6/23/2081 to 6/25/2081
The Denver Broncos (37-37)
AT
The Memphis Grizzlies (41-33)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Tony Rivera (4-4, 5.68 ERA) VS. LH Thomas Fruge (0-1, 13.50 ERA)
LH Robert McNett (7-5, 4.86 ERA) VS. RH Jose Padula (8-6, 6.26 ERA)
RH Christopher Kirk (8-6, 4.92 ERA) VS. RH Clarence Fiol (1-3, 5.11 ERA)
The Denver bats continued to be swung well, as the
Broncos prevailed 14-8 in the first game of a three series against the Grizzlies. With the win, the Broncos moved above .500 for the first time this season.
Tony Rivera got hit hard early, allowing 3 runs in the first inning.
Joseph Ishmael led off the game with a home run, and
Roy Chouinard hit a two run shot later in the inning. The Broncos erupted in the second inning for five runs, as
Joseph Swayze and
Russell Thomas each hit two run homers, and
Mark Bakke added a solo shot.
Memphis tied the game at 5 in their half of the second, when Chouinard hit his second homer of the game, another two run shot. The Broncos retook the lead in the 5th inning when
Tomas Sato delivered a two run homer, but the Grizzlies refused to go down easily. Chouinard tripled and scored a run in the seventh inning to cut the Denver lead to 1 run.
The Broncos put the game out of reach in the 8th and 9th innings. They scored two runs in the 8th to make the score 10-7, and then Russell Thomas' 3-run homer highlighted a four run ninth inning.
Rivera got hit very hard in this game, allowing 7 runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched, while walking 5, and allowing 3 home runs.
Thomas had 4 hits and drove in career high 8 runs in the game. Sato and Swayze each had 2 hits and 2 RBI.
Asbel Fuentez had 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases.
******
The Broncos slipped back to .500 as
Robert McNett got pounded by Memphis in a
15-5 loss to the Grizzlies. For a second straight game,
Joseph Ishmael led things off with a homer. The game went downhill rapidly after that. Memphis would score 4 runs in the second, 5 more in the 4th, three runs in the 5th, and 2 in the 6th. McNett lasted just 3 1/3 innings and gave up 9 runs and 3 homers. Reliever
Fred Lemire wasn't much better, as he gave up 6 runs and 3 HR in 3 1/3 innings.
Asbel Fuentez and
Ellis Bolling were the lone bright spots in the game; Fuentez had 3 hits and scored 3 runs while Bolling had 3 hits and 2 RBI.
******
The Broncos concluded the series against second place Memphis by
routing them, 10-2.
Incredibly,
Joseph Ishmael led off a third consecutive game with a home run for the Grizzlies. Memphis led 1-0 until the 4th inning, when
Lee Chappel,
Ellis Bolling, and
Tomas Sato opened the inning with three straight doubles, giving the Broncos a 2-1 lead.
After the Grizzlies tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the 4th, the game turned into the Lee Chappel show. Chappel's two run double highlighted a 4 run fifth inning that gave Denver a 6-2 lead. In the 7th inning, Chappel led things off with a triple and was driven in to make the score 7-2. Finally, Chappel delivered a two run homer in a 3 run ninth inning to put the game firmly out of reach.
Chappel finished with two doubles, 1 triple, and 1 home run, four runs batted in, and four runs scored.
Russell Thomas collected two hits, which extended his hitting streak to 17 games, and two runs scored.
Christopher Kirk settled down after the leadoff homer, and pitched 7 innings with just the two runs allowed.
With the Broncos now a game over .500, they now have to prepare for a four game homestand against the first place Tucson Diamondbacks.