The Hawaii Tropics take the dumpster fire on the for a four-game series at Sacramento against the Mad Popes.
Game 1- The Tropics score five runs off former Hawaii workhorse starter Alaric Wullenweber. Wullenweber lasted just 3.2 innings allowing the five runs on nine hits and took the loss.
Trops leadoff hitter Mitch Wareham was 4 for 5 with a double and an RBI. 1B Tomas Borges was 2 for 5 with a two-run homer off Wullenweber in the 4th inning.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea finally earned his 1st win of the season with 6.2 scoreless innings. He gave up just three hits and walked a batter with seven strikeouts. He is now 1-6 with a 5.64 ERA. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds continued his dominance of hitters out of the ‘pen with 2.1 scoreless innings with two Ks.
Hawaii wins 5-0.
Game 2- The Trops get a go ahead pinch hit homer off the bat of rookie Felipe Hernandez and go on to win the pitcher’s duel. That was the 1st career homer for Hernandez. He pinch hit for RF Carlos Sanchez who was 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Elvin Hilliard made the start for Hawaii and threw 93 pitches in six innings. He allowed a run on four hits and struck out seven batters. Bill Phillips earned the win after pitching 1.2 innings. He gave up a hit, walked one and struck out one as he improves to 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA. Luis Perez earned his 4th save with a K in a scoreless 9th.
Hawaii wins 2-1.
Game 3- The Mad Popes walk it off in extras to get a win on the board. Hawaii reliever Luis Perez gave up the game winning single to fall to 0-2 with a 5.73 ERA. He gave up two hits and walked a batter in 1/3 of an inning.
Semih Gurani began the game for Hawaii going 3.2 innings allowing a run on five hits with two Ks. He gave the ball to Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta who coughed up three runs on four hits in two innings of work. Juan Martinez and Bill Phillips shut out the M’opes for 3.1 innings to allow their teammates to tie the game up.
Mitch Wareham was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Felipe Hernandez had a pinch-hit RBI double. Carlos Sanchez was 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. SS Thomas Kramer was 2 for 3 with an RBI and scored a run.
Sacramento wins 5-4.
Game 4- The Mad Popes get another extra innings win after a throwing error by Mitch Wareham allows the walk-off run to score. The Teddy Bear was the hard luck loser after it looked like he had worked his way out of trouble. He pitched 2/3 of an inning allowing an unearned run on a hit and two walks with a K. He falls to 1-2 with a 1.08 ERA.
Reynolds said, “I shouldn’t have walked those two batters. This result sums up our season.”
“I made a shitty throw. It’s not Bear’s fault.”, said Wareham shouldering the blame.
John Moore made a nice start for Hawaii going three innings allowing just a hit, walked three and fanned one.
Tommy Kramer was 1 for 4 with a double (4) and an RBI. Felipe Hernandez had a big series off the bench. He was 1 for 2 with an RBI after coming into the game for Will Patterson at third.
Sacramento wins 3-2.
The Mad Popes and Tropics split the four-game series.
