Vibes Squeeze Past Raptors 6-5

By Tyler Petersen

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Great pitching and timely hitting were the main elements to a Vibes victory in a highly entertaining night of baseball on Thursday evening.

Twice in the last two innings the Ogden Raptors had the bases loaded down just one run but were held off the board by the Rocky Mountain bullpen.

The pitching matchup was Dusty Barid vs Polo Portela. Both pitchers got through the first two innings without a run crossing the plate. Then in the top of the third, Pat Adams of the Raptors hit a ball sharply down the first base line to the corner and the ball ricocheted off the wall obliquely and past Gio Diaz. Adams came all the way around for an inside-the-park home run. Baird then struck out the side.

The Rocky Mountain bats the sprang into action. The bottom of the inning began with three straight hits, capped by a Gio Diaz two-run triple. Two batters later Ulysses Cantu brought home Diaz with a single up the middle.

The three-spot in the third was followed up by another three runs in the fifth. This time it was Ethan Lopez with an RBI, his eighth triple of the season, adding on to the single-game record he already set this year. Cantu had another RBI single and later in the inning, with bases full Alan Garcia, who was just re-signed to the roster, drew an RBI walk.

Dusty Baird was having a career-best start. He allowed two more runs in the fourth but strikeouts were getting out of more trouble. He went a career high 5+ IP, with 8 K and threw over 100 pitches and walked off the mound with the Vibes leading 6-3.

The Ogden bullpen was able to shut down the Vibes offense after that. In the final four innings they only gave up one hit and no runs.

In the eighth inning it was a 6-5 game with Seth Davis on the mound. After a couple of errors and a hit-by-pitch, there were men on second and third with only one out. Davis faced Ty Lewis and struck him out. He then battled with Josh Broughton with two outs. After falling behind in a 3-1 count, the Vibes intentionally gave Broughton ball number four. Bases were loaded for Pat Adams. Davis struck him out to end the inning.

Onto the ninth for the Miguel Pozo show. The Vibes barely escaped in the eighth and they had to work the same magic in this inning. Pozo walked the first man of the inning then struck out the second. He then walked the third batter. With men at first and second a ball was hit up the middle that the Vibes could only turn into one out a second. Two outs in the inning. Then another walk. The bases were loaded once again. Sonny Ulliana was at the plate to face Pozo. And Pozo struck him out.

The Vibes took the lead in the series in game 3. Another win will get them at least a split in the series. Tomorrow's game will be the same time, at the same place.