Finger pushing
loader-image
weather icon 81°F


Pitchers falter as Sky Sox lose 1st game of season

Sky Sox pitchers filled the stat sheet with all the wrong numbers Monday, and it was reflected in the only number that counts.

A pile of walks, balks and wild pitches – some in record quantities – helped Reno to a 10-2 rout that ended Colorado Springs’ perfect start in the season’s fourth game.

“Well, we can’t go undefeated,” offered manager Tom Runnells, putting a humorous spin on a game that his team needed to laugh off and forget.

The sometimes comical adventures on the mound began immediately for Sky Sox starter Brandon Hynick, who had yet to record an out in the second inning when he tied his career high with four walks.

Hynick (0-1) also gave up seven hits, seven runs, a balk and was tacked with the first loss for a Sky Sox pitcher.

“It’s very uncharacteristic of him to walk that many guys,” Runnells said. “But he hadn’t pitched in eight or nine days and it was his first time out at the Triple-A level, so we’ll give him a mulligan on this one.”

Hynick wasn’t the only Colorado Springs pitcher in need of a do-over.

Franklin Nunez tied a Sky Sox record with three wild pitches in 22/3 innings. Scott Munter added another wild pitch – tying a team record with four – and added another balk.

Unlike the first three games, when Colorado Springs was able to dodge a few potential big innings when it struggled with its control, Reno cashed in on its opportunities.

Right fielder Trent Oeltjen hit a bases-loaded triple in the first inning that helped give his team a five-run cushion. All three runs Oeltjen drove in had reached on walks.

“That’s the whole thing with the guys, we’ve tried to stress everything about being selective,” said Reno manager Brett Butler, who once led the National League with 108 walks. “With hitting coach Rick Burleson, we’ve stressed quality ABs (at bats), and that’s how you get your quality ABs is by getting your pitch to hit.”

On the other side of a pitching matchup of touted prospects, Reno’s Cesar Valdez (1-0) looked in command during his Triple-A debut.

The 24-year-old Dominican right-hander gave up one run in five innings, striking out three with no walks. Both managers praised his ability to keep hitters off-balance with his off-speed offerings.

“He’s going to pitch in the big leagues some day, there’s no doubt about it,” Butler said.

Photo by



Welcome Back.

Streak: 9 days i

Stories you've missed since your last login:

Stories you've saved for later:

Recommended stories based on your interests:

Edit my interests