For Second Consecutive Night, Vibes Win in Knock Out

By Tyler Petersen

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – This series with Ogden has brought more drama than any other this year. For the third straight night, the Vibes beat the Raptors and for the second consecutive night, it came in the Knockout Round.

Jesus Valdez and Ethan Lopez battled again but this time Lopez came out of the matchup with the win off his bat. Unlike last night Valdez was not able to get one out and all five swings resulted in outs. Lopez however needed only one swing to call game and win the KO Round 1-0.

In regulation baseball, it was the Raptors who held the lead for most of the game. Valdez had two early RBI singles and Sonny Ulliana hit a solo shot for his ninth homer of the year. It was 4-1 Ogden into the seventh inning.

Then in the seventh, the Vibes stages a two-out rally. Ethan Lopez had two men on base against Alberto Gonzalez. He launched a ball to deep left field for his first home run of the night (one that counted) and tied the game at 4-4. The inning was far from over though. Alan Garcia doubled in a run and Domonique Hernandez singled in another to make it a five-run frame. It was the first lead of the night for Rocky Mountain.

In the top of the eighth Pete Bayer entered the game for the Vibes. The Raptors were threatening to retake the lead with men on second and third with two outs, but Bayer was able to strike out Josh Broughton looking with a 96 mph fastball on the black. Bayer owns the lowest opponent batting average on the team, with the league hitting only .240 against him.

The two-run lead lasted into the ninth and Miguel Pozo came in from the bullpen looking for his third save of the series. It was the fourth time in five nights that Pozo pitched against the Raptors. After he initially got the first out on the first pitch, the second batter Valdez hit a long drive off the batter's eye in center to cut the deficit to one. An error and single with two outs set up a showdown with Ulliana for the second time in three nights. This time Ulliana got the best of Pozo, singling to left to tie the game. The Vibes got out of the inning with a groundout on the next batter.

With the game tied Ogden closer Jackson Lancaster walked two batters with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but ended the inning at 6-6. It set up the final showdown between Valdez and Lopez.

With the win today the Vibes have won the series by taking four of the first five games. They lead the season series 9-8. If the Vibes can win tomorrow they will have their first season series victory against a team for the first time in the new Pioneer League.