The Tropics visit the Vancouver Mounties to play a three game series at Northwoods Outpost.
Game 1- SP Stephen Taub has a strong start and the Hawaii Offense does just enough as the Tropics take the series opener vs Vancouver.
Taub pitched 7 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3 batters. Taub improves to 4-2 and has a 5.79 ERA this season.
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RP Norm McConnell earned his 8th save of the season giving up a run in the ninth but closing out the win.
C Enrique Dominguez] was 2 for 4 with a solo homer, scored a run and drove in 1.
Hawaii wins 4-3.
Game 2- SP Jim “Bullets” Wilkinson is beginning to show signs of life as he throws 6 1/3 innings allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and walked 1. He struck out 8 but takes the loss.
The Hawaii Offense was stymied again as they are showing the inability to string hits together and give their pitching staff some run support. It is so inept that this writer will not acknowledge anything achieved by these players.
Vancouver wins 5-1
Game 3- The Trops were cruising along with a 2-0 lead in the rubber match. SP Jesus Gonzalez had pitched a nice game giving up a run on 2 hits and 3 walks over 6 1/3 innings. He was relieved by RP Leonardo Gonzalez after giving up a walk with an out in the seventh. Gonzalez walked the next batter and then recorded the next out. Then he gave up a three run homer to Mounties 1B Rafael Gonzalez. The rout was on after that as the Mounties hut another three run homer in the bottom of the eighth to make it 6-3 and put the game out of reach of the Hawaii Offense.
SS Fernando Rodriguez was 2 for 4 with a solo homer, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
Vancouver wins 6-3 and tased the series 2-1.
The Tropics limp back home after the short road trip with a two games series against Omaha at Diamond Head.
Game 1- SP Alaric Wullenweber laid the smack down on the Omaha Hawks. He surrendered just 1 hit over 7 1/3 innings. He struck out 9 hitters but received a no decision for his efforts. RP Norm MCConnell blew the save as he allowed 2 runs in the top of the ninth on a 2 run homer off the bat of 1B Jimmy Starks, Jr.
The Tropics are saved by the heroics of steady RF Mike Campbell. Campbell drilled a game winning triple off the right center field wall that scored LF Bastiao Fardos who had led off the bottom of the tenth with a walk.
Campbell was 3 for 4 with a triple, and a walk.
Hawaii wins 3-2.
Game 2- The Tropics have had the flair for the dramatic lately. They fall behind Omaha 5-3 late in the game and looked to be headed to another loss. But in the bottom of the ninth the boys staged a comeback off of Omaha Closer Rafael Luna. SS Fernando Rodriguez doubled to lead off the inning and he went station to station on a single to center by CF Doeke Soethout. Then LF Bastiao Fardos crushed a 2-0, center cut fastball over the left field wall for the 3 run walk off.
Fardos said after the game, “ Luna has a good fastball and a wicked slider. After he missed with the slider I knew I had him. I thought he was gonna continue to nibble but threw it right down the middle. I didn’t miss.”
Hawaii win 6-5 and sweep the short two game series.
