Week 18: July 28th – August 3rd As we finish a 10-game road trip (nine as it turns out after one of the games at Mexico City is rained out) we will play our last game of the trip at Charlotte next week before heading home for a spell of 21 games at Thomas Magnum Stadium, split into two by a short 3-game flit to San Antonio.
Game 107 @ Boise Spuds
7/28 @ Boise L 4-5
In the final game at Boise in which we have to win to grab a share of the series we score in the first innings and add two more in the ninth. Unfortunately, in between Spuds outscore us 4-1 leaving the game delicacy poised going into the bottom of the ninth innings. Augusto Ramirez hits the first batter, gives the second a double and allows the third a single to knock in the walk off run. His record drops to 0-3 and we lose the game & series.
Games 108 & 109 @ Mexico City Aztecs
7/29 @ Mexico City W 6-3
7/30 @Mexico City L 0-2
The first game in Mexico is broken open after Aviators score four in the third innings to turn around a 0-1 deficit. Aztecs never really recover and leading by two going into the ninth innings, a Jim Gouzzie solo shot puts the exclamation point on the win. Juan Hernandez gets on base twice from the nine-hole and scores both times while Jose Montoya pitches into the seventh innings allowing six hits and two runs to post a career high seven wins in 2044. The second game is a dud as for as Wichita is concerned, Aztecs score a 2-run homer in the seventh which proves to be the only offence. Aviators outhit Mexico City 6-5 with six different batters getting on base, just Matt Chambers picking up a double as their only EBH. Chet Dickinson going the distance but picking up his 11th loss despite only allowing five hits and two runs while striking out six batters.
Games 110 & 111 @ Charlotte Cougars
8/2 @ Charlotte W 8-4
8/3 @ Charlotte L 1-5
Moving on to Charlotte, after the final Aztec game was washed out, for the final port of call on the extended road trip we started with a welcome win. The first few innings were a bit of a tussle as Cougars twice led a tight game, but Aviators scored two in the sixth and three in the seventh to finish the game off. Luis Maldonado went 2-4 including a three-run homer in the seventh while Juan Hernandez got on base twice and scored both times. Seitaro Ugaki pitched the last 4.1 innings allowing just a hit while striking out two to improve his record to 3-2. Cougars took their revenge in the second game, up 3-0 before Aviators even scored their only run. Mario Rodriguez & Luis Maldonado both had two-hit days with Maldonado scoring Wichita’s only run. Taito Kimmonen dropped his second straight loss (2-2) allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in just over five innings pitched.
Regular Season Standings (August 3rd)
2044 Record v Johnson League
| Frontier | HW | HL | AW | AL | Atlantic | HW | HL | AW | AL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Atlantic City | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Calgary | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | Brooklyn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Edmonton | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | Charlotte | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Las Vegas | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | Charm City | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Mexico City | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | Jacksonville | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Phoenix | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Montreal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| San Antonio | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | New Orleans | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| Wichita | X | X | X | X | Rockville | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| TOTALS | 16 | 23 | 12 | 28 | TOTALS | 5 | 7 | 5 | 15 |