The Hawaii Tropics finish their road trip with a four game series with the Nashville Bluebirds at Les Paul Field. The Tropics enter the series 4 games behind the Long Beach Surfers in the Pacific Division of the Frick League.
Game 1- Hawaii Tropics Starter Zak Johnson won his 10th game of the season with a strong effort against the Nashville Bluebirds. Johnson pitched 7 innings giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. The bullpen held Nashville to one hit to finish the game off for Hawaii.
SS Ben Vaive has played awful defense but has gotten hot with the bat. Vaive was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
LF Bastiao Fardos has re-taken the lead off spot. Fardos was 1 for 4 with a solo homer, a walk, two runs and an RBI.
3B Fernando Rodriguez was 1 for 4 with a two run homer, a walk and two runs scored.
Hawaii wins 9-2.
Game 2- Hawaii DH Ernest McBride crushed a three run homer, his second homer of the day, in the top of the ninth to give the Tropics the lead. RP Norm McConnell pitched the final two innings of the game to get the win. McConnell struck out three and walked one.
McBride ended the day 2 for 5 with two runs and five RBI.
1B Gary Allen was 3 for 5 with a double, a solo homer, three runs scored and an RBI.
RF Mike Campbell was 3 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
SP Niccolo “Notorious” Destefani fought through 6 innings allowing four runs on six hits and walked three batters. He struck out seven in a no decision.
Hawaii wins 7-4.
Game 3- Ernest McBride hammered two more homers off Bluebird pitching to will the Tropics to another win. McBride was 2 for 3 with a solo homer and a two run shot. On the mound, SP Alaric Wullenweber pitched 7 solid innings allowing two runs on three hits and walked one while striking out eleven. He improves to 14-5 with a 2.87 ERA.
RP Stephen Taub pitch the last two innings giving up a run on two hits, walked two and struck out three for his 12th save.
Mike Campbell was 1 for 3 with a homer, a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 5-3.
Game 4- The Hawaii Tropics score one run in the eighth to tie the game and one in the ninth to get the series sweep. Bastiao Fardos hit the go ahead homer in the top of the eleventh with one out to give Hawaii the lead. Fardos finished the day 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. McBride was 2 for 5 with a double and a run.
SP Jesus Gonzalez pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing just a run on five hits, walked one and struck out ten. He received a no decision but lowered his ERA to 3.93.
Hawaii wins 2-1 and sweeps the series 4-0.
The Tropics return home on a four game winning streak to play the Des Moines Kernels in a four game series. Hawaii has whittled the Long Beach lead down to a game entering this series against Des Moines.
Game 1- The Tropics use a bullpen day and escape with their fifth straight win. RP Raymond Ortiz got the start but was roughed up by the Kernels for seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits and two walks while striking out four. The rest of the bullpen gave up just one hit and a walk to allow the offense to get the Tropics back into the game.
CF Michel Noel was 1 for 3 with a double and three RBI.
Fernando Rodriguez was 2 for 3 with two doubles, a run and two RBI.
Ernest McBride was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 8-7.
Game 2- With the game tied 5-5, the Tropics score one in the seventh and two in the eighth to escape with their sixth win in a row. Ernest McBride is powering this offense as he continues his late season surge. He was 2 for 3 with a double, a homer, a walk, three runs scored and three RBI. Gary Allen was 2 for 3 with a double and a homer, adding three runs scored and an RBI.
Zak Johnson had a bit of a tough time getting some grip of the ball. He allowed five runs on five hits and a walk over 4 2/3 innings of work. He struck out four batters in a no decision.
Nor McConnell pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief and gave up no runs on no hits and a walk. He struck out three and earned his eighth win of the season in relief.
Hawaii wins 8-5.
Game 3- The Hawaii offense explodes for 14 runs on 17 hits as the Tropics run away with another win. Fardos was 3 for 4 with a Grand Slam and three runs scored to lead the offense. He was helped out by the usual suspects in Campbell and McBride. Campbell was 2 for 5 with a double and a homer while McBride was 2 for 4 with two more homers.
Nick Destefani pitched 5 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits, three walks and struck out ten batters. He won his 6h game of the season.
Hawaii wins 14-4.
Game 4- The Tropics complete the sweep of the Kernels behind Alaric Wullenweber. Wullenweber won his 15th game of the going 6 1/3 innings and giving up just one hit while striking out 11. He is 15-5 with a 2.76 ERA.
Mike Campbell was 3 for 5 with a triple, a run and an RBI.
Gary Allen was 1 for 3 with a homer, two walks, two runs and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 5-2 and sweeps the series 4-0.
The Tropics scored 58 runs on 84 hits while allowing 28 runs on 47 hits over the 8 game winning streak.
McBride is 12 for 31 with 7 homers, 18 RBI and 10 runs scored. He is slashing .387/.444/1.194 over his last 8 games.
