Tuesday Pebble Report: Hirsh shines for Sky Sox, McKenry and Garner drive Drillers

Colorado Springs (13-5, tied for 1st): W 5-1

Jason Hirsh had his best start in what seem like two seasons last night, pitching seven innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out nine on the way to a big victory. Hirsh had a 2:1 strike to ball ratio. According to a report from Bob Stephens of the Gazette:

"That's probably the best I've thrown in a couple of years," said Hirsh, who has battled injuries and inconsistency since being traded to Colorado from Houston in December 2006.

"I had command of all my stuff. It felt like it used to."

If he can continue on this path, it will be fantastic news for the Rockies, who were hoping that Hirsh could be part of a deep stable of starters this season. As the injuries mount, it's been clear that they'll need every decent arm that they can find.

Hirsh was backed early by homeruns in the first inning from leadoff hitter Eric Young Jr. and Dan Ortmeier. Matt Murton chipped in his fourth homer of the season in the fourth inning. Murton's now third in the PCL in wOBA and is the hitter doing it with the least benefit of a ridiculously unsustainable BABIP. Translation is that he's been more good than lucky this season. Should Brad Hawpe require a DL stint, we shouldn't suffer too much a drop-off in production, for what it's worth.

Young, meanwhile, is quietly putting up some solid numbers after a slow start. His last ten games have seen him hit .341/.355/.472 with nine stolen bases and ten runs scored. He has twelve total stolen bases this season, which is tied for the most in professional baseball with Darin Mastroianni of the Florida State League.  

Tulsa (8-9, 3.0 GB): W 5-3

Cole Garner and Michael McKenry had four of Tulsa's ten hits and scored four of the Drillers five runs, but there was solid contact all around Tulsa's lineup last night. Besides Garner and McKenry, the Daniels Carte and Mayora and the Darin Holcomb each added extra base hits. That kind of performance suggests that the five runs might have been on the low side given what the opposing pitching was giving up.

Samuel Deduno and company were perhaps just as lucky, not dominant by any means (Deduno allowed six hits and three walks in four and two thirds, but just the three runs) yet the end result fell in favor of the home team.