Bellorin, Sky Sox run away with victory

Edwin Bellorin has just 10 triples in 10 seasons of professional baseball. So when he sped toward third base and saw manager Tom Runnells waving him home, it was a new experience.

"It surprised me," Bellorin said. "I was tired by then."

The Colorado Springs catcher lumbered home without a throw for his first inside-the-park home run to give the Sky Sox a second-inning lead they didn't lose in a 13-0 win over the Las Vegas 51s at Security Service Field on Thursday.

Bellorin didn't stop there as he added a two-run homer - this one easily clearing the left-field fence for his fifth of the year - and an RBI single, all by the fourth inning as the Sky Sox led 9-0.

On his first homer, Bellorin's tour of the bases was unchallenged because Las Vegas right fielder Jason Repko crashed into the fence in the right-field corner and didn't get up. He left the field under his own power but went to the hospital as a precaution.

"I saw him down and the ball rolling toward center field," said Bellorin, a 5-foot-9, 225-pound native of Venezuela.

Bellorin joined teammates Doug Bernier, Mike McCoy and Chris Frey with insidethe-parkers. No other Sky Sox team had ever hit more than two in a season.

Like Bellorin, Bernier and McCoy also went deep over the wall in that same game for a two-homer night.

Cory Sullivan had three hits, making him 7-for-10 in the past two games. Mike McCoy (.387) also had three hits.

Sky Sox starter Franklin Morales (9-4) threw six shutout innings - he allowed four hits and four walks - while improving to 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA in eight home starts.

"He had good command," Bellorin said. "He threw more fastballs, and a lot of changeups. He was pretty much down in the zone."

Sky Sox reliever Cedrick Bowers pitched two innings and drilled a three-run double to deep center in the seventh. Steven Register completed the team's fourth shutout and second in four games.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs began a rehabilitation assignment - he's scheduled here through Wednesday - and contributed an RBI single in the second, plus a walk and a run in the fourth.

Scott Podsednik was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a walk in his fourth rehab game. He'll rejoin the Rockies today when they begin a threegame homestand against Cincinnati.

Andruw Jones was a late scratch from the 51s lineup. He's on rehab from the Dodgers because of a sore left knee and hopes to play in today's 7:05 p.m. game.

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TODAY
Las Vegas at Colorado Springs, 7:05 p.m., 1460 AM