The Sky Sox dropped the first game of the four-game series 6-2 to the Salt Lake Bees Saturday night at Security Service Field. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff didn't have his best stuff in his seventh start for the Sky Sox after taking his first loss of the season with three runs allowed on five hits through five frames. As a team, after collecting 16 hits one night prior, the Sky Sox combined for just five hits.
This Week's Preview: The Sky Sox are in the midst of a seven-game homestand at Security Service Field and are currently in a four-game series against the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Following this series, the Sky Sox hit the road for Des Moines to face off against the Iowa Cubs.
NEXT GAME: Monday, June 18 vs. Salt Lake - 6:40 p.m. MT @ Security Service Field
RHP Corbin Burnes (3-4, 4.96) vs. LHP Jose Suarez (0-2, 3.57) | Broadcast on XTRA Sports 1300
NOVA Home Loans Community Ticket Monday - Vouchers at any Pike Peak Library District Location
COS TOP PERFORMERS
·      Tyrone Taylor (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI)
·      Keon Broxton (2-for-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI)
·      Nick Ramirez (3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB)
   SL TOP PERFORMERS
·      Ben Revere (2-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, SB)
·      Eric Young Jr. (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB)
·      Dustin Ackley (1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI)