After a split in their series against the Long Beach Surfers, the Trops arrive in Louisville for a four-game series against the Sluggers.
Game 1- The Tropics fall behind 8-0 before mounting a late game charge against the Sluggers. They put up a run in the 7th and 4 in the 8th inning, but it ran out of gas. Louisville flame thrower George ‘Judge’ Souder lit up the Juggs 2000 radar gun with some 100 mph fastballs and a Buggs Bunny curveball to get the save for the Sluggers.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea continues to struggle with his control. He allowed five runs on seven hits in the loss. He only walked one, but his pitches had little movement and caught too much of the zone. There are rumors that he may be injured but he doesn’t seem to display any pain. He pitched three innings and struck out three batters but gave up three homers. He falls to 1-8 with a 5.85 ERA.
2B Adhyapayana Mehta was 1 for 4 with a double (10), two RBI and scored a run. 1B Tomas Borges was 1 for 4 with a two-run homer (15) in the 8th inning.
Louisville wins 8-5.
Game 2- The Sluggers put up 8 more runs on the Tropics pitching staff as they win their second game in the series. Elvin Hilliard took the loss for Hawaii allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in 3.2 innings pitched. He struck out three batters as he falls to 4-5 with a 4.24 ERA. Reliever Bill Williams surrendered a run on two hits with two Ks in 2.1 innings if work. Utkan Gocek was pummeled by the Sluggers in his short 11 pitch appearance. He allowed three runs on three hits. Two of those were homers.
Borges was 2 for 4 and scored a run on the two-run homer by LF Bob Chastain in the 6th inning. Chastain was 1 for 4 on the day. Mehta was an empty 3 for 5 at the plate and was caught stealing (3).
Louisville wins 8-2.
Game 3- Hawaii Manager Rich Kerr chose to use this game as his bullpen day. It began with Semih Gurani on his usual pitch count of 50. He pitched two scoreless innings giving up two hits with two walks. Manny Ortiz followed with 2.2 innings in relief of Gurani. He allowed a run on two hits with two Ks and earned the win to improve to 4-2 with a 3.50 ERA. Bill Phillips took his turn and held the Sluggers hitless for 2.1 innings. He struck out two batters. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds finished the game with two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and struck out a batter.
Bob Chastain had a big day at the plate going 3 for 4 with a double (11) and a two-run homer (3). He scored two runs and drove in three on the day. Tomas Borges has been the only consistent player for this team. He was 1 for 5 with an RBI, a stolen base and scored a run. CF Angelo Lucchesi was 1 for 4, scored two runs and drove in a run. C Katsumi Matsumoto was 2 for 4 with two RBI. RF Carlos Sanchez was 1 for 3 with a triple (2) and two walks. He came around to score twice on the day.
Hawaii wins 7-1.
Game 4- Hawaii Manager Rich Kerr rolled the dice and went with a bullpen day again. He sent out John Moore to make the start. He pitched 3.1 innings surrendering just a hit and walked one batter while fanning six batters. Bill Williams threw 2.1 scoreless innings giving up two hits and earned the win to improve to 3-4 with a 4.72 ERA. Juan Martinez pitched 1.1 innings allowing just a hit, walked one and struck out one. Finally, Chih Kuang pitched two hitless innings. He walked one and struck out one.
Adhyapayana Mehta was 4 for 5, stole a base (16), drove in three runs, and scored a run. Carlos Sanchez was 1 for 2 with a walk and two ribbies. Tomas Borges was 1 for 4 with a double (7), scored a run and had an RBI. 3B Mitch Wareham was 3 for 4 with a double (13), a walk, a stolen base (5) and scored three runs.
Hawaii wins 9-0.
The Tropics and Sluggers split the four-game series.
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