Vibes Rally for Incredible 11-10 Win
By Tyler Petersen
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – They believe, they really do. Down seven runs with four outs to work with, the Rocky Mountain Vibes stormed back to stun the Grand Junction Rockies with four runs in the eighth and four runs in the ninth.
After a hard-fought six game series that saw the Vibes consistently pitch late battles against the Raptors, their most impressive comeback of this road trip came tonight.
The first tilt was for Rocky Mountain, which went for three runs in the second. Andrew Hanson knocked in two with a double and Mike Annone brought another in with an RBI groundout.
The second also featured runs for the Rockies, who got two on a home run by newcomer Jake Cruce. But that was the only strike on an otherwise pristine performance by Jacob Wesselmann. He held the Rockies to just four other baserunners and struck out six in his six innings of work.
His line was rivaled by Rockies starter Alfredo Villa who had six Ks of his own in seven innings. Like Wesselmann as well, Villa did not allow runs outside the second inning.
The game headed to the bottom of the seventh still 3-2 and Seth Davis entered the game for the Vibes. What came next can only be described as a cacophony of base runners. A single and two walks loaded the bases. An errant pick-off attempt into centerfield moved everyone up 90 feet and tied the game. Add another walk, a double, a sac fly, and two more singles. Davis walked off the mound and turned the ball over to Nathan Draves having allowed five men to score. A walk and two more singles brought in three more runs before the inning closed. Grand Junction held their first lead, and boy was it a commanding one, at 10-3.
Top of the eighth, down seven. Grand Junction went to the bullpen for Kyler Patterson.
Patterson started strong. Strikeout. Strikeout. The Vibes had but four outs to score at least seven runs. Then, a two-out, seemingly-innocuous walk to Ulysses Cantu. That was followed by a walk to Luis Navarro. Cesar Lopez continued the inning by driving in Cantu on a single. Michaels had an infield single to load the bases.
Batting again with smore's on the fire, Hanson drove in two on a single. With three runs in and the score 10-6, alarms went off for Grand Junction. Their DEFCON 2 response was Trevin Reynolds, their closer, coming in for a four-out save. Mike Annone was the first to face Reynolds and laced a ball to left field to bring in a fourth and final run in the eighth. The Vibes were not giving up.
In the bottom of the eighth, Damon Ellis came on to make his first Vibes appearance and quickly dispatched the Rockies.
Top of the ninth, down three. Two of the first three batters got on against Reynolds, it was first and second with one out. Then Luis Navarro chopped a ball to third and the third baseman threw it past first base allowing one run to score and moving runners to second and third. Cesar Lopez once again followed up with an RBI single. Nick Michaels walked giving Hanson yet another at-bat with base loaded. But Reynolds won this battle, striking out Hanson.
With two outs it would be up to Mike Annone. The first pitch was fouled away and the second pitch was called for a strike. In a 10-9 game, Reynolds was a strike away from the save. Annone fought off another 95 mph fastball, then took a pitch in the dirt. Reynolds tried again to blow one past Annone but instead it was Mike who blew one past the first baseman, a two-run single to give the Vibes the lead.
Miguel Pozo came into the ninth, and as he is apt to do, he struck out the side.
The seven-run comeback matched their win over NoCo in the Knockout Round when they trailed 7-0 in that contest.
This win only counts for one no matter how huge the comeback, how important the result. The two teams will battle again tomorrow. If the Vibes are going to win this series, they forced the correct outcome for them tonight.
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Corrected standings at the end of Wednesday night:
NORTHERN 1st WILD CARD**
Missoula* 18-8 -- G. Junction 44-29 --
Billings 14-12 4.0 Great Falls 40-33 4.0
Idaho Falls 13-13 5.0 Billings 39-33 4.5
Great Falls 13-13 5.0 Idaho Falls 40-34 4.5
Glacier 11-15 7.0 R. Mountain 27-43 15.5
SOUTHERN N. Colorado 27-43 15.5
G. Junction 18-7 -- Glacier 28-45 16.0
Ogden* 13-13 5.5 Boise 23-51 21.5
R. Mountain 12-12 5.5
N. Colorado 10-15 8.0
Boise 6-20 12.5
