The Tropics embark on a Heartland Division tour beginning in Madison for a four-game series against the Wolves. Hawaii and Madison have been streaky against each other with the Wolves dominating for a season or two then Hawaii doing the same. Their all-time records stand at Hawaii 84-83 over the Wolves.
Hawaii’s offense pound out three homers and starter Elvin Hilliard allowed two runs and scattered eight hits over seven innings to win his 7th game of the season. He fanned six batters and is now 7-1 with a 3.55 ERA. Jorge Santos and Bill Williams combined for two scoreless innings to ensure the win. Vicente Mendez had three hits, one a solo homer (6), walked, stole two bases (5) and scored three runs to take home the Player of the Game honors. Carlos Sanchez was 2 for 5 with a two-run homer in the 1st inning to put Hawaii on the scoreboard early.
Hawaii wins 9-2.
The Tropics offense had a difficult time trying to figure out Madison starter Boris Milatovic but finally broke through for two runs off the hurler after five innings. After Milatovic exited the game, the offense battered the bullpen scoring five more runs in four innings to get the win. Vicente Mendez pulled down is 2nd straight Player of the Game after going 2 for 5 with a two-run homer (7), scored a run and drove in three. C Frank McMillan added a solo homer (8) in the 5th inning. Rookie SS Julian Rivera drove in a couple of runs on a single in the 6th inning. Gerardo Rea made the start going 5.2 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out three. Luis Perez earned the win after allowing a run on 1.2 innings of relief to improve to 3-0 with a 3.19 ERA. Chih Kuang made the save in 1.2 scoreless innings to seal the win.
Hawaii wins 7-4.
The Hawaii offense could manage only one hit against Madison starter Lucas Wood over six innings. The Wolves bullpen held the Trops hitless for the final three innings to get the team back into the series. Carlos Sanchez had the lone hit for the Tropics with a single. Starter Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta was bad from the start giving up three runs in the 1st and six runs over the 3.1 innings he lasted. He falls to 5-5 with a 4.29 ERA.
Madison wins 9-0.
The Hawaii Tropics kept the Madison Wolves close in the series finale and trailed 1-0 going into the top of the 8th. The Trops struck for three runs to go up 3-1 on the Wolves. 1B Luis Estrada put Hawaii up with a two-run double then Angelo Lucchesi singled him home for an important insurance run. Chih Kuang gave up a run in the bottom of the 8th, but Luis Perez was called in and worked out of the mess. Kuang earned the win to improve to 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA and Perez earned his 3rd save and lowered his ERA to 3.06.
Hawaii wins 3-2.
The Tropics wins the series 3-1.
The Trops remain atop the Pacific at 34-20 2 games up on the Sacramento Mad Popes at 32-22. Long Beach is 5 back at 29-25 and Vancouver follows at 28-26. San Fernando is at .550 27-27 seperated from Valencia by two games at 25-29. Bikini is in a holding pattern at 23-31 with Portland beginning to get some traction at 17-37 and 17 games back of Hawaii.
Hawaii GM Jim Walker said, “This upcoming series in Nashville will be a measuring stick for us to see if we are contenders or pretenders. I hate to say that, I just jinxed us.”
