Sox Scribbles: Jungmann Leads Charge vs. River Cats Tonight

Taylor Jungmann’s best start came in his only road start in 2016. He gets another turn in the rotation away from Security Service Field, tonight in Sacramento. (Bobby Stevens/MiLB.com)

Colorado Springs dropped the opener of its 8-game California Dreamin’ Swing 4-2 to the Sacramento River Cats last night at Raley Field. The San Francisco Giants affiliate got a two-run double from Ramiro Pena in the sixth inning which made the score 4-2. The Sky Sox had no response and went quietly over the final three innings. The highlight of the night was the matchup between Orlando Arcia and Sergio Romo in the top of the sixth. Arcia wasted no time and jumped all over the first pitch he got from the big leaguer and put it over the wall in center for a game-tying solo homer. Joan Gregorio was outstanding for the River Cats in his second Triple-A start as he went five innings, left with the lead, and struck out eight.

Tonight’s game will see the righty Taylor Jungmann for the Sky Sox and the southpaw Matt Lujan of the River Cats. Jungmann looks to rebound from his last outing where he gave up six runs to Las Vegas without recording an out and was lifted after one-third of an inning and nine batters. Lujan will make his seventh Triple-A start and is in search of his first win; he sits at 0-3 with a 4.44 ERA. The Sky Sox went 2-2 against the River Cats last year, are 70-111 overall, and 32-62 on the road against them. Both teams are off to slow starts as the Sky Sox enter play at 18-22 and the River Cats come in with a league-worst 18-27 record.

Today’s Game Notes / Listen Live at 7:30 MDT / Lineups

Colorado Springs Sky Sox (18-22) at Sacramento River Cats (18-27) – 8:05 p.m. – Raley Field – West Sacramento, California

Pitching Matchup: RHP Taylor Jungmann (1-2, 14.85) at LHP Matt Lujan (0-3, 4.44)

Sky Sox Pitcher: RHP Taylor Jungmann enters tonight still searching for what made him so successful in 2015. The righty has not fared well with the Sky Sox in 2016 compiling a 1-2 record with a 14.85 ERA allowing 23 runs (22 earned) on 22 hits, 4 homers, 6 hit batters, 17 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. His last start lasted nine batters and one-third of an inning against Las Vegas, it was 6-0 before the out was recorded. The righty’s best outing came on May 13 in New Orleans as he earned the win, completing five innings allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, he still did walk 4, but struck out a season-high 6 batters. It was his lone start on the road, so with this being his second start away from Security Service Field, maybe we can expect more of the same from his start in the Big Easy. Jungmann went 0-4 with a 9.15 ERA in five starts with the Brewers before he was optioned to Colorado Springs. Tonight marks the 16th appearance (14th start) for the Texas native with the Sky Sox. In his MiLB career he is 36-31 with a 4.37 ERA in 95 games (92 starts) and 9-12 with a 4.56 ERA in 26 big-league starts.

Last Time Out: 5/19/16 vs. Las Vegas – Jungmann ran into trouble in a hurry last Thursday against the 51s as he had given up six runs on four hits, including back-to-back homers, before recording an out. He did eventually retire the seventh man he faced in the inning, but walked the eighth and hit the pitcher to end his outing. He threw 37 pitches, just 14 for strikes in the start. The Sky Sox would come all the way back from the early deficit to tie the game 6-6, but ultimately lost 7-6.

2016 Game Log:

River Cats Pitcher: LHP Matt Lujan gets his seventh Triple-A start tonight, and first career appearance against Colorado Springs. The lefty went undrafted out of the University of San Francisco due to Tommy John surgery his senior year and signed with the Giants in April 2012. The Stockton, California native has made it all the way to Triple-A since his signing and has compiled a 32-14 record with a 3.04 ERA in 76 career outings spanning close to 390 innings. The southpaw is 0-3 with a 4.44 ERA through his first six career Triple-A outings and has allowed 18 runs (12 earned) on 29 hits, 4 homers, 13 walks, and 20 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting Lujan at a .299 clip.

Last Time Out: 5/19/2016 at Nashville – Lujan did not take home a decision, but turned in a solid performance for the River Cats last Thursday against the Sounds. He went five innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. He threw 79 pitches and 48 of them for strikes. He upped his ERA from 4.19 to 4.44 in a game the River Cats lost 6-5 at First Tennessee Park.

2016 Game Log:

Dan Karcher (@SkySoxKarch) continues his 27^th season behind the mic for Sky Sox games, he will have the call of tonight’s game from Raley Field at 8:05 p.m. I’ll get Sky Sox Warmup gets all fired up at 7:30 MDT on XTRA Sports 1300.

Brewers Family Roundup

The Brewers had yesterday off and traveled to Atlanta where they will open up a three-game series against the Bravos tonight at Turner Field…Jimmy Nelson is slated to get the start for the Crew and looks for his third straight quality start…Biloxi fought long and hard, but was topped by the Smokies 3-2 in 12 innings yesterday…Wei-Chung Wang pitched into the 6th and picked up 8 strikeouts along the way…Kyle Wren went 3-for-6 with a solo homer in the loss, while Taylor, Shaw, and Macias tallied two hits apiece…The Shuckers have the night off tonight…Brevard County got outstanding pitching from RHP Eric Hanhold, but couldn’t back him with any support and lost 1-0 to Jupiter…Hanhold went seven and allowed a run on three hits…Wisconsin was thumped 7-1 by the Kane County Cougars…Blake Allemand went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored…Jordan Yamamoto tossed four scoreless innings with six Ks in relief of the starter Devin Williams.