April 22, 2063 — Rainy Redemption Tour
This week, the Johannesburg Gold turned bad weather, a shuffled rotation, and a strained back into something verging on optimism. A 5–2 stretch pushed the Gold to 10–11, and while no one’s calling this team a juggernaut, the phrase “early contender” might not get you laughed out of the Golden Palace anymore.
Let’s dig in.
The Week in 7 Quick Hits
4/16 – Hebrew Hammers Pound Gold, 6-3
James Belinda’s 3rd-inning moonshot gave the Gold an early lead, but the bats went cold and the bullpen fizzled. Max Dawe deserved better after a 5-inning, 1 ER start. Only four hits total doomed the Gold. Cesar Torres took the loss after coughing up the lead in the eighth.
4/17 – Montgomerie Mashes in 9-3 Win
Callum Montgomerie reminded everyone he’s more than a slick mustache, going 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Jeff Bannon, freshly claimed off waivers from Sydney, delivered a gutsy 5-inning debut win, as Johannesburg avoided a series loss agains Jerusalem.
4/19 – Doubleheader Drama vs São Paulo
Game 1 resumed from a rainout, and Adam MacDonald starred with a double, a triple, and two runs. Fareed bin Sa'eed’s clutch eighth-inning single sealed it, 7-3. Game 2 was a mess, as Manny Ortiz was shelled again (7 ER in 3.2 IP), and Antonio Roman strained his back in the 14-5 loss. Ortiz to the pen? Sources say yes.
4/20 – Bin Sa’eed Bombs Back Pilots
bin Sa'eed’s bases-clearing double highlighted a 9-7 win in more soggy conditions. Unfortunately, Roman hit the IL after the game with a two-week back strain.
4/21 – Dawe Dominates, Again
Dawe carved up the Pilots again (5.2 IP, 1 ER), back-up catcher Jesse Holman delivered the go-ahead single in the 7th, and Edward Johnson notched the save. A 4-3 win capped a gritty series.
4/22 – Walk-Off Wonder
In extras against Cairo, Fred Mailing came through with a two-out, two-run walk-off single, lifting the Gold to a 3-2 win. Bannon looked sharp again, and the bullpen held. The Palace crowd? Ecstatic.
Sideline Sit-Down: Manager Alberto Sanchez
With the team buzzing after the Cairo walk-off, I cornered Johannesburg Manager Alberto Sanchez outside the clubhouse as he was attempting to learn what a TikTok was from team intern Mallory.
Jakob Van Wyk: "Five wins this week, walk-off finish, a team playing with energy…what's clicking?"
Alberto Sanchez: (smiling) "Sometimes, baseball just exhales. We’ve had our lungs full of bad breaks—injuries, blown leads, wet fields—but this week, we finally got to breathe."
JVW: "Big moments from Fareed, Dawe, Callum…feels like guys are stepping into roles."
Sanchez: "Max is turning into a tone-setter. Fareed’s glove and legs keep us in games. And Callum? He finally stopped overthinking. Told him before the series: ‘Swing like you’re mad at the ball.’"
JVW: "Any comment on Ortiz?"
Sanchez: "He’s got talent, but right now, the pen gives him space to rebuild. We’re not giving up on him."
Gold Nuggets
- Free Agent Fallout: Talks with veteran first basemen Hideaki Ohayashi and Jeff Sawyers fizzled. Ohayashi landed in Cape Fear (BBA), Sawyers signed with Jerusalem—who must be loving that.
- Farm Feud: A brawl in AAA saw Durban’s Scott Byrd (Gold affiliate) earn a 10-game suspension after mixing it up with Donald Nixon (Port Elizabeth). Byrd, reportedly, did not regret it.
- Standouts from the week were Montgomerie (.333 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI) and Belinda (6 RBIs and a .746 OPS)
Until next week, keep your gloves dry and your infield tighter than your tax return.
—Jakob
