Two wins and very close to three this week
If Wichita hadn’t coughed up five runs in the bottom of the eighth we would have been celebrating a second successive three win week, but our pitchers, as they have so many times before, imploded and we had to settle for two wins, two nearer our revised hope of 50 wins. Maldonado is still keen on a little condo in downtown Wichita but to be honest he has to step it up a bit. One single, two doubles and a homer was all he could manage this week in 25 plate appearances. Two walks, three runs scored, and a stolen base is poor return for the money he desires. I’m almost leaning towards considering Hector Garza again. Not as much pop in his bat sure, but a bit better finding the gap and quicker on the basepaths; Hector is just as good in the defence as well. They could perhaps work as a platoon, but do I really want to pay in excess of $10 million for the righty half of a platoon?
Games 121, 122 & 123 vs New Orleans Crawdads
8/18 vs New Orleans L 0-5 (40,142)
8/19 vs New Orleans L 6-11 (39,408)
8/20 vs New Orleans L 1-4 (35,887)
After winning the first game of the series last week the Aviators just didn’t turn up for the three games in the series this week. 13 of the Wichita’s 27 innings went 1-2-3 as they managed just 14 hits and seven runs in the three games. Duane Coutts kept game one down to three walks & three runs in the first six innings but got no run support at all. Leading 1-0 after one innings in the second game was quickly turned into a big deficit, Duane Whitley Jr going 2-3 and scoring twice. Sancho Torres battled into the seventh in the series’ final game, walking only one, but the runs against piled up though. A run scoring double by Juan Hernandez in the third was the only Wichita offence as Torres struggled for support again.
Games 124 & 125 @ Montreal Blazzers
8/21 @ Montreal W 3-1
8/22 @ Montreal L 2-5
The short two-game series in Montreal could have been a sweep by the Aviators. A 2-run homer by Duane Whitley Jr in the third innings broke the first game open. Jose Montoya walked four but only allowed one hit in his five innings. Tony Alomar walked two in his two innings and allowed Blazers only run before collecting his 19th save. In the second game Hedde Aalbers scored a run in the third innings that looked as though it was going to be enough especially when Jim Gouzzie hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth to make it 2-0. Wichita are only ever a step away from a pitching implosion and that arrived in the bottom of the eighth, Yann Legrand managing to give up five hits including a 2-run homer to allow Montreal five runs as they stole the win.
Game 126 @ Phoenix Talons
8/24 @ Phoenix W 8-6
In the opening game of the series in Phoenix a Luis Maldonado triple set the scene for a 3-run second innings to overturn Talons early 1-0 lead. Duane Coutts was hounded from the game in the fourth innings as Phoenix made it 5-3. A 3-run homer by Jim Gouzzie in the sixth innings and a 2-run shot by Luis Alvarez in the seventh though secured the win for Aviators as Wichita move onto nine wins for the month.
Standings as at August 24th
Record v Johnson League
| Frontier | HW | HL | AW | AL | Atlantic | HW | HL | AW | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | - | - | 3 | 4 | Atlantic City | 1 | 3 | - | - |
| Calgary | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Brooklyn | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Edmonton | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Charlotte | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Las Vegas | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | Charm City | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Mexico City | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Jacksonville | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Phoenix | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Montreal | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| San Antonio | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | New Orleans | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Wichita | X | X | X | X | Rockville | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| TOTALS | 10 | 15 | 21 | 24 | TOTALS | 11 | 19 | 8 | 18 |
Batter of the Week was 23-yr-old Hedde Aalbers. In a very much offence challenged week, Hedde showed his improvement as he slips into the regular shortstop role. In six games he worked three walks and hit .294/.429/.353, scoring twice and driving a run in.