Tuber Times 2058.43: Sim #18 Recap - MEX,SA

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
5 Aug 2058
Boise, Idaho
**********************************
by Tony Toney

Boise Spuds 58 56 .509 -9 DIV -5 WC L10: 3-7 Strk: W2

Boise is now drifting back into the team the OOTP preseason predictions thought it would be: a 80-ish win team finishing well outside the division and wild card races. Stats point to a regression in pitching being the culprit and in Sim #18 that continued to be the conclusion of the eye test as well. The Spuds allowed 5.2 runs per game in going 2-4. The offense was decent but the team just doesn't have the firepower to cover that gap (Boise is 9th in runs scored in the JL at 4.7 per contest). The return to intra-divisional play has not been the panacea Spuds management hoped it would be thus far with the team getting swept in the first 4-game series of the transition.

@ Mexico City 3-6 L
@ Mexico City 6-7 L
Having lost the first 2 games of the series, Boise had hoped to take the 3rd game to relieve some stress from the finale. It wasn't to be as Spuds SP Matt McCartney gave up 3 runs in the 1st inning and ultimately allowed 10 hits in 4.2 innings. Mexico City SP Vassilis Zorba allowed just 3 runs in 5 innings and the Aztec bullpen shut down the Boise offense from there. Thus the Spuds went into the 4th game looking to salvage a win. Boise SP Doug Eckhoff set the squad up well enough allowing 2 runs in 5 innings of work. But P Waseem bin Suhayb got torched for 5 runs in the 6th inning before recording 2 outs. The Spuds had a late surge posting 4 runs in the last 2 innings against Aztecs SP Dave 'Burner' Corfield and RP Francisco Hernández but overcoming the disaster that was the 6th inning was too daunting a task.

v San Antonio 5-8 L
v San Antonio 4-6 L
v San Antonio 3-1 W
v San Antonio 6-3 W
Boise traveled back home for a series vs San Antonio looking to recover from being swept south of the border and do something about the fact that they had won just 1 game in their last 8. The opener was a decent enough start from Spuds SP Marvin 'Groucho' Winston allowing 3 runs over the first 6 innings and saw the team leading 4-3 at that point. But he drifted into trouble in the 7th and RP Anthony Annear couldn't pick him up as the duo surrendered 4 runs in that frame and 1 more in the 8th. Boise out-hit the Outlaws 14-11 with 3B Mahine 'Dragnet' Karetu slotting 3 hits in 5 at bats and C Juan González going 3-for-4, but yet again the Spuds were the victim of the big inning. Boise looked to avoid their 6th loss in a row in the 2nd affair. Boise SP Mario Reyes answered the bell allowing just 2 runs in 5.2 innings of work. The Spuds got their own big inning in the 7th off back-to-back HRs from 2B Marcello Custello and catcher González. But the balloon was popped with another big inning given up with San Antonio leveraging a Karetu fielding error with 2 singles and 2 doubles for a 4-run 8th. Boise desperately needed a win in the 3rd game to try and salvage a split in the series and the pitching staff finally stepped up. Spuds SP Danny 'Padfoot' Leach took the hill and allowed the Outlaws only 3 hits and no runs in 6 innings. CL Mario Santos continued to take care of business logging his 13th save in as many opportunities. Thus, the offense didn't need to do much to get Boise off the skids of one night. Boise looked to book 2 wins in a row for the first time since July 16th in the finale. Spuds SP Matt McCartney spun 8 innings of 1-run ball striking out 7 and Boise entered the 9th with a 6-0 lead thanks mostly to 2 RBI from CF Lou Bayou and C Sergei Bobrovsky. Waseem bin Suhayb slipped yet again in the 9th to let San Antonio creep up within 3 of the Spuds, but the 22yo Santos was there yet again to record his 14th save and the Spuds pulled out a much-needed split against the Outlaws.

[trmmilwwi]

We held Fradesso to a single homer in that first game. I was happy about that!