The Tropics return home for a three-game home stand against the Madison Wolves.
Game 1- The Madison Wolves shut down the Hawaii offense as they take the series opener. Struggling Wolves starter Yorikane Miyamoto kept Hawaii hitters from mounting any comebacks with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Tropics starter Terry Hansen was battered by the Wolves lineup. He allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits and three walks. He struck out just one batter and falls to 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA. Dominic Thompson couldn’t stop the bleeding allowing two runs on three hits. He fanned two batters in an inning of work. Jesus Rios threw a scoreless inning with two Ks and Bill Ritz followed that with a s scoreless inning with a K.
Pedro Huerta was the Hawaii offense. He was 3 for 4 with a 1st inning two-run homer. He had 3 for the 4 Hawaii hits in the game.
Madison wins 8-2.
Game 2- Hawaii starter Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds allowed two runs in five innings then his teammates in he bullpen followed with four scoreless inning as the Tropics even the series with a one-run win. The Teddy Bear allowed those two runs on six hits and three walks while he struck out a batter.
Angel Hernandez came on in the 6th and pitched 1 1/3 innings scattering three hits and a walk with a K. The new ‘Hernandez Rules’ have worked well as he has lowered his ERA to a still bloated 5.79. Bill Ritz finished the 7th for Hernandez allowing no hits or runs and struck out a batter. He earned the win to improve to 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA. Phil Thompson pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings giving up a hit and walked two. He struck out a batter and earned his 2nd hold. Utkan Gocek needed just 8 pitches to get two outs. He allowed a hit and struck out a batter and earned the save.
Mitch Wareham was 2 for 3 with an RBI and was caught stealing twice. Mike Campbell was 1 for 4 and scored a run. Shafiq Zahir was 2 for 4 with a double and scored a run. Thomas Kramer was 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 3-2.
Game 3- The Tropics fall behind the Wolves 5-1 after three innings but fight their way back into the game and finally escape with a win in extras. Hawaii tied the game on a two-run double by defensive replacement Karunamaya Makarand. The game stayed that way until the bottom of the 12th when Mike Campbell cranked at three-run blast to start the celebration.
The Tropics would never have that chance to comeback without the performance of their bullpen. They combined for seven one-hit innings. It began with Chih Kuang pitching two scoreless innings. He gave up a hit, walked one and struck out one. Phil Thompson followed with an inning of work. He issued a walk and fanned two. Jesus Rios faced just one batter and retired him on a ground out. Bill Ritz struck out 3 of the 5 batters he retired. Dominic Thompson pitched 2/3 of an inning with a walk and a K. Daruna Maddukuri earned the win after 1 1/3 hitless innings to improve to 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA.
Semih Gurani made the start for Hawaii and was roughed up for five runs on eleven hits with two Ks in five innings.
Mitch Wareham was 1 for 6 and scored a run. Makarand was 2 for 3 with a double, scored a run and drove in two. Adam Backhouse was 2 for 6 with a solo homer. He scored two runs with an RBI. Mike Campbell was 2 for 6 with the big game winning three-run homer. Will Patterson was 2 for 5 with a double and scored two runs. Tommy Kramer was 1 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Katsumi Matsumoto was 1 for 4 with a walk, scored a run and drove in a run.
Hawaii wins 8-5.
The Tropics win the series 2-1.
