Tuber Times 2056.40: Sim #23 Recap

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Tuber Times
9 Sep 2056
Boise, Idaho
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by Fish McWilliams

Boise Spuds 83 60 .580 5.5 GB +1.5 WGB L10: 8-2, Strk: W4

The Spuds had a very good Sim #23 at 5-2. More importantly, while they dropped 2 of 3 in Charm City, Boise swept Mexico City in 4 games. The squad is now 5.5 games behind Rocky Mountain for the division lead, but have a +1.5 game lead ahead of Jacksonville for the last Wild Card spot and a magic number of 14. But the next team behind Jacksonville is Calgary trailing by 5 games so there is some small room for error. Sim #23 saw the return of SP David Molina from the injured list. "We'll have David on a pitch count to ease him back but if we make the playoffs this is a big deal," said GM Ben Teague.

@ Charm City 2-3 L
@ Charm City 4-6(11) L
@ Charm City 2-0 W
A tall task awaited the Spuds as they headed to JL Atlantic Division leaders Charm City. There are no moral victories, but taking 1 of 3 from the Jimmies at their place is par for the course. Boise struck first in the opener with 2 runs and the Spuds SP Geoffrey Greening held Charm City scoreless until he surrendered 2 in the 6th. Reliever Robin Cooper was unable to avoid the walkoff in the 9th. The middle game was a treat with Boise carrying a 2-1 lead into the 5th inning when the Jimmies touched up Boise's Logan Hill with 3 runs. The Spuds pushed the game into extras on 1B Alfonso Rúbio's 2-run HR in the 9th. But, again, the bullpen couldn't prevent a walkoff as Charm City's LF Tadataka Yoshikawa connected on a 2-run HR off Boise reliever [/url=https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... 56968.html]Jeff Doane[/url]. The finale had a twist as Boise held off as long as possible to announce that David Molina would make his return to the mound after suffering shoulder inflammation on opening day. He was on a pitch count as he carried a 1-hit shutout into the 4th and the ball was handed off to the bullpen that completed the 2-0 shutout.

v Mexico City 3-1 W
v Mexico City 8-3 W
v Mexico City 8-7 W
Mexico City skidded into Boise on the heels of being swept by New Orleans. The opener was a pitching display with the Aztec's [/url=https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... 55363.html]Vassilis Zorba[/url] and the Spud's Mark Baker trading shutout innings until Boise struck with 1 in the 4th and 2 in the 5th. Baker would finish 6.1 innings allowing only 1 run and [/url=https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... 41951.html]Ricardo Rivera[/url] took the game the rest of the way. The middle game was not close. The Spuds jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first three innings thanks to a HR from [/url=https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... 42577.html]3B Gary Allen[/url] and a 3-for-4 night from CF Bill O'Toole who scored twice and drove in a run. The Aztecs scored late as Boise's Toshikuni Kubo covered 8 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. The finale was a thrill for those that love offense and a real thrill for Spuds fans. Mexico City exited the 6th inning with a comfortable 7-4 lead and it would stay that way until the bottom of the 9th. To the pleasure of the home fans, Boise scored 4 runs in the 9th on a two singles, one double, and 2 walks. 3B Mike Galloway delivered the winning run with a 2-out single that scored 1B Alfonso Rúbio from second base.