Tuber Times 2058.13: Sim #6 Recap - PHX,EDM,LV

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
13 May 2058
Boise, Idaho
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by Tony Toney

Boise Spuds 21 17 .553 DIV -1 WC - L10: 4-6 Strk: L1

Ok, Boise didn't need to follow the first losing Sim of the season with another. But they did going 3-4 in a Sim with 5 road games and 2 at home. Pitching was actually pretty good outside of giving up 9 runs in Vegas. The Spuds are not playing the way they were in April holding a 4-7 record in May thus far. The offense exploded for 12 runs in one contest, but other than that it kept games tight as all other games were decided by an average of 2.5 runs. The biggest concern at this point is the string of losing series. The Spuds have lost 7 in a row and that is a road to ruin. But they have just entered a 14-game homestand so hopefully fortunes will turn. The big hurt in the standings is dropping 1 back of the division lead. No, that's not a big concern...but the Frontier has so much parity that they are only +3 from 7th place.

@ Phoenix 2-0 W
@ Phoenix 2-4 L
Having dropped the first game of a series in Arizona the Spuds were looking for 2 wins to take the Sim. But it was not to be as they split the last 2 games. The first game was a beauty from Boise starter Jeremy Nickerson who allowed no runs for the second straight start finishing 7 innings this time giving up only 3 hits and striking out 7 Talons. Anthony Annear delivered a rare, for him, drama-free save. The offense did just enough scoring 2 runs with 1B Bastião Fardos and CF Lou Bayou each going 3-for-4 with Fardos driving in both Boise runs. The Spuds and Talons had another close affair in the finale. Phoenix starter Damian Theophanous held the the Spuds to 2 runs despite surrendering 8 hits. On the Spuds side, Claudio García allowed all 4 runs in 5.1 innings giving up 2 HRs. The bright spot was Boise's newly acquired reliever Chris Lacey locking down the last 2.2 innings by fanning 5 Talons.

@ Edmonton 12-1 W
@ Edmonton 1-4 L
@ Edmonton 2-3(12) L
The offense for the Spuds clearly didn't appreciate the low-scoring affairs to end the Phoenix series and took it out on Edmonton in the series opener posting 12 runs. Fardos was 3-for-5 with a double and a HR to collect 5 RBI while CF Lou Bayou drove in 3. Not to be overlooked is Boise SP Doug Eckhoff allowing only 3 hits and a run in 5.1 innings of work. As is the case more often than not in baseball, the Spuds offense posted just one run and that in the 9th inning. Jackrabbits SP Mus'ad 'Snapper' Amr baffled Boise bats allowing just 1 run in 8 innings. Spuds starter Mario Reyes had a good outing allowing 3 runs in 6 innings while rookie reliever Samir Qasim allowing no earned runs in finishing out the contest. The rubber match was a pitchers' duel and a heartbreaker for a Boise team looking to take any series they can. Starter Marvin 'Groucho' Winston allowed only an unearned run, but Annear couldn't close out the save allowing a run in the bottom of the 9th to send the game to extras tied at 2. Boise setup man Knox Sked pitched the 2 extra frames and struck out 3 Jackrabbits but allowed the walkoff RBI single to Reggie 'Big Reg' Leeper.

v Las Vegas 6-5 W
v Las Vegas 3-9 L
The home series against the Hustlers was circled on the schedule as the Spuds had been tied atop the Frontier for virtually the entire season. Boise was able to put up 6 runs, only one being earned, on Vegas starter Bret Harrell while the Spuds' Nickerson has another good start going 5 innings allowing 3 hits. But errors by 2B Graham McFadyen, catcher Juan González, and SS Dan Raymond canceled out the 2 errors committed by the Hustlers and made for a 1-run decision for Boise. In the middle game of the series, García went 5.2 innings allowing no earned runs, but the defense again hampered the Spuds with 4 unearned runs crossing the plate. Reliever Chris Lacey took only 2/3 of an inning to give up 3 runs with 2 of those coming off bases-loaded walks.