Vibes Score Three in 9th for Huge Comeback Victory
By Tyler Petersen
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – In what may be an early stress test on a second half playoff run, the Vibes came back from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to stun Grand Junction 8-7.
The combination of Ethan Lopez, Ulises Nunez, Brandon Perez, Cesar Lopez, and Gio Diaz blitzed Rockies reliever Michael Townsend with four hits, a sacrifice fly, and 3 RBI. Townsend was in for his first save of the year with regular closer Trevin Reynolds sill on the COVID IL for one more day.
Miguel Pozo secured the win with his fourth save of year. Three of Pozo's four saves this season have come against the Rockies.
For the first eight innings it seemed as if Grand Junction was going to outlast Rocky Mountain.
Both teams traded runs in the first, then in the third, Brandon Perez drove home two on a single to give the Vibes a 3-1 lead.
The Rockies answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning off Yohandry Perez. Casey Petersen hit his second home run of the series, a two -run shot, and the Rockies added a Jaylen Hubbard sac fly and a Joe Johnson RBI single.
Johnson would also have an RBI single in the fifth to make it 6-3. He had a career-best night, going 5-5 with two RBI.
Nick Michaels sprang into action late in the contest. He had an RBI double in top of the sixth and another RBI double in the top of the eighth to close the gap to one at 6-5.
Petersen added a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the eighth and that's where the game stood heading to the ninth.
It was the first instance this season of the Vibes winning a game after trailing after the eighth inning.
In terms of the standings, it's a two-game swing, trailing Grand Junction by only a half game when it could have been two and a half.
Sure you can say it's early to start talking this way but here's a tidbit of info for ya: it took the Vibes 21 games in the first half to get four wins, whereas in the second half win number four comes in game seven.
Re-Vibes are 15-15 altogether on the year but only the second half record counts. At the very least the team needs to come out of the Grand Junction series with a 3-3 split. But of course they'll be going for more than that over the next four days.
