The Sky Sox finished off a four-game sweep of the Fresno Grizzlies Monday afternoon, fighting back from an early deficit to win 8-6.

The game was a pitchers duel through six innings, with the Grizzlies leading 3-1 behind starter Shane Loux. In the seventh, the Sox erupted for six runs, including a Grand Slam by Mike Paulk to take a 7-3 lead they would not relinquish. Brad Emaus would provide some insurance in the eighth with a solo home run and Jim Miller pitched a perfect ninth to record his fourth save of the season.

The Sox and Grizzlies will play four more times this week starting tonight in Fresno.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM MT.

Fox Facts:

• Paulk’s Grand Slam was the second in two days for the Sox. Matt Macri also had a slam in Sunday’s 24-6 victory. It is only the third time in Sky Sox history that they have had a Grand Slam in back-to-back games. The last occurrence was August 19-20, 2001 against Salt Lake City. Kimera Bartee collected the slam on the 19^th while Cliff Brambaugh and Mike Bell each collected one on the 20^th.

24-6.

That’s not a prediction for next years Broncos-49ers game. That was the score of yesterday’s Sky Sox game against the Fresno Grizzlies. The game featured a 13-run fifth inning, seven errors, ten walks surrendered by the Fresno pitching staff, and a myriad of wacky plays.

On his 29th birthday, Matt Macri finished 5-for-7 with a Sky Sox season-high eight RBI. The eight RBI ties for the second most RBI’s in a game in team history, all done at home.  The others occurrences:

• 9 – Alan Cockrell, May 15^th, 1990, vs. Phoenix (Home)
• 8 – Harvey Pulliam, June 6^th, 1995 vs. Tucson (Home)

The 13 runs in the fifth inning tied a Sky Sox record for most runs in an inning. The other occurrences:

• June 24^th, 1988 (Game 2) at Sky Sox Stadium, 13 runs scored in bottom of the 3^rd against Tacoma (Sky Sox won 13-5)
• July 5^th, 1994 at Sky Sox Stadium, 13 runs scored in bottom of the 6^th against Las Vegas (Sky Sox won 16-12)

Carrying over from Saturday’s 8-7 victory, the Sky Sox have now scored in 13-consecutive innings which is a team record.

The Sky Sox have had their three-highest totals in runs and hits for the Sky Sox were all in games against the Giants Triple-A affiliate:

• May 7^th, 1988 at Spurgeon Stadium, Sky Sox 33-12 over Phoenix Firebirds (33 runs, 32 hits)
• June 28^th, 2005 at Security Service Field, Sky Sox 25-7 over Fresno Grizzlies (25 runs, 27 hits)

Other offensive stars for the Sox were Mike Jacobs and Jeff Salazar, who followed up his two home run performance on Saturday by going 2-for-3 with three RBI and five runs scored. The five runs marked the tenth time in team history that a Sky Sox player scored five runs in a single game.

Jacobs finished 5-for-7 with five singles. The five-hit game was the second for Jacobs this season in the same season, becoming the fourth Sky Sox player to have two five-hit games in the same season, and the first to have two five-hit games before July 4^th in a season.       

With the win, the Sox improved to 22-29 on the season and 5-2 against the Grizzlies. They will look to sweep the four-game set this afternoon. Heading into the top of the sixth, the Sox trail 3-1 but starter Alan Johnson is pitching well. Check back tomorrow for a recap of today’s action.

Jeff Salazar, starting only his second game in the leadoff spot in the Sox lineup due to the departure of Eric Young Jr. to the Majors, hit two home runs, including a walk-off solo home run, as the Sky Sox defeated the Fresno Grizzlies 8-7 Saturday night.

Salazar’s blast came two innings after he hit an almost identical shot to bring the Sox within a run in the eighth at 7-6. In the ninth, Matt Macri nearly ended the game with a game-tying double that just missed clearing the wall in left-center field. The  Sox were unable to bring in Macri and the game went to extra innings tied 7-7. Aft Jim Miller pitched a scoreless tenth, Salazar greeted Fresno Reliever Geno Espineli with a blast down the right-field line, sending a raucous crowd into a wild frenzy and setting off a mob scene at home plate.  

Fresno had a commanding lead for much of the game, taking a 5-0 lead into the sixth. However, with the offensive firepower on this Sox team, no lead is safe. 

Colorado Rockies starter Aaron Cook allowed six runs on eight hits in 7.2 innings of work on a rehab assignment for a broken finger on his pitching hand suffered in spring training.

Game three comes your way in 30 minutes as John Maine makes his first start since May 3rd.

Fox Facts:

• Prior to today’s game, infielder Chris Nelson was called up to the Rockies.

In a rare pitchers duel in Colorado Springs, the Sky Sox defeated the Grizzlies 2-1 Friday night behind a strong performance from Billy Buckner (1-1, 6.82). With 5.0 scoreless innings, Buckner picked up his first win of the 2011 season.  The win also marked the first by a Sky Sox starter since May 12th in game one of a double-header with the Iowa Cubs. Josh Muecke picked up the win in 11-5 Sky Sox victory that day.

The Sox lost the shutout with two outs and two strikes on Thomas Neal, but Jim Miller’s 0-2 pitch was hit out for a solo home run. Miller would end up striking out the side in the ninth to earn his 3rd save of the season and his 100th career save in the Minor Leagues.

The only runs for the Sox came on a Matt Macri two RBI double in the fourth inning to score Cole Garner and Jordan Pacheco.

Charlie Blackmon recorded two hits on the night, finishing 2-for-4 while extending  his hitting streak to 15 games. It is the longest hitting streak by a Sky Sox batter this season.

The Sox will look to make it two in a row tonight as Rockies starter Aaron Cook takes the hill in a rehab appearance. Cook is the Rockies all-time leader in wins (69), games started (189), quality starts (105) and innings pitched (1215.1).

First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM MT

It is being reported that former Sky Sox All-Star and current Redding Phillies outfielder Matt Miller has retired. Miller played for the Sox in 2006 and 2008-’10.

As member of the Sox, Miller posted a career average of .323 with 19 home runs, 202 RBI, 201 runs in 310 games. He ranks tenth in Sox history in career batting average and total bases, eighth in runs, RBI and on-base percentage (.394), sixth in hits (381), and fifth in singles (277). 

Miller was a PCL All-Star for the Sky Sox during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

In a string of games that have seemingly all come down to the wire, the Sox lost another close game last night to the Isotopes 5-4 behind a two-run eighth inning home run by JD Closser.

The Sox had led 4-3 entering the inning thanks in large part to a Mike Jacobs two-run home run in the first inning.

The Sox return home tonight for a four-game set with the Fresno Grizzlies. Outfielder Cole Garner will be activated from the disabled list prior to the game.

Billy Buckner (0-1, 8.10) will take the bump for the Sox against Doug Mathis (0-1, 3.47)

The Sox fell in extra inning to the Isotopes Wednesday nigh by a score of 7-6.

The Sox took a 4-1 lead in the third on a Charlie Blackmon solo home run, his team-leading 10th home run of the year.

The Isotopes would battle back with a run in the fifth and four in the sixth aided by two Josh Fields errors to take a 6-4 lead.

The Sky Sox, as they’ve done on numerous occasions over the past week, rallied to tie the game late on runs in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, a Matt Macri two-out double would draw the Sox to within a run at 6-5. Pinch-hitter Jeff Salazar then lead off the ninth with his first home run of the year to send the game to extra innings.

After retiring the first two Isotopes batters in the tenth, Rex Brothers (3-2, 2.42) allowed three straight singles, including the game winner to Eugenio Velez.

 The Albuquerque offense was aided by three errors by the normally sure handed Josh Fields. The three-error game was the first by a Sky Sox player since Garrett Atkins committed three errors against Albuquerque in Colorado Springs on April 27th, 2003.  Fields’ 3-error game was the first three-error game by a Sky Sox player on the road since Jason Bates on August 21st, 1994 (Game 2) in Vancouver.  

The Sox will look to salvage a series split with the Isotopes tonight as Andy Graham (0-1, 7.16) takes the hill against Mario Alvarez (0-1, 7.71). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM MT.

Fox Facts:

• Prior to today’s game, infielder Ian Stewart was placed on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain. additionally, Fields was placed on the inactive list after fouling a ball off his foot in yesterday’s game. Taking their spots on the active roster are infielder Radames Nazario who was transferred from Tri-City and infielder Mike Paulk was activated from the disabled list.

The Sox recorded their third last at-bat victory in the past five games last night, defeating the Albuquerque Isotopes 15-6 thanks to a ten-run ninth inning.

Trailing by a run entering the ninth, the Sky Sox scored ten runs, highlighted by a three-run home run by Charlie Blackmon. A Matt Macri RBI double tied the game at six. Eliezer Alfonzo delivered the go-ahead hit with an RBI single to left to give the Sox a 7-6 lead. Ten straight Sky Sox batters reached base in the inning on eight hits and two walks.

The 10-run inning marks the 15th time in team history that the Sox have scored 10 runs or more in one inning. It is the fourth time they’ve accomplished that feat on the road. The Sox have a 13-1 record in games where they’ve had a 10-run inning, with the only  loss coming May 1, 2001 against Memphis as the Sky Sox scored 10 runs in the eighth but fell to the Redbirds 15-14.

With the win, the Sox improve to 19-27 on the year. They will look to win their second straight against the Isotopes tonight as Alan Johnson takes the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM MT.

Fox Facts:

• In yesterday’s 15-6 victory over Albuquerque, Rex Brothers failed to record a strikeout for the first time in 21 appearances this season. He has struck out at least one batter in 20 of 21 appearances and two or more in 17 of 21.
• Infielder Josh Fields has been on an offensive tear lately. Over the past 14 games, Fields is batting .491 (26-for-53) with three home runs, 23 runs scored and 18 RBI. He’s currently first in the PCL in hitting with a .391 average and tied for first in runs (44), leads the Sky Sox in slugging percentage (.695) and is second on the team with seven home runs. He is currently in the midst of a 13-game hitting streak, one shy of the Sky Sox season high of 14 (Alfredo Amezaga).
• With his 4-for-4 night on Tuesday against the Isotopes, Eric Young Jr. continues to show why he’s the top leadoff hitter in the PCL.  He is currently tied for first in the league with 44 runs scored, 4th in the PCL in average (.372) and 2nd in triples (8), OBP (.469), walks (31), and steals (17). This year, EY has moved into a tie for third all-time in Sky Sox history with 19 career triples (Beau Allred) and into second place for career stolen bases with the Sky Sox (85).

After earning a weekend split against a loaded Round Rock team, which featured Texas Rangers outfielders Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz on rehab assignments, the Sox dropped game one of their series with the Albuquerque Isotopes Monday.

The weekend series featured two thrilling Sox comebacks, including an eight-run ninth inning to overcome a three-run deficit in the final game. With two outs and two runners on, Eliezer Alfonzo crushed a game-tying three-run home run. The Sox would tack on five more runs in the inning to earn a series split 15-10.

Last night, the Sox again rallied with three runs in the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4, but a run by the Isotopes in the bottom half of the inning sent the Sox home with a 5-4 loss.

The Sox enter tonight’s contest with a record of 18-27. They feature the top offense in the PCL with a team batting-average of .313. However, they also lay claim to the second-worst team ERA in the league at 6.96.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM MT tonight.

• With Thursday’s 8-3 loss to the Express, the Sky Sox have now lost nine road games in a row. The last time the Sox lost nine in a row was August 12th – 19th, 2005 in a five-game sweep at the hands of Portland and a four-game sweep to Fresno. The Sox went on to lose their last four road games of the ‘05 season to run their losing streak to 13, while also losing their first four road games of the ‘06 season for a combined streak of 17 straight road losses.
• Charlie Blackmon recorded his PCL leading ninth outfield assists of the season Thursday, throwing out Brad Nelson at home. Blackmon has now thrown out five runners at home, one each at first and third and two at second base.
• Texas Rangers Outfielders Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton begin rehab assignments with the Round Rock Express tonight.