Delays, Ejections, and an Injury to End the Game
By Tyler Petersen
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In a game that was marred by starts and stops of play, the Rocky Mountain Vibes lost the final game of the series to the Grand Junction Rockies 11-3.
The box score seemed to matter little at the end of the night's contest — Josh Agnew picked up his fourth win of the season out of the bullpen; he followed Gaylan Young who was used to pitch the first inning. Greyson Fletcher took his first loss of the season allowing four runs through 3+ IP. For a complete look at the game statistically, see the full stats link above.
Last night's postgame jawing was not soon forgotten a day later. In the first inning, the leadoff hitter Charles Middleton was hit by Fletcher. Then in the bottom of the first, Gaylan Young threw his first pitch behind the back of Gio Diaz. The second pitch hit Diaz in the hip. Thus began the fracas, scrap, insurrection, derby - use whatever term you want, it was a fight.
It began at home plate between Diaz and the catcher Tyler Sandoval and soon involved all of their teammates. When the umpires and the teams regained control of the situation, only Diaz and Sandoval were ejected from the game. Joe Mikulik was ejected during an argument with the umpires, presumably over the fact that Young was not one of the ejections.
Young finished the first inning and was replaced by the projected starter for the game Josh Agnew.
It was a 1-1 game in the bottom of the third when Ulysses Cantu hit his seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot to give Rocky Mountain a 3-1 lead. Then the first delay. Lightning was detected too closely to the field to allow play to continue and the tarp was put on the field. It would be 37 minutes between pitches.
After the delay it would be all Rockies from here on out. They scored the next 10 runs unanswered, with three in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five in the seventh. Four of the runs in the seventh inning were unearned due to three Vibes errors.
Seth Davis came on to pitch the top of the eighth as more rain fell at UCHealth Park. It was quickly apparent that field conditions were deteriorating. His ball four to Casey Petersen squirted out of his hand straight to the backstop and on the next pitch to Nico Popa, he slipped on his landing spot on the mound.
The umpires took the players off the field and for a few minutes it looked as if the game would be called then and there. The game went into its second weather delay. Somewhat unexpectedly the umpires returned to the field as the grounds crew worked on the mound and the infield. The umpires determined the field was playable again and the teams came back after a break of 25 minutes.
But only two batters into the inning another distressing event occurred. Home plate umpire Jordan Smart took a ball of his right thumb and immediately bent over in pain. He walked over to the Vibes dugout where he was examined by Vibes athletic trainer Emily Weaver. As Smart was being examined, he showed signs of wooziness and was then supported by Weaver and a Vibes player. Then, he collapsed unconscious into their arms.
At that point both teams decided that playing any further was not an option. They walked off, the game was over in the top of the eighth.
Smart would regain consciousness after a minute or two and would walk off the field under his own power shortly thereafter. But it was a worrisome moment and a frightening way to end a baseball game.
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The Vibes now have a six-game road trip to Ogden where they will face the Raptors for the first time this season.
