The Sky Sox took game one by a dozen runs with a 13-1 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas Tuesday night to kick off their seven-game homestand. Catcher Jett Bandy homered twice in the rout and finished a triple shy of the cycle on his 4-for-4 night. Right-hander Aaron Brooks set the tone in his 10th start with five and one-third strong innings. He allowed just one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
Colorado Springs lifted off quickly in the first game of the homestand, sending 10 batters to the plate and extending to a 6-0 lead. After a leadoff walk to Andres Blanco, Orlando Arcia opened the scoring gates open with a double to bring the first run across. After Tyrone Taylor and Domingo Santana went down as the first two outs, Jett Bandy restarted the momentum with a two-run home run. With the 3-0 lead, Rymer Liriano singled and back-to-back doubles by Jake Hager and pitcher Aaron Brooks combined for the final three runs to make a six-run contest.
In the third, Hager knocked his second double of the night with one out in the frame. After a line out by Brooks to second, Blanco came in clutch with a two-out single to bring in the seventh Sky Sox run.
The Sky Sox continued the pile on in the fourth with two more runs thanks to solo home runs by Taylor and a second for Bandy. In the fifth, the Colorado Springs squad didn’t stop, crossing four more on seven consecutive singles to extend to a commanding 13-0 advantage.
In the top of the sixth, the Chihuahuas strung together a solo run on two hits and a wild pitch to break the shutout bid and make it a 13-1 difference.
Brewers rehabbing right-hander Matt Albers made his first stint with the Sky Sox, tossing one and two-thirds scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth frames, striking out three and only allowing one hit.
The Sky Sox just missed a final run in the bottom of the eighth with two outs when Arcia knocked a long drive to the right field wall, which was caught on a stretched leap by El Paso’s Forrestt Allday. The hit would have also marked the 21st of the night, setting a new season high in hits in a game for the Sky Sox.
The Sky Sox continue into game two against the El Paso Chihuahuas tomorrow with a 12:30 p.m. day game.
