Broncos fall in pitcher's duel

The Broncos’ pitching, inconsistent and shaky all season long, was on top of its game on Thursday, but it made no difference.

Laredo lost for the third time in the last four games, falling to the San Angelo Colts, 4-2, in a pitcher’s duel at Foster Field.

The Broncos are 9-19 heading into the start of a four-game set in Amarillo tonight.

The Colts, first place in United League Baseball, improved to 19-9.

Again, a Broncos opponent struck first as the Colts took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Josh Callazo’s RBI single.

The Broncos tied the game in the second off Jaime Morales’ RBI single before the Colts regained the lead in the third on Hunter Jobes’ RBI double.

Laredo’s offense had problems getting into a groove against Colts starter Chandler Barnard, but that would change in the eighth inning, when, trailing 3-1, the Broncos got within a run on Miguel Ortiz’s RBI single.

But the Broncos never could get over the hump.

The league’s second-best offense managed no more runs the rest of the night, and San Angelo added an insurance run in the eighth on Bradley Goldsmith’s RBI double.

The Colts’ Chace Vacek pitched a scoreless ninth as San Angelo won for the fifth time in the last eight games against the Broncos.

Laredo starter Luis Arroyo pitched seven innings, surrendering three runs on 12 hits .

He struck out seven and walked one.

The Broncos scored two runs on five hits to the Colts’ four runs on 14 hits.