The Hawaii Tropics hit the road for a four-game series against the Sacramento Mad Popes. The Tropics and Mad Popes have split the season series so far at 5 wins apiece.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea pitched a gem in the series opener to get the win. Rea threw seven scoreless innings giving up just four hits and a walk with five Ks. He improved to 5-8 with a 4.12 ERA. Luis Perez allowed a run in an inning of work but earned a hold and Phil Thompson pitched a scoreless 9th for his 8th save.
CF Angelo Lucchesi was 1 for 4 and drove in two runs. RF Carlos Sanchez was 2 for 4 with a double (32) and scored a run. C Katsumi Matsumoto was 1 for 3 with a walk and scored a run.
Hawaii wins 3-1.
The Mad Popes offense gets to young Hawaii starter Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta for six runs in 4.1 innings. They racked up eight hits and worked a walk while striking out four times. Crawdad falls to 7-11 with a 3.79 ERA.
Adhyapayana Mehta was 2 for 5 with an RBI and scored a run. Mitch Wareham was 1 for 5 with a triple (5) and scored a run. Vincente Mendez was 2 for 4 with a double (28) and an RBI.
Sacramento wins 6-4.
Hawaii’s bats go silent and SP Elvin Hilliard’s nightmare second half of the season continues as the Trops fall again. The Tropics managed just a run on six hits against M’opes pitching while Hilliard gave up four runs on ten hits to the Sacramento lineup. He falls to 11-12 with a 5.00 ERA. Carlos Sanchez scored the lone Hawaii run on a solo homer (16) in the 7th inning.
Sacramento wins 5-1.
The Hawaii Tropics trailed the Mad Popes 6-3 going into the top of the 9th and things looked dismal for the visitors. But the offense exploded for nine runs on nine hits and benefitted from an error to take the lead.
Lucchesi was the driving force for Hawaii going 3 for 5 with a walk, scored two runs and drove in three. Mendez was 2 for 5 with two ribbies and scored a run. Matsumoto was 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run. SS Julian Rivera was 1 for 4 with two RBI and scored two runs.
Semih Gurani was saved from a loss by this outburst after allowing four runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Luis Perez benefitted from this after throwing two scoreless innings only allowing two hits and striking out one as he improves to 9-1 with a 2.96 ERA.
Hawaii wins 12-6.
The Tropics and Mad Popes split the four-games series and the season series.
