The Tropics return home after a horrible road trip and an even worse month of July. They play a four-game series against the Pacific Division Leader Sacramento Mad Popes. The Popes lead the all-time series 186-140.
Three Hawaii pitchers combine to shut out the Mad Popes on nine hits as the Trops eke out a 1-0 win in the series opener. Elvin Hilliard made the start going 5.2 innings giving up six hits and struck out five batters in a no decision. Luis Perez earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings allowing just a hit with two Ks. He is 7-1 with a 3.15 ERA. Juan Martinez earned his 9th save with an inning of work. He allowed two hits and issued a walk.
Luis Estrada drove in Hawaii’s lone run with a sac fly in the 6th inning that plated Vincente Mendez who had tripled after the 1st out in the inning.
Hawaii wins 1-0.
Hawaii pitchers have continued to baffle the Mad Popes lineup as they go up 2-0 in the series. Bill Williams pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win as he improves to 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA. The other Bill, Bill Phillips, followed with 1.2 innings and gave up an unearned run on two hits but gets his 5th hold of the season. Utkan Gocek earned his 2nd save with 1.1 clean innings with a K.
Felipe Hernandez hit his 16th homer in the 6th inning driving in three runs. Russ McHaney hit a two-run homer in the 8th inning. Vincente Mendez was 2 for 3 and scored a run.
Hawaii wins 5-1.
The Mad Popes pitchers turn the tables on the Tropics and win Game 3 1-0. Carlos Sanchez had two of the five Tropics hits on the day with a single and a double (25).
John Moore was fantastic for Hawaii throwing 5.2 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits with seven Ks in a no decision. Utkan Gocek was tagged with the loss as he gave up the only run Sacramento would need in 1.2 innings. He falls to 4-5 with a 2.91 ERA.
Sacramento wins 1-0.
The Hawaii Tropics fall again in yet another extra inning game. It has been their 11th extra inning game in their last 30 games. The Mad Popes scored two runs in the 12th to take the lead. The first victim was Bill Phillips who gave up a run in his two innings of work. Bill Williams was the second victim as he gave up the other run in 2/3 of an inning. Phillips took the loss to fall to 2-3 with a 1.06 ERA.
Vincente Mendez was 3 for 4 with a walk, double (21) and two ribbies. Mitch Wareham was 3 for 6 with a solo homer (10) and scored two runs.
Sacramento wins 5-3.
Hawaii and Sacramento split the four-game series.
Pacific Division Standings as of August 4, 2058
