The Tropics take their day off at home before boarding the team jet bound for Des Moines, Iowa to play the Kernels in a four-game series. The Tropics took 3 of 4 in Hawaii earlier this season and narrowly lead the all-time series 88-84.
Hawiai starter Semih Gurani out pitched Des Moines starter Tommy ‘Skew’ Akers but the Tropics bullpen cough up the lead and the win. Gurani pitched six scoreless innings and scattered six hits while striking out two batters in a no decision. Akers gave up a solo homer to a red hot Felipe Hernandez in 6.2 innings in a no decision. Reliever Chih Kuang was just awful for the Trops as he gave up two runs on two hits and a walk while recording just one out. He took the loss to fall to 4-2 with a 3.48 ERA and 3 blown saves. Utkan Gocek allowed a run in 1.1 innings on a hit and a walk while fanning three. Hawaii’s offense managed just the one run off the Hernandez homer while tallying up just four hits off Des Moines pitching.
Des Moines wins 3-1.
Hawaii starter Elvin Hilliard continues to battle his control issues that have plagued him the last couple starts and this time it hurt him. He gave up six runs on five hits and three walks in 1.1 innings. He gave up a Grand Slam in the 1st inning and a two-run homer in the 2nd inning.
Hilliard said, “Pitching is like golf. Some days your swing is in a groove and some days it isn’t. Some days your feel and release points are on and some days it’s off. I’ve even had it happen between innings.”
The Hawaii bullpen gave up just a run off a solo blast off reliever Jorge Santos. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds pitched 2.2 clean innings with two Ks and Luis Perez followed that win a scoreless inning with a walk and a K.
2B Adhyapayana Mehta has had a season to forget and might be showing some age but he was 3 for 5 with a double (13) and a solo homer as he scored a run and drove in two. Vicente Mendez continues to be a pain for pitchers as he was 3 for 5 with an RBI. SS Julian Rivera was 1 for 4 with an RBI and scored a run.
Des Moines wins 7-4.
The Tropics were down 3-1 going into the 7th inning and staring at the possibility of losing another series. They received a reprieve from their slugging 1B Luis Estrada. Estrada ambushed the first pitch he saw and deposited it in the right center field bleachers to get the Trops to within a run. Carlos Sanchez drew a walk then moved to second on a Mendez single. Rivera struck out for the 1st out of the innings then Gerald Mitchell reached on an error by Kernels 1B Ricardo Norman. With the bases FOT (Full of Tropics), Frank McMillan drove in Sanchez with the game tying run with a deep fly ball to right center. Mitch Wareham grounded out to end the inning.
The game remained tied 3-3 into the 10th when the Trops added another run to take a 4-3 lead. With two out, Felipe Hernandez doubled then Luis Estrada singled to left but it was slow giving Hernandez a chance to score and he took it. Hernandez drew a throw but was safe. Luis Perez set the Kernels down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to earn the win as he goes to 5-0.
Hawaii wins 4-3.
The Kernels come back from down 3-0 in the 8th to score three, tie the game and give Kernels fans hope. Those hopes were popped as the Trops scored seven runs on four hits and three walks as they send 11 batters to the plate.
Sanchez flew out to begin the inning but then the storm struck. Adhyapayana Mehta doubled, then Russ McHaney was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Jake Diamond fell behind the count 1-2 but worked a walk to load the bases for the Trops. Next up was Julien Rivera. Rivera doubled down the line in left scoring Mehta and McHaney with Diamond holding firm at third. Mitch Wareham was intentionally walked to load the bases up again as the Kernels were hoping for the pitcher’s best friend. They didn’t get it as Angelo Lucchesi struck out swinging for the 2nd out of the inning. Felipe Hernandez struck again with a single on the 1st pitch he saw that scored Diamond and Rivera with Wareham remaining smartly at second. After a pitching change Luis Estrada was plunked by new hurler Jeff Doane, to load the bases again. Carlos Sanchez was determined not to make two outs in an inning. He waited for his pitch and got on a 1-1 fastball from Doane and rifled it down the first base line to clear the bases. Mehta grounded out to end the fun, but the damage had been done and the fans began to stream out of the gates after the inning was over.
Utkan Gocek walked the tightrope in the bottom of the 9th as he walked the 1st batter but settled in to get the final three batters. He earned the win to improve to 1-2 but with his 3rd blown save. Strangely, young starter Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta earned Player of the Game honors with 5.2 scoreless innings. He allowed just four hits, walked two and fanned nine batters in a no decision in 83 pitches. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last three starts covering 19 innings with a total of eight hits, six walks and 15 Ks.
Hawaii wins 10-3.
The Trops and Pops split the four-game series.
Pacific Division Standings as of June 24, 2058
Frick League Wildcard Standings
