The Hawaii Tropics finish their road trip with a four game series against the Nashville Bluebirds.
Game 1- Nashville evens their record at 57-57 with a win over the Tropics in the series opener. The Hawaii offense produced just a run on five hits and SP Jesus Gonzalez gave up four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He walked two and fanned eight in falling to 7-10 on the season.
Ernie Poole pitched two innings for Hawaii giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out two batters.
Backup C Norberto Salinas was 1 for 2 with a walk and an RBI.
Nashville wins 4-1.
Game 2- The Tropics fall in extras to the Bluebirds as they drop their third straight game. SP Maup Manshert pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing three runs on six hits, walked none and struck out seven. RP Felipe Lopez blew the save allowing two runs on four hits while striking out one in an inning of work. RP Ronnie Sprinkles took the loss giving up a unearned run in the bottom of the eleventh to fall to 0-4.
1B Tony Hernandez was 2 for 5 with a double, a runs scored and three RBI.
Nashville wins 6-5.
Game 3- The Nashville Bluebirds wins a pitching duel with the Hawaii Tropics to assure of a series win. Hawaii SP Zak ‘Hitman’ Johnson pitched well going 7 2/3 innings allowing just two runs on five hits, walking two and fanning nine but took the loss to fall to 6-13 with a 4.20 ERA on the season.
Tropics DH Ernest McBride provided the Hawaii offense with a solo homer in the second inning and finished the day 2 for 3.
Nashville wins 2-1.
Game 4- Hawaii SP Alaric Wullenweber snapped the closing streak with a good 6 2/3 inning performance. He gave up just a run on four hits and four walks while striking out seven batters. He improves to 11-5 on the season with a 2.99 ERA.
The Hawaii offense finally made an appearance with rookie 2B Stephen Cox leading the way. Cox was 2 for 5 with a triple and a three run homer. He scored a run and drove in four. Ernest McBride gave him an assist with a 2 for 5 day with a solo homer, two runs scored and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 9-1.
The Trops return home for a four game series with the Des Moines Kernels at Diamond Head.
Game 1- The Tropics come from behind twice to down the Kernels in the series opener. SP Niccolo “Notorious” Destefani battled for 6 1/3 innings surrendering five runs on eight hits, walking none and fanning nine. He gets the win to improve to 8-10 with a 4.28 ERA.
Lorenzo Gonzales was 2 for 4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI.
LF Jose Camacho was 1 for 5 with a two runs homer.
Hawaii wins 6-5.
Game 2- Hawaii SP Jesus Gonzalez had a better performance with 6 2/3 innings of five hit ball. He allowed two runs, walked two and struck out six. He earned the win to go to 8-10 with a 4.04 ERA. Bob McConnell came on in relief of Gonzalez and pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. He gave up two hits and struck out one for his third save of the season.
David Guerra was 3 for 4 with a two run homer, a run and two RBI while manning first base.
Hawaii wins 5-2.
Game 3- Hawaii SP Maup Manshert goes 8 1/3 innings and David Guerra hits a Grand Slam to lead the Tropics to another win over the Kernels. Manshert gave up four runs on eight hits, walked two and fanned six. He improves to 7-6 with a 3.88 ERA on the season. Guerra finished the day 2 for 4 with a run scored and four RBI.
Hawaii wins 5-4.
Game 4- The Tropics score a run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and then walk it off in the twelfth inning on a Jorge Salas sac fly to complete the series sweep of the Kernels.
Starter Zak Johnson struggled through 5 2/3 innings giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks. He struck out four in the no decision. The Hawaii bullpen shut out the Kernels the rest of the way allowing just one hit the final 6 1/3 innings. RP Luis Santiago was the first in relief pitching two clean innings recording two strikeouts. Next up was Ronnie Sprinkles giving 1 2/3 innings of hitless work while striking out three batters. Felipe Lopez followed with 1 1/3 innings of work allowing jus a hit and fanned two. Finally, Alberto Castaneda finished the game with 1 1/3 innings of clean baseball. He earns the win to improve to 5-3 with a 3.86 ERA in relief.
RF Mike Campbell was 2 for 5 with a two run homer, two walks, three runs scored and two RBI.
Jose Camacho was 3 for 6 with a walk, a double and two runs scored.
Hawaii wins 5-4.
