The Hawaii Tropics take a flight from Madison to Nashville to play a four-game series against the Bluebirds at Les Paul Field. The Trops as a team visited the Gibson Guitar Headquarters and Factory in Nashville for a tour of the facilities. After the tour Hawaii Gm Jim Walker said, “Meh, I like my ESP LTD guitars better.”
Hawaii starter Semih Gurani held the Nashville Bluebirds hitless through five innings but ran out of gas and was pulled in favor of Phil Thompson. Thompson gave up a solo homer in his 1.1 innings before handing the ball to Utkan Gocek. Gocek allowed two runs in 1.1 innings and his teammates began to sweat. Juan Martinez earned the save but allowed a run on three hits in 1.1 innings but also fanned three batters. Gurani eaned the win to improve to 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA.
Frank McMillan drove in Hawaii’s first two runs of the game on an RBI single in the 1st inning. Vicente Mendez hit a solo homer in the 7th to put the Trops up 5-1 at the time. Rookie DH Jake Diamond was 3 for 4 and scored two runs.
Hawaii wins 5-4.
The Hawaii pitching staff had no answers for the Bluebirds offense led by Majod bin Nawaf with 5 hits in 5 at bats. Elvin Hilliard was tagged with just his 2nd loss of the season as bin Nawaf and company scored five runs (three earned) on five hits and a couple of walks in just 2.2 innings. He struck out three as he falls to 7-2.
Hawaii 3B Felipe Hernandez hit his 8th homer of the season with a two-run blast in the 5th inning. Rookie SS Julian Rivera is making quite the impression on Tropics fans with a 2 for 4 day at the plate with an RBI and scored a run.
Nashville wins 10-3.
The Trops scored two runs in the top of the 7th inning on a two-run homer by Mitch Wareham that also scored Frank McMillan. The Bluebirds retook the lead off Trops reliever Phil Thompson with a two-run homer of their own then held off the visitors for a 6-4 win. Thompson took the loss to fall to 1-3 with a 2.49 ERA. Gerardo Rea made the start for Hawaii throwing six innings allowing four runs on five hits while striking out seven in a no decision.
Wareham was 2 for 3 with a walk, scored two runs and drove in two. Mendez was 2 for 3 with an RBI to stay red hot as he is now hitting .359 with 8 homers and 23 ribbies. Hernandez was 1 for 4 with an RBI and is hitting .295 also with 8 homers and 18 RBI.
Nashville goes up 2-1 in the series.
Hawaii found themselves trailing the Bluebirds by two runs after the 1st inning but starter Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta settled in a finished 5.2 innings with just the damage done in the 1st. The Trops tied it in the 6th with a two-out rally. Luis Estrada was pitched to very carefully and drew a walk then went from first to third on a single by Carlos Sanchez. Adhyapayana Mehta singled home Estrada then was pinch run for by Felipe Hernandez. Angelo Lucchesi singled home Sanchez with Hernandez taking third on the throw. Julian Rivera ground out to end the rally.
The Bluebirds are used to pressure situations though and with one out in the 8th, Colby Triska put Nashville up for good with a solo homer off Hawaii reliever Juan Martinez. Martinez falls to 0-1 with a 3.28 ERA.
Nashville wins 3-2.
The Bluebirds win the series 3-1.
Hawaii Manager Rich Kerr said, “We played them close this series but just couldn’t close the door on them late. I feel good that the boys took one of the four from the Champs.”
Pacific Division Standing as of June 2, 2058
