2050.1: No Corfield, No Problem vs Hurricanes

[Rubaboo]

Things were looking good for the Aztecs as the season reached the downhill portion of September. The team had the first wildcard wrapped up and just needed to get into the postseason feeling good about themselves and ready to hit the ground running. Enter September 26th. A relatively meaningless game against the Rockville Pikemen. Aztec ace Dave Corfield was putting together another high quality outing and had just wrapped the 7th inning going strong. When the Aztec D took the field for the top of the 8th, it was Aztec LOOGY Quincy Bresnahan trotting to the mound instead of Corfield, who was nowhere to be found in the Aztec dugout. Reports quickly surfaced that Corfield had gone to the clubhouse with the training staff to be evaluated for an arm problem and Aztec nation began to hold its breath. Tuesday morning came with a press release that Corfield had been diagnosed with a dead arm, which would keep him out for at least a couple of weeks meaning that he would definitely miss the Geoghegan Round of the BBA playoffs.

The Aztec rotation with the presumed Nebraska winner looks much less formidable. Despite finishing 3rd in SP ERA and 2nd in overall ERA, the Aztec staff couldn't boast another starter with an ERA south of Mauro Mendoza's 3.84 nor another with a WAR higher than Mendoza's 2.8. Not the stuff of legends but you work with what you have. The Aztecs announced that Mendoza, a former Jacksonville farmhand, would take the bump in Game 1 in Corfield's stead. Game 2 featured Michael Sullivan and his 4.02 regular season ERA. Game 3 would be rookie SP Carlos Olivas.

Despite missing their talisman, the team came to play. Going head to head with one of two JL teams to feature a better SP ERA than their own, the Aztec staff stifled the Hurricanes to the tune of 5 runs allowed in a 3 game sweep. Mendoza pitched 9 innings in Game 1, allowing 1 run while striking out 9 in a game the Aztecs would win in the 10th. Sullivan got jumped on early but handed the game over with Mexico City still in a position to come back and win, which they did with 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Olivas pitched 7.1 innings of 3 hit shutout ball before getting the hook and letting the bullpen complete the clinching shutout. The Aztec SPs pitched all but 4.2 innings of the 3 game sweep. Total allowed for the Mexico City SP group: 15 hits, 5 runs, 2 HR and 6 walks against 21 Ks. The Hurricanes came to pitch as well, but the Aztec group stepped up and just pitched better. The group will have their work cut out for them against New Orleans in the Double Day but Corfield is looking like he'll be ready to return at some point during the series. If their performance in the Geoghegan round is any indication, this group is ready to hold down the fort until Corfield can return to action.

[CTBrewCrew]

…ya gotta keep them occupied on other stuff on those road trips @Rubaboo