Stadium: Autozone Park (Capacity: 9486)
April 8: Snow Sox 7, Hops 5
April 9: Hops 5, Snow Sox 4
April 10: Snow Sox 4, Hops 2
Flagstaff, AZ (AP) - The Colorado Snow Sox took two of three in a inaugural home series for the Flagstaff Hops at Autozone Park. They rallied late in games one and three to take the series and move back ahead of Flagstaff in the ML West.
The Colorado Springs Snow Sox got some ninth inning heroics from Donnell Marcus on Friday afternoon as he hit a two-run home run to break a tie ball game and help the visitors ruin Flagstaff’s home debut in a 7-5 victory. Marcus hit two home runs and drove in five to help pace the Snow Sox.
This one got off to a fast start with Marcus hitting a three-run home run in the first after Ryan Pressley walked two batters, to put the Snow Sox up 3-0. But Roberto Geronimo tied things up in the bottom half with a rocket down the left field line that just cleared the wall. It was his third home run in two games since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.
Arturo Mardones would give the Hops the lead in the second with an opposite field, two-run home run off of Mike Stoneridge. Mardones would go 3 for 5 with a single, double and home run.
The Snow Sox would tie the game up on solo home runs from Juan Primo in the fourth and Eric Lowe in the fifth off of starter Ryan Pressley. That would setup the visitors for some ninth inning heroics from Donnell Marcus.
Closer Vic Miller (0-1) took the loss for Flagstaff, coming in to a tied ballgame. Ryan Pressley pitched a decent game, going seven innings, allowing the five runs on just four hits, but three were home runs. He struck out three and walked two. Mike Stoneridge wasn’t as good for Colorado Springs, lasting just five innings and allowing the five runs on eights hits. He struck out one and walked one.
The Snow Sox bullpen was the story though, shutting out Flagstaff over the final four innings and allowing just one hit and two baserunners.
On Saturday evening, the Hops rallied for a 5-4 victory on a frigid evening to even the series. Oscar Aleman continued his torrid hitting, going 1 for 4 with another home run, his fifth on the season, and he drove in two to help lead Flagstaff to the win.
Colorado Springs jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Sam Conley singled home Eric Lowe, who doubled to open the game. Donnell Marcus then lined a two-out run scoring double to make it 2-0.
The Hops would load the bases in the third, but Josh Ortega flew out to Primo in left to end the threat.
They would finally break through against starter Jack Withenshaw in the fourth as Oscar Aleman crushed a ball into the right field bleachers to tie the game at 2-2.
Sam Conley would like a two-out, two-run double in the top of the fifth to help the Snow Sox regain the lead 4-2. Conley went 2 for 4 with the double and three RBIs in the game. Josh Ortega would get one back in the bottom half, doubling home Robbie Westbrook.
Colorado Springs went to their bullpen in the sixth, bringing in George Cortes, and it did not work out too well. Kiko Pressley grounded out to third, allowing Rodney Millar to score to tie the ballgame. Millar had walked, reached second on an infield single from Arturo Mardones and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Robbie Westbrook then singled home Mardones to give Flagstaff the lead.
Aldo Osuna and Miguel Asencio would work the final four scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Hops to secure the victory. Osuna (1-0) allowed just one hit in three innings to pick up the win, while Asencio worked the ninth to pick up his first save. Steve Hubbard got the start for the Hops, lasting just five innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out five and walked one, leaving the game trailing 4-3.
Saturday evening was the first game that Flagstaff did not allow a home run. They had allowed 25 in their first seven games, worst in the league.
In the rubber match on Sunday afternoon, Juan Primo’s two-run home run off of Sam Herzog in the top of the seventh helped the Snow Sox rally past the Hops and win the finale 4-2.
Flagstaff (5-4) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a Roberto Geronimo solo home run, his fourth, and an RBI single from Rafael Perez.
The Snow Sox (6-4) would get on the board in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2-1. Then manager Bud Black made the decision to send Sam Herzog back out to pitch the seventh, hoping to get three more outs. Herzog got touched up for a Donnell Marcus double to open the inning and then saw Juan Primo blast on onto the grassy berm in left to put Colorado Springs up 3-2.
The Snow Sox would add an insurance run in the ninth on a James Dudeck RBI double.
Sam Herzog (0-1) took the loss despite pitching well. He went six plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one. Pedro Rosales (2-0) picked up the win in relief for Colorado Springs. He pitched one scoreless inning. Jeff Cabrera picked up his third save, allowing only a walk in the ninth.
Flagstaff will now head to Long Beach (6-4) for a quick two game series with the Surf Dawgs before returning home to face El Paso and Austin.
Around the IBL: Long Beach’s Chuck Sanchez tossed a one-hitter in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Tucson. Long Beach has posted back-to-back complete game shutouts of the Roadrunners.

Oscar Aleman hits one out of the park with a gorgeous evening sky.
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