It was all or almost nothing for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Friday as they lost 8-5 to Salt Lake before 6,156 fans at Security Service Field.

The Sky Sox had just four hits but three were home runs by Joe Koshansky, Christian Colonel and Rick Guarno. The Bees banged out 17 hits, three each by Dee Brown, Gary Patchett and Adam Morrissey.

"We just didn't get enough guys on base," said Colonel, who is hitting .359 but finally got his first homer.
Colonel had 17 homers and 47 doubles at Double-A Tulsa last season.

"I was getting a lot of grief from the guys," Colonel said. "I finally get my first homer in June. I wish it was in a game we won."

Matt Holliday was 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts while beginning a three-game rehabilitation stint with the Sky Sox.

The Colorado Rockies' left fielder, who was runner-up in the National League Most Valuable Player voting last season, played seven innings.

Holliday, who has been on the disabled list since May 25 with a strained left hamstring, said he felt healthy.

"He put on a show (in batting practice)," Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells said. "He was swinging the bat well. He worked in the outfield and was running good."

Sky Sox second baseman Jayson Nix doubled and scored in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, three shy of the team's season high by Ian Stewart, who is now with the Rockies.

Bees starter Giancarlo Alvarado (4-1) allowed three hits but four runs. The 30-year-old was 7-1 last year for Saltillo in the Mexican League.

Sky Sox starter Josh Towers (4-5), who leads the Pacific Coast League in hits allowed, gave up 11 in six innings.

"Josh had some bad luck," said Guarno, who also got his first homer. "We were trying to get ground balls but they just found holes."

Salt Lake batted around in the third while scoring five runs on five hits. Matt Brown had an RBI double and Morrissey capped the rally with a two-run double.

Koshansky hit a solo homer in the second and walked ahead of Colonel's homer in the seventh. Guarno went deep to lead off the eighth.

Colonel had three RBIs while Koshansky got his 58th, which leads the PCL by a wide margin.

Southpaw reliever Micah Bowie pitched the seventh and worked out of a bases-loaded jam as he began a rehab stint with the Sky Sox.

Reliever Luis Vizcaino is scheduled to pitch an inning tonight to complete his rehab asingment before rejoining the Rockies.

Notes

Center fielder Cory Sullivan will rejoin the Sky Sox after being promoted to the Rockies while outfielder Brad Hawpe was on the disabled list. ... Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. today, which is when the Sky Sox begin batting practice.