Tuber Times 2058.23: Sim #10 Recap - JAX,MTL

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
10 June 2058
Boise, Idaho
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by Tony Toney

Boise Spuds 35 29 .547 -3 DIV -1 WC L10: 6-4 Strk: W1

Now that's more like it! Boise collects its first sweep of a 4-game series, only their 3rd sweep of the season, and splits the first of 4 @ Atlantic Division leading Montreal. Pitching was superb allowing just 3 runs/game if a 19-inning game in Montreal is excluded, which it should be. But the success comes at a huge price with 1B Bastião Fardos suffering plantar fascitis which will keep him down for 5 weeks. Despite the 5-1 Sim, Boise drops 1 game to Las Vegas, sporting a tidy 8-win streak, in the standings and basically holds serve with Phoenix. Outside of a 4-run 6th inning in the opener @ Montreal the pitching staff avoided the big innings and it made a huge difference.

v Jacksonville 3-2 W
v Jacksonville 14-3 W
v Jacksonville 6-4(11) W
v Jacksonville 8-3 W
A 4-game home series was just the tonic the Spuds needed after a 1-6 Sim #9 and they took advantage of the comforts of Idaho. Boise began the series with a dominate performance from co-ace Doug Eckhoff who allowed 1 run on 2 hits in 5.2 innings. But Jacksonville's SP Gavrilovich Mastinsky matched Eckhoff's outing and it was a tight affair. But the back end of the bullpen held on with CL Samir Qasim earning his 6th save of the season. Things got out of hand quickly for Hurricane's SP Juan Marroquín in the second game as he allowed 7 runs in 2.0 innings. So the Spuds didn't need SP Waseem bin Suhayb to shine, but he did anyway going 6 innings allowing just 2 runs. 1B Bastião Fardos went 3-for-4 with an RBI but also went down with plantar fascitis that will put him on the IL for 6 weeks. 3B Mahine 'Dragnet' Karetu went 3-for-5 and 2B Marcello Custello collected 2 RBI with a double and a triple. The third game was a back-and-forth, low-scoring affair with Boise SP Logan Hill allowing 7 hits in 6 innings but only 3 runs. The Spuds held a 4-3 lead headed into the 9th but Qasim suffered his 3rd blown save on the year and the game headed to extras. In the bottom of the 11th, RF Héctor Holloway delivered a 2-run, walkoff HR that sent the home fans buzzing. DH Alfonso Rúbio drove in 3 runs on the night with 2 HRs. The finale looked like another tight affair until the Spuds touched up Jacksonville RP Clarence Moore for 4 runs in the 7th and that was all Boise needed to close out the 4-game sweep.

@ Montreal 7-9(19) L
@ Montreal 4-3 W
Boise next traveled north of the border to face off against the Atlantic Division leaders Montreal. And, oh boy, the opener. 19 innings and 17 pitchers used between the two squads. The Spuds got to Montreal SP Juan 'Oz' Cruz in the 6th inning putting up 4 runs, but the Blazers returned the favor in the 8th posting 3 of their own off Boise P Marvin 'Groucho' Winston to tie the game at 5. It would stay the way for 11 more innings when, in the top of the 19th, a Tracy 'Jigga' Allison double and an RBI single from LF Sebastian 'Nino' Fradesso put the Spuds up by 2. But the bottom of the 19th when the Blazers used three (3!) home runs off Boise RP Toshikuni Kubo and Knox Sked to walkoff with a 2-run, hard fought victory. In the second game of the series, Spuds Eckhoff was not as stable allowing 3 runs in 5 innings. But the backend of the bullpen held again with Qasim notching his 7th save. Montreal SP Ricardo Negrete was ambushed with 10 hits in 6.2 innings leading to 4 Boise runs. The game remained scoreless after the 3rd inning and Boise held on for the much needed win.