The Calgary Vipers gave up two separate leads and five home runs in losing 11-9 to the Orange County Flyers at Foothills Stadium in Calgary, Alberta. The Snakes led by as many as three runs but a huge three run home run by league leader Patrick Breen in the top of the eighth inning put his team ahead for good. Calgary also gave up 17 hits in the game and has now lost 13 of their last 18 games to fall to 15-18 on the second half of the season.

 

Nelson Castro led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and he moved up to third base on a Colin Moro ground out. Castro scored on a Darryl Brinkley run batted in ground out for the 1-0 Calgary lead. With the double Castro extended his hitting streak to ten games.

The Flyers got that run back in the next half inning as Fernando Pacheco singled, Mark Okano was hit by a pitch, and Josh Arhart picked up a RBI base hit for the 1-1 score.

Orange County grabbed the lead in the top of third frame with a David Bacani triple and a Patrick Breen two run homer for the 3-1 advantage.

 

Calgary got back onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning with a Carlos Duncan walk, Felix Jose double, Jorge Mejia RBI ground out, and a clutch two out RBI single from Jorge Tang to tie the game at three.

 

The back and forth game continued in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Snakes put up four runs to retake the lead at 7-4. Patrick Arlis started the inning with a base hit, Castro followed with a walk, and Moro singled to load the bases. Brinkley tied the game with a sacrifice fly and then Duncan, Jose, and Mejia all picked up three straight RBI singles to give Calgary a three run lead.

A run was taken back in the top of the sixth when Arhart doubled and after his pop fly fell in foul territory Jeff Van Houten also doubled to make the score 7-5.

 

Orange County continued to chip away in the top of the seventh frame as Breen led off with a single, went to second on a wild pitch, third base on a Pacheco base hit, and he scored on another wild pitch for the 7-6 game.

 

Duncan smashed a solo home run, his eighth of the season, in the bottom of the inning to put the Vipers back up by two runs at 8-6.

 

Once again though the Flyers responded in the top of the eighth inning as with two outs Bacani walked, Acey singled, and Breen hammered his second home run of the night to give his team their third lead of the game at 9-8.

 

Two more long balls were hit in the top of the ninth as Pacheco and Arhart both went deep for the 11-8 Orange County advantage.

 

The Vipers closed out the scoring in the bottom of the ninth with a Mejia double and Tang RBI base hit for the 11-9 final.

 

P.J. Bevis (1-5) suffered the loss in giving up three home runs while Matt Durkin (2-2) picked up the victory in throwing two innings out of the bullpen. Andre Simpson (1) recorded his first save of the year in tossing the ninth frame.

This series continues Tuesday August 19th, Wednesday August 20th, and Thursday August 21st all starting at 7:05 PM (MDT). Joe Sergent (3-2), Jeff Groeger (0-0), and Phil Sobkow (2-4) will start the three games for the Vipers.

 

Friday August 22nd at 7:05 PM (MDT) the Snakes welcome back the Reno Silver Sox for the three game series. The two teams will also play Saturday August 23rd at 5:05 PM (MDT) and Sunday August 24th at 1:35 PM (MDT).

 

Calgary's final two regular season home games will be Wednesday August 27th and Thursday August 28th at 7:05 PM (MDT) against the Edmonton Cracker-Cats.

 

Friday September 5th at 7:05 PM (MDT) the Vipers will host Game 3 of the North Division Finals. Games 4 & 5 if necessary will also be played at Foothills Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.