Tuber Times 2058.8: Sim #3 Recap - EDM,LV,CLG

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
23 April 2058
Boise, Idaho
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by Tony Toney

Boise Spuds 13 6 .684 - DIV +2 WC L10: 8-2 Strk: W1

Well, looky what the Spuds done now. Boise started of Sim #3 with a 3-game sweep of Edmonton to gather 2 back-to-back. They managed to take 1 from Las Vegas and opened a 3-game series in Calgary with a win. All that means a 8-2 record in the team's last 10 games. From what was a team that could pitch and play defense last season, if they could do anything at all, the Spuds have proven to possess a formidable lineup in this very young season. They've been in a ton of close games however so the pitching and defense need to step it up in case Lady Luck packs up and exits Idaho.

v Edmonton 3-2 W
v Edmonton 4-3(11) W
v Edmonton 10-7 W
Boise followed a 3-game sweep of the Phoenix Talons by welcoming Edmonton to town for the next three. The offense didn't waste any time continuing its hot streak jumping on Jackrabbits starter Ishtaq Dar for 3 runs in the opening frame. That would be plenty of support for the Spuds Doug Eckhoff, who allowed only 2 hits in 5.2 innings, and reliever Paul 'The Hammer' Cherry who cleared the middle innings allowing only 3 hits in 2.1 innings. Boise CF Lou Bayou sparked the first inning tally with an RBI triple. The middle game had a different look as Edmonton put up 3 in the first 2 innings. The Jackrabbits SP Glenn 'Woody' Hargrove held the Spuds scoreless but for a 3-run 5th. The game remained knotted at 3 until the bottom of the 11th when Boise 3B Xinping 'Thrash' Zhào delivered a walkoff sac fly. Edmonton would score first again in the rubber match scoring 2 runs against Boise's Marvin 'Groucho' Winston before he exited the game with shoulder tightness. The Spuds offense was just too good from there, however, scoring 7 runs in the middle innings and 3 in the 8th for the 10-7 victory. Boise didn't need the long-ball as every hitter in the lineup but one had at least one hit.

@ Las Vegas 5-8 L
@ Las Vegas 6-3 W
@ Las Vegas 7-8(10) L
The Spuds then traveled to Sin City for a matchup with the co-leaders of the Frontier division. The opener was an even affair outside of a 4-spot the Hustlers put on Boise SP Jeremy Nickerson in the 2nd inning. That would pretty much be the difference in an 8-5 Vegas win. The Spuds blanked the Hustlers for 4 innings before SP Toshikuni Kubo surrendered 3 in the 5th. The Boise offense rallied late, however, tying the game at 3 in the 7th then adding 3 more in the final 2 frames to close out a 6-3 win. The finale saw the two teams trading blows over the course of the contest until Vegas SS Stewart 'Sky' Turton delivered an RBI groundout to send the game to extras. Boise's Qintin 'Bingo' Birss took the hill in the bottom of the 10th and gave up the winning run on a long sac fly from Vegas 2B Helmut Grün that sent the Hustlers fans home happy.

@ Calgary 8-5 W
Boise traveled north of the border for the next series and opened a series with the Pioneer with am 8-5 victory. The win included a 7-run 7th inning for the Spuds on 2 RBI singles and a 3-run HR from catcher Sergei Bobrovsky.

[neugey]

Boise has been noise-y, one of the better records in the BBA so far. Didn't think I'd be swept!