Why do we bother? Flight Crew can’t believe Aviators
Unsurprisingly the fans are slowly drifting away from the team, credit must go to them for keeping their faith so long. Virtually 2.7 million have come through the Thomas Magnum Field Turnstiles, 85% up on last year and the best aggregate since 2039. I don’t blame them, it’s so hard watching the pitchers toss away lead after lead with their big run innings they allow, 215 homers allowed and a starters ERA of 7.01. Roll on the end of the year in all honestly, I don’t think anyone involved with the franchise can take much more.
Games 140, 141 & 142 @ Atlantic City Gamblers
9/8 @ Atlantic City L 5-9
9/9 @ Atlantic City L 6-7
9/10 @ Atlantic City L 2-6
Aviators got a great start to the week with three runs scored in the top of the first, but it soon turned to dust. A three-run fifth innings by Gamblers turned a 4-2 Wichita lead into a 5-4 deficit. We clung on and it was 5-5 after seven then the pitching staff went into overdrive. Tony Alomar gave up two hits and walked two in the bottom of the ninth before allowing Atlantic City to walk it off with a Grand Slam. The second game we spotted the Gamblers a six run lead in the first two innings, we burst back almost in the fifth with a Juan Hernandez, that drove in two runs, and a Jim Gouzzie 2-run homer which both contributed to a 5-run innings. That got us back to 5-6 but we could get no closer. Game three was as predictable, we gave them an early 3-0 lead, closed to 3-2 and handed them a 3-run seventh to finish Wichita off. Hernandez contributed 2-3 with a run driven in but nowhere enough to make up for the eight walks & two homers we had spotted the Gamblers.
Games 143 & 144 vs Jacksonville Hurricanes
9/12 vs Jacksonville L 4-5 (35,062)
9/13 vs Jacksonville W 7-1 (37,555)
Luis Maldonado contributed a 2-run double to a 3-run first innings to open the short two-game series. In the Wichita tradition it didn’t last, we gave them 4-runs in the top of the second and never got closer again. Duane Whitley Jr hit a home run and worked a walk, scoring twice. Finally, in the second game, despite Jacksonville scoring in the first innings, two home runs by Hector Garza and another by Jason Bowen gave us a lead that not even our pitchers could give away. Jose Montoya pitched into the sixth, giving up eight hits but crucially no walks. Tony Alomar struck all four batters he faced out as he picked up his 22nd save.
Games 145 & 146 @ Mexico City Aztecs
9/14 @Mexico City L 3-6
9/14 @Mexico City L 2-6 (39,833)
Not just a double header but a split venue double header too. It was another double header against Mexico that bore no fruits as well. A three-run seventh innings in Mexico by Aviators made the score line look close, but the game wasn’t. Jason Bowen went 2-4 scoring once. Back in Wichita a Luis Maldonado 2-run homer in the bottom of the first gave Aviators a 2-1 lead but three Aztec runs in the second innings was enough to win the game.
Standings as at September 14th
Record v Johnson League
| Frontier | HW | HL | AW | AL | Atlantic | HW | HL | AW | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Atlantic City | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Calgary | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Brooklyn | 1 | 3 | 3 | 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 | 3 | 1 | 6 | Jacksonville | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Phoenix | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 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 | 11 | 22 | 22 | 27 | TOTALS | 12 | 20 | 10 | 22 |
Batter of the Week was 29-yr-old Luis Maldonado who in seven games hit .240/.345/.640 and walked four times. He launched three homers, two in the same game, scored six times and drove in six runs
