Strikeout Bug Strikes Owlz Again in Saturday's Shutout Loss

JOHNSTOWN, Colo. -- The Owlz totaled twice as many strikeouts as hits in Saturday's shutout loss. 

The seven-inning 17-0 defeat is the Owlz (9-13) worst loss this season. 

NoCo came into this series against Grand Junction (17-6) after an eight-game stretch with 10 or more hits. In three of the four games this homestand, the home team didn't top six hits. 

The Rockies can thank Izzy Fuentes (W, 5-4) for that result on Saturday. The starter outlasted a 44-minute lightning delay and lit up the box score with 10 strikeouts. Fuentes fired off seven innings, making him the third opposing starter this season to throw a complete game against these Owlz. All three of those efforts were seven-inning affairs, though.

Grand Junction stormed out to a 8-0 lead before the lightning delay. It sustained the scoring after the storm, stacking up two more runs in the interrupted top of the fourth inning. Then, the Rockies homered the next inning and twice the inning after that. 

Robbie Kellerman came out to pitch the seventh. The road team tacked on two more off the position-player-turned-pitcher.

When a storm struck again in the seventh, the game got called. And so the Owlz surrendered their fourth loss of the homestand. The red-hot Rockies have yet to lose a series to the Owlz this season. 

Also red-hot: Abdel Guadalupe. The two-hole hitter hacked two two-baggers in Saturday's scuffle. He's up to 19 hits in his 11 games with the Owlz, seven of which are doubles. 

NoCo knows it needs more than a one-man attack, though, and its next chance to find a rhythm will come in Sunday's series finale. First pitch from Nelson Farm Park is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.