ORE-IDA® TATER-TOTS EMOJI SUMMARY OF THE WEEK: ,
HITTER OF THE WEEK: Motonobu Yamashita - 9-for-23, 5 R, 5 SB (.391 AVG, 1.027 OPS)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Taisuke Suzuki - 1-0, 8.0 IP, 6 K, 1 BB (0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP)
GAME OF THE WEEK: Boise started the week off in an all-too-familiar scenario: stealing a win thru late-inning heroics. On April 28th, Boise hosted division rival San Antonio and the Spuds struck first in the opening inning, thanks to a Félix Román two-run homer. The Outlaws answered, scoring two runs of their own in the top of the second inning to tie the game. The two teams would exchange runs in the next three innings and in the 7th inning, Boise would go ahead 5-4 after Jared Gillstrom's solo shot to right. Not to be outdone, San Antonio took it to reliever Tom Warren, crossing the plate three times to take the lead 7-5. But in the bottom of the ninth, the Spuds mounted a comeback. After a Calvin Clohessy single to open the inning, Motonobu Yamashita would stroke a double in the left-center gap, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with Dennis French coming to the plate with just one out. San Antonio reliever Ramón Sánchez would get French to pop out on four pitches, leaving the Spuds down to their final out. Román then promptly took Sánchez's first offering to left field, a three-run walk-off blast and second long ball of the game.
JOHNSON LEAGUE FRONTIER DIVISION STANDINGS
TEAM | WINS | LOSES | WIN% | GB | RD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boise Spuds | 21 | 9 | .700 | - | +61 |
Calgary Pioneers | 17 | 11 | .607 | 3 | +41 |
Edmonton Jackrabbits | 18 | 12 | .600 | 3 | +13 |
Mexico City Aztecs | 16 | 14 | .533 | 5 | +25 |
Phoenix Talons | 15 | 16 | .484 | 6.5 | -19 |
Las Vegas Hustlers | 12 | 18 | .400 | 9 | -26 |
San Antonio Outlaws | 10 | 20 | .333 | 11 | -35 |
Wichita Aviators | 8 | 22 | .267 | 13 | -49 |
DOWN ON THE FARM: Salt Lake City (AAA) went 3-4 on the week, bringing their season record to 21-11, still good enough for first place in the Western Division...due to a clause in his minor league contract, Alpines catcher Gabriel Flores was granted free agency..."We wish Gabriel the best," Alpines manager Nicholas Abadee told local reporters. "He provided some outstanding defense and really looked comfortable at the plate, but with three catchers up with the parent club and some younger backstops ready to be promoted here soon, we just didn't have the room."...Flores was slashing .350/.462/.600 at the time of his release and is expected to find a new team fairly quickly...Weymouth (AA) took four of six to bring their record back to .500 (16-16)...23-year-old left-hander Seitaro Ugaki had himself a huge week, winning both his starts by allowing just 3 earned runs in 17 IP, with an incredible 15 strikeouts to just 1 BB...on the season, Ugaki is 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA...Tulsa (A) managed just one win on the week, causing their record to drop to 10-22 on the year...extended spring training has picked up in the first week of May, as Short Season and Rookie league action will begin in four weeks