Tuber Times 2062.28: Sim #18 Recap

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
7 Aug 2062
Boise, Idaho
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by Stubby Bardenwerper

Boise Spuds 52 64 .448 DIV -12 WC -10 L10: 3-7 Strk: L3
One week after facing the 2 JL division leaders it was time for the Frontier Division Pillow Fight featuring last place Boise and Phoenix. The Spuds then headed to Colorado to meet the Oysters who were tied with Boise for next-to-last in the division. The Spuds were put back in their place after gliding thru the first half of interdivisional play. The circle of life.

v Phoenix 5-11 L P Juan Guzmán (L) - 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
v Phoenix 7-2 W P Buddhapalita Kankipati (ND) - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
v Phoenix 2-1 W SP Muneer bin Khairy (W) - 6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
CL Mario Santos - SV (22)
v Phoenix 7-9 L SP Doug Eckhoff (ND) - 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
Boise welcomed the Talons to Idaho with 27,916 souls in the 45,000-seat Grigg. The opener made clear that it's time for one of those stretches where Guzmán is due back in the bullpen after a 9.75 ERA since the beginning of July. Left fielder Tsutomu Yamauchi was hot going 3-3 with a HR, but Phoenix catcher Tony López was scorching going 4-5 with 2 doubles, a HR, and 5 RBI. And 2B José Molina went 4-4 in good measure with 2 doubles of his own. Kankipati clearly didn't take too well to the display as he allowed 3 hits and fanned 6 in 4.2 innings the following night. The hit-o'-rama continued with the Spuds light-hitting SS Dan Raymond going 3-4 with a solo HR and 2 RBI. The third match was a pitchers' duel because of course. The Talons' Ken Houston befuddled Spuds hitters allowing only 2 hits in 6 innings. bin Khairy responded in kind and the game was decided by one unearned run for Boise. The two offenses went back to battling in the finale with Phoenix scoring 3 in the opening inning, the Spuds scoring 3 of their own in the 5th to lead 5-3 after 5 innings. The Talons struck back with another 3-run inning in the 7th that chased Boise's Baz Badr. Phoenix made it 9-5 in the 9th inning and so Boise's pair in the bottom of the inning were moot. Phoenix RF Eric Wagner continued the theme of collecting 2 doubles while Boise's DH Pedro 'Pocket Rocket' Hozven was 2-4 with a double and a 3-run HR. So the squads split the 4-game set which is as it should be.

@ Rocky Mountain L SP Mahad Einan (L) - 4.1 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
@ Rocky Mountain 2-9 L Guzmán (L) - 2.1 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
In Colorado Springs, Spuds ace 'Furball' allowed only 3 runs in 4.1 innings, but on 9 hits(!). The Oysters' Ichizo Taguchi showed what a phenomenal outing looked like holding the Spuds to 1 run on 2 hits in 7.1 innings while fanning 8. Boise 1B Tracy Allison swiped 3 bases and was gunned down on a 4th attempt. The home team took the 2nd contest by the throat early scoring 2 runs in each of the first 3 innings chasing Guzmán from the game and likely back to the bullpen. The Spuds will hope to take the next 2 to salvage a split on the road.[/url]