Sim 9: May 25th – May 31st
As suspected Fernando Figueroa couldn’t use his bat very much but compared to the other centrefielders that El Paso/Wichita have thrown out there he fairly glides around the outfield. El Paso might be bottom still, but they are level with Mexico City and have others with a game or too, no longer cut miles adrift by the end of May.
Games 48 & 49 @ Brooklyn Robins
5/25 @ Brooklyn L 3-8
5/26 @ Brooklyn L 5-12
Unfortunately, Brooklyn completed the sweep in the sim’s opening games. Having fought back from 0-3 down in the first game by scoring three in the top of the sixth, El Paso promptly blew it by giving up three runs in the bottom of the sixth and allowing Robins to score two insurance markers in the next innings. Mario Rodriguez got two of the team’s four hits as well as a walk, using a bases loaded double to drive in all the runs. Jose Montoya dropped his record to 3-6 by giving up nine hits, three walks and six runs in just over five innings of work. In the second game both teams managed 13 hits and as Brooklyn was getting the upper hand, they finally blew the game open with five runs in the eighth innings to extend Chilis losing streak to four games. Ross Quicker went 3-5 and scored twice while Kade Lebowski scored once from his 3-5. Mike England tied the Johnson League regular season record for strikeouts by going 0-5, striking out all five times.
Games 50, 51, 52 & 53 @ Montreal Blazers
5/27 @ Montreal W 12-10 (F/15)
5/28 @ Montreal W 8-5 (F/10)
5/29 @ Montreal L 3-4
5/30 @ Montreal W 3-1
El Paso arrived in Montreal to read in the local papers that the Blazers reckoned they would have no problem maintaining their high-flying position by doing a number on the Chilis. It was a furious first game, Montreal scored five in the fourth innings to turn a 0-1 deficit into a 5-1 lead before El Paso added four runs in the fifth to square the game. Both teams added a run in the sixth, but then the runs tried up. We went all the way to the 15th innings before someone troubled the scorers again. Chilis had added two runs already when Mike England hit a Grand Slam to seemingly blow the score open at 15-6. Blazers did try and force their way back in and save the game as they hit a Grand Slam of their own in the bottom of the 15th but that was all they could manage. Ross Quicker went 3-7 and added four RBI and scored twice. Jason Bowen went 2-6 with a pair of walks as well, he also scored twice and drove another two runs in. Seven of the Chili starters managed multi-hit games, six of the seven bullpen arms got into the game. So, the last thing they wanted was another extra-innings game the next day. Chilis looked to have won the game with three in the top of the ninth but Blazers scored the run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 5-5. Thankfully it was a quick end to the extras this time as El Paso worked three runs in the top of the tenth to win the game. Reynold Voermans pitched almost three innings to earn his second win of 2045. Montreal finally got a win when three runs in the sixth turned 0-3 into 3-3 and won it with a seventh innings run. Kade Lebowski failed to get a hit but worked two walks and came around to score both times. Ross Quicker got two of Chilis three hits, scored once and drove another in. El Paso wrapped up the series win as Blazers failed to score until the eighth innings. Ross Quicker, Elmer Lomond and Fernando Figueroa scoring the runs with Jose Montoya collecting his fourth win.
Game 54 @ Edmonton Jackrabbits
5/31 @ Edmonton L 1-2
Elated the Chilis headed on to Edmonton and came back to earth with a bang. In a game where each side only managed five hits each El Paso had tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth. The game slipped away though as the Jackrabbits went back in front with the last run of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Mario Rodriguez hit the only Chilis run via the long ball and Ramon Guerrero took his fifth loss, allowing five hits, two walks and two runs working into the seventh innings.
Regular Season Standings (May 31st)
2045 Record v Johnson League
| Frontier | HW | HL | AW | AL | Atlantic | HW | HL | AW | AL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Atlantic City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Calgary | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Brooklyn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Edmonton | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | Charlotte | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| Las Vegas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Charm City | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| Mexico City | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Jacksonville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Phoenix | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Montreal | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Antonio | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | New Orleans | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| El Paso | X | X | X | X | Rockville | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | TOTALS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
