Minor Leagues Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
Grand Junction, CO – The Grand Junction Gold Sox held on to win their division title in Class A play, but that joy was soon tempered as they went on to lose their best-of-three playoff series to the Aspen Surge.
First, the good news.
The Sox (Chicago) won their regular season finale at Tombstone (Long Beach) by a 4-1 score behind a clutch effort by starting pitcher Dani Rubio. The 20-year-old right-hander threw 7.1 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 unearned run, and 1 walk while striking out 1.
Relievers James Matarazzo and Francisco Salgado locked down the game and the division title by holding Tombstone scoreless in the 8th and 9th.
The win marked Grand Junction’s fourth ever West Central division title, and its first since 2030. The club’s 89 wins were the most ever for the team.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite so well for the Gold Sox in the post-season.
Grand Junction won the first game at Aspen (New Orleans) 6-2, behind SP Raúl Vallejo, who went 7.1 innings and allowed 7 hits and 2 runs to collect the victory. LF Hao Hang homered and doubled to highlight the offense.
The series then moved to Grand Junction … and the wheels came off.
SP Thomas Kirchmann allowed 5 runs and 7 hits in the first inning of Game 2, and the Gold Sox never recovered, losing 5-1.
The third and deciding game was at least close: Grand Junction and Aspen went into the 9th tied at 4, but reliever Francisco Salgado gave up a lead-off solo home run to LF Dale Anderson.
That proved to be the ballgame – and the series.
Still, Grand Junction enjoyed a fine season and will graduate several prospects to the AA and AAA levels next season.
“That’s really what it’s all about,” said Manager Eduardo Martinez. “Winning is wonderful, but the franchise is really counting on us to develop young players who can go on to help the big league club down the line. There’s no question we succeeded in that this year. Let’s see if we can do it again next year!”