Week Four: April 21st – 27th
Game 19 vs Jacksonville Hurricanes
4/21 vs Phoenix W 7-2 (29,345)
Games 20, 21, 22 & 23 @ Edmonton Jackrabbits
4/22 @ Edmonton W 5-2
4/23 @ Edmonton L 2-8
4/24 @ Edmonton W 5-2
4/25 @ Edmonton L 1-9
Games 24 & 25 vs San Antonio Outlaws
4/26 vs San Antonio L 2-8 (39.894)
4/27 vs San Antonio L 5-8 (31,678)
The week started well with Aviators sending eight to the plate in the week’s first innings and scoring four runs, but it ended as normal with the Aviators limping away. Those four runs did at least mean that Wichita sealed a 2-1 series win over Jacksonville, their first home series win of 2043.
Travelling across the boarder to Canada we managed to split the 4-game series at Edmonton. A 2-run homer by Jim Gouzzie in the sixth innings of the first game against Jackrabbits and a solo shot a couple of batters later by Luis Maldonado helped turn round a 2-0 early deficit and Aviators had built their first win streak of the year. Takanori Goto collecting his first win in Aviators colours. The 3-game win streak was snapped next game as Edmonton only allowed us four hits as they scored eight runs on 14 hits. Three first innings runs in the third game virtually sealed the win and assured at least a series split. Juan Hernandez’s two hits were both triples, tying the Aviators single game record and Rule 5 pick Damon Tipping improved his BBA record to 2-0, pitching seven strong innings walking one while striking out four. Tony Alomar took it the rest of the way for his fourth save. Maldonado obviously loves Canada as he went 3-5 with a homer & two doubles, picking up three RBI. Jackrabbits secured their share of the series when scored six runs in the first three innings, we only managed three hits all game.
Back home against the Outlaws we were 6-0 down before we got on the board in the eighth innings, a Duane Whitley Jr 2-run double driving in both our runs. We had an early 2-0 lead in the second game, but that was as good as it got. A Jim Gouzzie solo homer in the sixth made it 5-5. Sergio Rojas coughed up a 2-run homer in the seventh that settled it.
With three games left in April, all at home, it’s not looking too good. We’re 4-13 at home currently but 5-3 on the road. Whitley, Jr leads the team with seven homers and 22 RBI. Jorge Rincon is having fun in the leadoff role, drawing 13 walks and scoring 17 times. Tony Alomar leads in pitcher’s strikeouts with 24 in 29 IP and it’s not surprising that Jose Montoya has walked the most, 16 in 27.2 innings.
Regular Season Standings (April 27th)
2043 Record v Johnson League
| Frontier | HW | HL | AW | AL | Atlantic | HW | HL | AW | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 1 | 2 | - | - | Atlantic City | - | - | - | - |
| Calgary | - | - | - | - | Brooklyn | - | - | - | - |
| Edmonton | - | - | 2 | 2 | Charlotte | - | - | - | - |
| Las Vegas | - | - | 3 | 1 | Charm City | - | - | - | - |
| Mexico City | 0 | 3 | - | - | Jacksonville | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| Phoenix | 1 | 2 | - | - | Montreal | 0 | 3 | - | - |
| San Antonio | 0 | 2 | - | - | New Orleans | - | - | - | - |
| Wichita | X | X | X | X | Rockville | - | - | - | - |
| TOTALS | 2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | TOTALS | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Pitcher of the Week: 23-yr-old Damon Tipping pitched seven innings in his one start and took the win. He allowed six hits, one walk and two runs while striking out four batters.
Batter of the Week: 29-yr-old Luis Maldonado showed some of his true form this week. In seven games he hit .393/.433/.786 as well as his second & third homer of the season. He drew two walks, scored seven times and collected eight RBI