Vibes Stave Off Raptors
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ogden Raptors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 3 |
|
Rocky Mountain Vibes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 6 | 0 |
Hudson Ridley
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The Rocky Mountain Vibes escaped a late game comeback by the Ogden Raptors to take game one of the series, 5-4.
Blaine Traxel got the start on the mound for the Vibes opposite of Jackson Miller for the Raptors.
The ballgame had a very similar start to what Vibes fans have become accustomed to. Traxel came out of the gate hot, only allowing two hits in the first three innings he took the hill.
Rocky Mountain also started the game swinging hot bats. The Vibes sent eight batters to the plate in the first frame. That included six batters during a two out rally that saw two runs score. Ethan Lopez knocked in Jacob Barfield to extend his RBI streak and bring Barfield around in his first game back since the Grand Junction away series.
Traxel held up his end of the deal by pitching late into the game. The righty tossed six scoreless frames, including retiring nine straight batters between the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Traxel slowed down in the seventh, eventually allowing the first run of the day for the Raptors. He would be pulled with a final line of 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.
Ogden wouldn't stop at just one run in the seventh. A big inning for the boys in blue would slash the Vibes lead from 5-0 to 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
That's when the Rocky Mountain bullpen stepped up. Chris Macca and Carlos Lomeli would be called on to close out the ballgame, and that's exactly what they did. Both Macca and Lomeli combined for two scoreless innings, giving up one hit a piece.
Lomeli got the top of the ninth and allowed a lead off single to Colton Horner. After that he buckled down and held Horner on the basepaths to end the game and pick up his second save as a Vibe.
With that win Rocky Mountain improves to 39-39 on the season and 19-12 on the back half of the season. That second half record still leads the Pioneer League Southern Division as the Vibes continue to make a playoff push. The Vibes and Raptors face off again tomorrow, August 23rd, where the Vibes have a chance to take yet another series. First pitch from UCHealth park is slated for 6:35.
