The Tropics finish their long home stand with a three-game series against the Louisville Sluggers.
Game 1- The Hawaii Tropics lost in three phases of the game as the Sluggers take the series opener. The Trops defense committed two errors, the offense generated just two runs on seven hits and Hawaii pitching struggled to make pitches in key moments.
SS Thomas Kramer committed his 15th error of the season and 1B Karunamaya Makarand committed his 1st error.
Makarand was 1 for 4 at the plate with a double and scored a run. Vicente Mendez was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Adam Backhouse was 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and was caught stealing.
Hawaii starter Semih Gurani pitched three innings allowing two runs on four hits with a K but takes the loss to fall to 2-5. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds followed with 1.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks. Phil Thompson followed that with an inning of work allowing two runs on two hits with two Ks.
Louisville wins 7-2.
Game 2- Hawaii pitchers get the job done as the Trops even the series 1-1. Hawaii starter Ricardo Tapia threw three scoreless innings giving up two hits, walked one and fanned three batters. He was relieved by John Moore who faced four batters. He struck out one, walked one, gave up a hit and a induced a fly ball. Luis Perez took control of the end of the 4th inning and pitched 1.2 innings issuing just a walk with three Ks, to earn the win. He improves to 6-3 with a 2.43 ERA. Juan Martinez pitched 2.2 scoreless innings giving up just a hit for his 4th hold. Bill Phillips pitched a scoreless 9th for his 4th save.
On offense, Trops did just enough to get the win. Karunamaya Makarand was 1 for 3 as the lead-off hitter with two walks while scoring two runs. Vicente Mendez was 2 for 5 with his 31st double and an RBI. C Frank McMillan was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 3-0.
Game 3- The Tropics score three runs in the bottom of the 9th to avoid the shutout as the Sluggers get the series win. CF Angelo Lucchesi was 1 for 4 with a bases loaded triple on the 9th to clear the bases and get Hawaii on the board. Adam Backhouse was 2 for 4 and scored a run.
Hawaii outfielders kept the game from getting out of hand with three assists. Russ McHaney threw a runner out at home, and Lucchesi threw at runner out a home and another at third.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea fought with location all day as he gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk. He struck out five batters as he falls to 8-8 with a 3.21 ERA. Chih Kuang let the game get out of hand as he gave up three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out a batter in 2/3 of an inning.
Louisville wins 7-3.
The Sluggers win the series 2-1.
Hawaii has struggled the last two months. After a 21-6 June they have gone 11-15 in July and 9-19 in August to fall out of playoff contention. GM Jim Walker said, “Our pitching just couldn’t maintain that high level for too long. Combine that with injuries to some key players and this is the result.”
