Vibes Blowout Jackalopes in Rubber Match 18-8

By Tyler Petersen

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.

A 13-run inning and a quality start from Christian Day propelled the Rocky Mountain Vibes to victory on Sunday over the Grand Junction Jackalopes by the score of 18-8.

It's the second straight series the Vibes have won, if you count road and home games against the same team as one series. They win the six game series over the Jakes 4-2, after taking the previous six gamer 4-2 over the Owlz.

Day turned in one of his best performances of the season, going 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, and 2 K. He pitched the first six innings scoreless and did not give up a hit until the fourth.

Former Vibe Chris Allen threw for the Jakes, the second time in a week he faced his former squad. He held Rocky Mountain mostly in check throughout the six innings he threw. The Vibes put up 5 runs off Allen, with three batted in by Joe Encarnacion on two doubles.

But when Allen left, that's when things exploded. In the seventh, the offense put up 13 runs off two Grand Junction relievers. Four runs were walked in and nine were hit in by four home runs: Barfield hit a two run shot, Stephen Wilmer hit a grand slam, and Elivs Peralta and David Martinez went back-to-back with two outs.

The win coupled with the Owlz loss to the Chukars (yes, we are scoreboard watching 12 games in) puts the Vibes back into sole possession of first place in the south by a game. This is the quarter mark of the second half with 36 games to go.

Coming up is a six game homestand starting on Tuesday. Rocky Mountain will face Ogden for the first time in the second half – a three game series – then the Owlz come to town again for three more.

See you at UC Health Park this week as the push for the playoffs is officially on!