The Luck and Skill of a 10 Game Win Streak

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HerbD
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The Luck and Skill of a 10 Game Win Streak

Post by HerbD » Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:09 am

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Let's face it, the Montreal Blazers are playing over their heads. Predicted to win just 81 games in 2045 they are, as of August 10, on pace to win 94 and secure a high wild card. We were playing above our projections before the streak but the streak pushed us into contention for the Atlantic Division. The question on hand it can we keep it up or will we revert back to who everyone thought we were before the season started? So let's take a deep dive into that 10 game winning streak.

July 26(55-47)
MON 3
PHO 11

The rookie Davey Penn had just pitched his fourth bad game in a row to start his BBA career. The guy who all thought would save this pitching staff and our season was headed back to AAA after the game with his tail between his legs and an ERA over six. This marks the third loss in a row and things seem to be spiraling downhill for the Montreal Blazers.


July 27(Win 1, 56-47)
MON 8
PHO 3

A Justin Jackson grand slam in the fourth put Montreal up 4-1. A three run triple, the first of his career, by the back up catcher Ramiro Cheron added to the lead and put the game away before Talons' stopper Muddy O'Macken could shut us down. Phoenix probably wishes it had brought him in a few batters sooner before this game got away from them. Dani Garcia, who had been banished to the bullpen and put on the trade block to make room for the rookie, pitched a complete game. How's odd has this season been? We didn't even get the Player of the Game.


July 28(Win 2, 57-47)
MON 11
PHO 10

This streak should have been over before it even started. Phoenix hit five homers and all three pitchers that we sent to the mound that day were horrible including our stopper Carlton Casson who "earned" a save despite giving up two runs in two innings. Today the offense was the key slapping 15 hits, drawing five walks, and clutch hitting. We scored five runs in the top of the second, all with two outs, thanks to five consecutive singles followed by a walk and another single. Two more runs in the third, again with two outs, and three in the fourth. A Peter Crocker sac fly in the top of the eighth would be the difference in the game as the Talons fought back but would come one run short.


July 29(Win 3, 58-47)
JAX 5
MON 8

We take advantage of a team having a bad year as Jacksonville visits for three games. Lineu Aldo leads off the bottom of the first with a double and scores on a Manoel Whanon homer two pitches later. It's 2-0 before the Hurricanes can even record an out. Catcher Joe Bradshaw, whose nickname in the Montreal front office is "The Big Disappointment", hits a solo shot in the bottom of the second to make it 3-0. Jacksonville is not rolling over scoring three off of our best pitcher this year, In-sung Yi, in the fourth to tie the game. In the bottom of the sixth we score five runs without recording an out capped off with a grand slam by light hitting short stop Orlando Lopez.


July 30(Win 4, 59-47)
JAX 8
MON 9

It looks like the streak will end at just three as Jorge Moreno gives up seven hurricane runs in less than three innings. Usually the time between the rotation and Casson is bad news for the Blazers but today rule 5 pickup Isaac Lawrence pitches four shut out innings giving the offense a chance to catch up. We chip away starting with a two run homer by 3B Eduardo Gonzalez in the bottom of the third and we are trailing by just one heading into the bottom of the seventh. Two out RBI by Jose Garcia and Crocker give us our first lead of the night at 8-7. Lopez would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth scoring on a wild pitch to secure the victory. Rookie Bill O'Connor would record his fifth win of the season out of the bull pen.


July 31(Win 5, 60-47)
JAX 0
MON 1

The BBA is known for scoring runs. Anytime there is a 1-0 game played it will turn some heads because in most cases at least one team's offense in any given game will be on. This game was one of those exceptions. There were 11 hits total in the game so there were some missed opportunities but for the most part the pitchers were in total control. Jacksonville starter Shinsaku Ine pitched a masterpiece and did not deserve to lose this game. He pitched eight innings on just 87 pitches and the lone run he allowed was unearned. In the bottom of the fourth Garcia led off with a double and moved to third as Gilberto Villanueva reached on a fielding error. Thinking there were plenty of runs to be scored the Hurricanes set their infield for the double play willing to give up the one run. Things played out exactly as they wanted with Angel Zalapa hit into an easy 6-4-3 double play and Garcia scored the games only run. Don Jaramillo pitched a gem of his own giving up just five hits in eight innings to pick up his 11th win. Casson pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.


AUG 2(Win 6, 61-47)
MON 11
NO 6

We head to New Orleans for three games so the streak has to stop here. We hardly ever beat New Orleans and no one thinks we can take three from them on the road. Is it a lack of respect or just luck of the draw that the Crawdads send a starting pitcher to the mound with an ERA around six? It does not matter as the offense is clicking early today scoring in five of the first six innings and surprising the New Orleans faithful with an 8-0 lead. Two run homers by Garcia and Villanueva do most of the damage and Zalapa would add a solo shot in the eighth. Trailing 11-2 entering the bottom of the ninth the home team refused to give up scoring four runs before finally being retired. Garcia would win his second game of the streak while Lawrence would put up another solid showing in relief.


AUG 3(Win 7, 62-47)
MON 7
NO 3

The Montreal bat were still blazing(see what I did there) from yesterday. The Blazers score four runs in the first inning capped off with a Crocker two run homer. Yi had pitched a great game for the visitors striking out 15 Crawdads in just six innings but he did give up three solo homers to put the score at 4-3 after six innings. O'Connor pitched three scoreless innings of relief and Garcia hit a three run homer in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Montreal managed to hang seven earned runs on starter Buzzsaw Nevarez handing him his eighth loss.


AUG 4(Win 8, 63-47)
MON 14
NO 5

Well the unthinkable has happened. Montreal has swept New Orleans on the road. But it's not just that it happened but how it happened. The Blazers outscored the Crawdads 32-14 in the three games and the offense has never been hotter than it is right now. Zalapa gets things going with a grand slam in the third as the visitors take an 8-0 lead after four innings. New Orleans would score three of their own in the fifth inning but Montreal adds runs in each of the last four innings to close it out. Rookie Allen Gunn last just three innings for the home team but was left in long enough to give up seven earned runs. Moreno was the beneficiary of the Montreal offense as he picked up his eighth win of the season despite giving up four runs himself.


AUG 6(Win 9, 64-47)
ATC 0
MON 3

Back home in Ubisoft Field this game with Atlantic City is just the opposite of the series in New Orleans. Jaramillo takes a no hitter into the eighth before giving up a single to ninth place hitter Ewan Allman. It would be the only hit of the game for the Gamblers as Jaramillo records his second win of the streak and his 12th of the season. Casson pitched the ninth for his 25th save. William Drew and Gonzalez hit back to back homers in the third to open the scoring for Montreal. Gonzalez would add another dinger in the eighth to close the scoring.


AUG 7(Win 10, 65-47)
ATC 7
MON 8

The Gamblers tried to do their part to end the streak before it hit double digits by taking a 5-0 lead after just an inning and a half. Montreal would respond by scoring the next eight runs. Gonzalez and Buttons O'Brien hit homers to lead the Blazers' charge who efficiently scored their eight runs on just eight hits. Lawrence gave up two runs, one earned, in relief to bring the score to 8-7 but Casson shut down the visitors for the last two innings for another save. A bases clearing double by Zalapa in the fifth inning was just one of the key hits for the home team.


AUG 8(Loss 1, 65-48)
CAL 6
MON 4(10 INN)

Not the way you want to lose a game and certainly not the way you want to end a winning streak. Montreal lead 4-1 after four innings led by Bradshaw's homer and triple. Juan Ruiz had pitched well despite the bump in the seventh where he gave up three runs and allowed the Pioneers to tie the score. Was the bullpen gassed? That's the only viable reason that Ruiz could be allowed to take the mound in the top of the 10th inning with over 110 pitches on his count. Ruiz started the 10th with a strike out but it went south from there. A four pitch walk, a single, and a hit batter loaded the bases. Surely they will take him out now? Nope and don't call me Shirly! Albert Trinidad would take a 1-2 pitch to the gap in right-center to give the visitors a 6-4 lead. Robert Lizardo would then enter the game with runners on second and third and get Montreal out of the inning. Whanon and Gonzalez started the bottom of the 10th with back to back singles but with the heart of the order coming up the Blazers were out of gas. The streak was over in a heartbreaking way.

As I said before, a lot goes into a streak. I really believe we caught New Orleans at a bad spot in their rotation. If we played 10 more series at their place this year we would not sweep them again. It was mostly luck and circumstance but it did involve some skill. Jaramillo picked up two wins while pitching 16 innings and giving up zero runs. Casson pitched five games picking up five saves while striking out 14 in just seven innings. Gonzalez hit .444(16-36) with nine RBI, 13 RS, and eight extra base hits.
Montreal Blazers(BBA) 2044~2047(353-295, .545 W%)
2045 Wildcard(lost in one round)
2046 Atlantic Champs(lost in one round)

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Re: The Luck and Skill of a 10 Game Win Streak

Post by CTBrewCrew » Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:14 pm

Sometimes its better to be lucky than good....enjoy the ride!
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HerbD
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Re: The Luck and Skill of a 10 Game Win Streak

Post by HerbD » Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:50 pm

CTBrewCrew wrote:
Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:14 pm
Sometimes its better to be lucky than good....enjoy the ride!
We will take it either way
Montreal Blazers(BBA) 2044~2047(353-295, .545 W%)
2045 Wildcard(lost in one round)
2046 Atlantic Champs(lost in one round)

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