I’m not sure you could have two more contrasting games than the ones we had Saturday and Sunday down in the Big Easy. Saturday was the 1-0 Sox win, with the only run coming on a leadoff homer by Kyle Wren. Sunday saw Kyle Wren pick up a base hit on the fifth pitch of the game, but that was just about it for the Sky Sox bats as New Orleans picked up the 7-1 in the finale and earned a series split.

The game turned out to be a pitcher’s duel between the Sox Taylor Jungmann and the Cakes William Cuevas as it was scoreless for the first half of the game. New Orleans broke through against Jungmann with a three-run fifth inning and added another in the sixth to make it a 4-0 game.

Meanwhile, Cuevas faced the minimum (thanks to a double play in the first inning) in his six inning outing and finished by retiring the final 17 men he faced in order. Think about that. It’s unreal! Odrisamer Despaigne came out of the pen for the seventh and once again disposed of the Sox in order… 20 in a row. Then, when the streak was at 22, Andrew Susac walked in the eighth inning and stopped it.

Tom Wilhelmsen bounced out of the bullpen for the eighth, but gave up back-to-back hits before recording the first two outs in the frame. Matt Juengel stepped in with two on and two out and crushed a laser beam home run down the left field line and upped the advantage to 7-0.

The Sox picked up three straight singles with one out in the top of the ninth and scored their lone run on a Brett Phillips ground out.

Game Story Here

Hitting Notes – 

The Sky Sox mustered one run on four hits in the finale, and managed just three runs on 16 hits over the final three games in New Orleans. That’s it and that’s all.

Kyle Wren had two of the four hits yesterday, both singles.

Nate Orf reached base on a knock.

Tyler Heineman had a pinch-hit single in the ninth for Colorado Springs’ fourth hit.

Brett Phillips drove in the run and Andrew Susac walked for the other Sox notables.

Pitching Notes – 

Taylor Jungmann was good, but the lack of run support left him with the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits, walked one and fanned three in six innings of work. He fired off 95 pitches, 62 of which went for strikes.

Stephen Kohlscheen gave up a hit and struck out one in his lone inning of work.

Tom Wilhelmsen allowed trhee runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

David Goforth gave up a hit and struck out one in his one-third of an inning.

Play of the Game – 

Yadiel Rivera (of course) made an outstanding play to open up the game defensively and robbed Chad Hinshaw of a base knock. I mean Rivera quickly moved to his right and from the outfield grass fired a strike to first to nail the leadoff man. It was incredible, and you’re going to have to take my word for it, because there’s no video proof of it.

Pregame Interview with Dan Karcher and Dave Machemer – 

The Sox split the road trip with two wins and two losses and return home to open up a rather large, five-game, four day series against the Omaha Storm Chasers tonight at Security Service Field. Not only is it a five-game four day set, but it begins a nine-game, home and home stretch with Omaha. Let’s get to the preview of game one!

Colorado Springs Sky Sox (43-30) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (37-36) – 6:40 p.m.  

Game Notes / Listen Live at 6:00 p.m.

Pitching Probables: LHP Andrew Barbosa (2-1, 5.85) vs. LHP Eric Skoglund (2-3, 4.47)

Sky Sox Starter: Southpaw Andrew Barbosa gets the nod for Colorado Springs in the opener of the five-game series. The lefty will make his third start of the season and 19th appearance. He enters play 2-1 with a 5.85 ERA allowing 23 runs (21 earned) on 31 hits in 32 1/3 innings. He’s allowed seven homers, walked 14 and fanned 32, while holding opponents to a .248 batting average against. He has faced the Chasers twice in relief and yielded two runs on two hits in three innings.

Barbosa was originally selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 36th round of the 2012 draft and has pitched for the D-backs, Mets, and Brewers systems. In 114 MiLB outings, 84 starts, Barbosa has accrued a 31-20 record with one save and a 3.46 ERA.

Last Time Out – June 19 – Win vs. OKC – 

Barbosa earned the win in relief for the Sky Sox in their 9-3 win over the Dodgers. The southpaw went 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in support of Brent Suter who recorded the first five outs. Barbosa didn’t give up a hit, walked a batter and struck out one.