Vibes Take Series Against Mustangs

Hudson Ridley

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

Aided by a gem from the bullpen the Rocky Mountain Vibes took down the Billings Mustangs, 8-6 on Thursday.

Kevin Dickey got the start for the Vibes while Pat Maybach toed the rubber for the Mustangs. This game wouldn't be about the starters though.

Dickey struggled to start posting a final line of 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 7 BB, 2 SO. 

Marvin Guzman was called on to quell the damage with the Vibes trailing 6-3 in the top of the third. Guzman proceeded to rack up nine strikeouts completely shutting down the Mustangs. 

Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain started to pick things up on the offensive end. Ethan Lopez nearly left the park on a double that scored a run. Lopez made his return after missing some time. Joe Encarnacion, who picked up an injury in the same game as Lopez also made his return.

The Vibes knotted things at six when Ethan Lopez drew a walk with the bases loaded. That walk was part of a common theme for both sides, the three true outcomes. Rocky Mountain and Billings combined for 17 walks and a whopping 26 strikeouts. Four of those strikeouts were pitched in the same frame by Mustangs' reliever Keagan McGinnis.

In total the Vibes bullpen would pitch 6.1 scoreless innings. Rocky Mountain got 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB and 9 SOs from Marvin Guzman which would earn him the Whataburger player of the game. Followed by 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO from Chris Macca, and finished off with a shutout inning from Alexis Cendano who earned his fifth save of the year.

The winning run would end up being a Dusty Stroup RBI triple which nearly left the yard.

Rocky Mountain has now won back to back series with a trip back to Grand Junction next up.