Vibes Split Double-Header Against Rockies
By Tyler Petersen
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – When the night finally ended the Vibes and Rockies both picked up a win on Thursday, with Grand Junction winning 8-3 in game one, and Rocky Mountain taking game two 6-4.
Game 1
Another hot start for the Rockies in the first netted Grand Junction four runs off Jorge Leo, the first time this year the Vibes righty has been roughed up. The Rockies added two more runs in the third on a two-run home run by Casey Petersen and two more in the fifth on a pair of RBI singles.
In relief of Jorge Leo, Pete Bayer went 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out four batters for his best outing of the season.
Ulysses Cantu brought home the first Vibes run on an RBI single in the third. Unfortunately for the Vibes they wouldn't be able to scrape across another run until the last of the seventh. With two outs in the inning and a man at first, Joseph Encarnacion launched a ball to left-center for his first professional home run. Three batters later though Rockies starter Jack Parisi finished off his seven-inning complete game.
Game 2
Another hot start for the Rockies netted Grand Junction (déjà vu?) a run in the top of the first off Chris Allen. It was the third game in a row GJR struck in the first frame.
But then the Vibes struck back. They took their first lead of the day in either game on a two-run home run by Luis Navarro in the second inning. Navarro sent a breaking ball on the outside of the plate over the right field fence after fouling off a number of pitches on a full count.
"I was looking for one pitch, Navarro said after the game, "That's it. I did it." No pomp, circumstance, or gasconade. Just matter of fact for his second long bomb.
The Vibes were far from done in the second though as both Gio Diaz and Cesar Lopez brought in a run on RBI doubles to finish the inning with four on the board.
In the fourth, Domonique Hernandez added a solo home run, his third big fly in two days, and Andrew Hanson had an RBI double to bring the score to 6-1.
Chris Allen was replaced by Felipe Rodriguez with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and proceeded to have one of his best relief outings of the season. He went 1.2 scoreless IP, striking out two and picked up his first win of the season.
For the first time this season Miguel Pozo entered the last inning in a save situation and he did not disappoint. He went 1-2-3 in the seventh, allowing a hit but erasing the man on a double play and the game went to Rocky Mountain.
The Vibes got their 12th win in the contest, surpassing their first half win total from 2021. They currently are on the heels of the Boise Hawks and the Glacier Range Riders, just .5 game and 1 game back respectively from climbing out of last place.
With a win tomorrow the Vibes would at least ensure a split of the series against the Rockies, which would further frustrate their first half championship aspirations. They are 1.5 games back of the Ogden Raptors with less than 10 games left.
