VIPERS CAN'T CAPITALIZE ON EARLY LEAD

The Calgary Vipers scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead but could only muster up three hits the rest of the way as they fell 6-4 to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on Tuesday night at Foothills Stadium.

RedHawks starter Mike Peschel (9-3) scattered eight hits over seven innings of work to earn the win, he allowed four runs while walking four and striking out seven. Brandon Culp retired all five Viper batters he faced to pick up the save.

Tom Lyons (1-7) pitched five complete innings for the Vipers but wound up taking the loss after surrendering four runs on eight hits, he struck out one RedHawks batter.

Fargo-Moorhead opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when right-fielder Scott Goodman took Lyons deep to center field with a solo home run, his second of the season to make it 1-0.

Calgary quickly replied with three runs in the bottom of the inning to move ahead by two. Carlos Duncan led off with a single and stole second before moving up to third on a base hit by Jason Colson. With runners on the corners, Drew Miller delivered a double to left-center that plated Duncan to make it 1-1, Colson advanced to third on the play.

Jeff Butts then made it 2-1 when he singled off the pitcher, bringing Colson in to score and moving Miller up to third. Butts was then caught in a rundown while trying to steal second but RedHawks first-baseman Richard Austin misfired on his throw and sent the ball into the outfield, allowing Miller to score from third base while Butts arrived safely at second. Darryl Brinkley and Nelson Castro both hit into groundball outs to end the inning.

The RedHawks slowly chipped away at the lead over the middle innings and eventually got back on top. An RBI single by Joe Mathis in the fourth inning made it 3-2 and an RBI groundout by Harry Berrios in the fifth tied the game at 3-3 before Brent Krause gave Fargo the lead with a base hit in the sixth that scored Kory Wayment from second base.

Fargo added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the eighth when Mathis scored on an error by Vipers shortstop Nelson Castro and Krause came in when Berrios drew a bases loaded walk to make it 6-3.

The Vipers got one run back in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by Brandon Rogers that scored pinch-runner Shaun Ashman from second base.

Culp took over from there for the RedHawks and shut the Vipers down the rest of the way to earn the save.

Calgary will have a couple of chances to get things back on track on Wednesday afternoon as the Vipers (20-22) and RedHawks (29-13) will play a double-header beginning at 12:35 PM at Foothills Stadium. Admission to Wednesday’s games will be free of charge.