Hiram Burgos has been outstanding in his seven starts going 2-2 with a 2.50 ERA, allowing 12 runs on 32 hits in 36 innings. He looks to improve upon his road record of 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA tonight in Sacramento. (Bobby Stevens/MiLB.com)

Colorado Springs has dropped four of the last five games including two out of the first three to the Sacramento River Cats, and look to get out of the capital of California with a win tonight in the series finale. Yesterday saw the Sky Sox tally just four hits in a 6-0 loss to the Giants’ top affiliate. It was the fifth time they’ve picked up four or less hits and the fourth time they have been shutout this season. Jorge Lopez gave up all six runs (four earned) in the second inning, while Clayton Blackburn gave up 2 hits and 1 walk over five innings for Sacramento.

Before we delve into tonight’s affair, the Brewers and Sky Sox have announced the following transactions –

SUMMARY:
ADD: LHP Brent Suter transferred from Rookie Helena
DEL: RHP David Goforth recalled to Milwaukee

Goforth replaces LHP Chris Capuano who was placed on the 15-day disabled list by Milwaukee.

Tonight’s game will see the righty Hiram Burgos for the Sky Sox and the right-hander Chris Heston of the River Cats. Burgos has been stupid good his last five outings as he’s allowed 7 runs (5 earned) across his last 28 innings. Heston no-hit the New York Mets on June 9, 2015 in just his 13th career big-league start, but finds himself trying to get things corrected in Triple-A so he can get back to the bigs, he’s 0-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 6 PCL games.  The Sky Sox went 2-2 against the River Cats last year, are 71-112 overall, and 33-63 on the road against them. Both teams are off to slow starts as the Sky Sox enter play at 19-23 and the River Cats come in with a league-worst 19-28 record.

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

Colorado Springs Sky Sox (19-23) at Sacramento River Cats (19-28) – 8:05 p.m. – Raley Field – West Sacramento, California

Pitching Matchup: RHP Hiram Burgos (2-3, 4.15) at RHP Chris Heston (0-4, 4.45)

Sky Sox Pitcher: RHP Hiram Burgos has proven to be the steadiest pitcher for the Sky Sox this season and gets his ninth appearance (eighth start) tonight. Through his first 39 innings, Burgos is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA, allowing 21 runs (18 earned) on 40 hits, 19 walks, and 35 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .267 against the righty who hails from Puerto Rico. In his last five starts, Burgos is 1-1 with a 1.61 ERA allowing 7 runs (5 earned) on 22 hits, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 28 innings. Over that span he’s lowered his ERA from 10.64 to 4.15 and hit BAA from .346 to .267. Burgos is 28 years of age and looks to get back to the big leagues for the first time since 2013 where he went 1-2 with a 6.44 ERA in six starts with the Brewers. He was selected by Milwaukee in the 6th round of the 2009 draft out of Bethune-Cookman University.

Last Time Out: 5/21/16 vs. Las Vegas – Burgos went five scoreless innings against the 51s on Saturday and allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, and tallied 5 strikeouts in a game the Sky Sox would lose 4-3. Burgos departed with the 2-0 lead. He really labored through his five innings throwing a season-high 95 pitches, 56 of which were strikes.

2016 Game Log:

River Cats Pitcher: RHP Chris Heston gets his sixth start (seventh appearance) for the River Cats after opening the 2016 campaign with San Francisco and went 1-1 with a 10.80 ERA. He’s 0-4 with a save and a 4.45 ERA allowing 16 runs (15 earned) on 30 hits, 14 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings with Sacrament0. He’s lost his last four starts giving up a total of 14 runs (13 earned) in 22 1/3 innings. Heston has been to the mountain top as far as personal achievements go in the big leagues, as he no-hit the Mets at Citi Field in just his 13th career MLB start on June 9, 2015. He out-dueled Noah Syndergaard to the tune of 9 innings, no hits, no walks (three hit batters), and 11 strikeouts. Tonight will mark the 54th appearance (53rd start) for the righty in Triple-A where he is 19 and 19 with a 4.33 ERA in his career. Heston was selected by the Giants in the 12th round of the 2009 draft

Last Time Out: 5/20/2016 at Nashville –  Heston matched a season-high in innings pitched with 6 2/3 innings against the Sounds. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He tossed a season-high 97 pitches, 54 for strikes in a game the River Cats lost 2-1.

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.

Thanks for reading – See you on the radio,

Dan

@Dan_Acheson