Every Saturday this season, we’ll be posting Sky Sox news and notes from the previous week that encompass everything from odd occurances to hot streaks. Here’s the first installment.
Opening Day, April 9 vs. Las Vegas:
LET’S GET IT STARTED: The Sky Sox open up their 22nd season of baseball today with a home match-up against the Las Vegas 51s. In their previous 21 seasons, the Sox are 9-12 in season openers and 10-11 in their first home games of the season. Today’s game will mark the second time that Colorado Springs has started the season against Las Vegas and the second time they’ve started the season at home against the 51s (previous season opener vs. LVG: 4/7/05, 3-8 loss). The Sky Sox have lost their last four season openers and last recorded a win in the opener in 2004 at Nashville (6-3 win).
OPENING DAY STARTERS: Sox starting pitcher Greg Reynolds is making his second straight Opening Day start for the Sky Sox today becoming the fourth pitcher to make back-to-back Opening Day starts in the Sox 22 year history. He joins Mike Walker (1989-90), Mark Brownson (1998-99) and Jason Young (2003-04) in that catagory. The only other pitcher to make more than one Opening Day start on the mound for Colorado Springs is John Thompson who was the Opening Day starter for the Sox in 1997 and 2001.
April 10 vs. Las Vegas:
150 VICTORIES: With their win last night, the Sky Sox have now won 150 regular season games against Las Vegas which is the most for the Sox against any one PCL team. The Sox overall record against Vegas is now 150-136 (3-2 in the post season).
TORONTO: Last night’s game marked the first time in the Sky Sox’ 22-year history that the team has faced off against a team affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox have now played against 19 of the 30 Major League affiliates.
April 11 vs. Las Vegas:
THAT SPELLS RELIEF: Through the first two games of the season, the Sox bullpen has shoulder a good bit of the workload. Combined, the Sox relief core has tossed 9.1 innings and given up just 2 ER (1.93 ERA) and struck out 10.
MISCUES: For the second straight game, the Sky Sox committed three errors but still won the contest. In the Sox’ 22-year history the team has accomplished that feat six times now. The last time it happened was nine years ago when Springs did it on August 8th and 9th of 1999 at Fresno (Won 14-11 with 14 R, 19 H, 3 E) and vs. Edmonton (Won 10-8 with 10 R, 17 H, 3 E).
Colorado Springs Sky Sox Official Team Blog 
Besides the game on 4/9, the home opener also had a moving moment of silence and bagpipes for Nick Adenhart. There were bagpipers that played Amazing Grace in memory of Nick. It’s very hard to hear Amazing Grace played by bagpipes and not have your eyes well with tears (which mine did that evening). A well done tribute. Kudo’s to the Sky Sox organization for doing that.