Tuber Times 2061.41: Sim #12 Recap - NO,MTL

[cheekimonk]

Tuber Times
20 June 2061
Boise, Idaho
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by Stubby Bardenwerper

Boise Spuds 32 42 .432 DIV -20 WC -6 L10: 2-8 Strk: L6
Ok, we were wrong. There was no silver lining to the Spuds getting swept in Sim #11 by Charlotte, because it was followed by getting swept in Montreal. Make no mistake, Sim #12 is where Boise's season came to die. Splitting at home to New Orleans had no shame. And, to be fair, neither does dropping all 4 vs the Blazers. But the Spuds now have a 6-game losing streak and are 6-12 in June after a 12-17 May. And after sweeping the season opening 3-game series, Boise has been swept 7 times before the end of June.

v New Orleans 4-2 W SP Doug Eckhoff (W) - 15 G, 15 GS, 2-6, 75.2 IP, 5.11 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, +0.1 WAR
CL Mario Santos (SV) - 18 G, 2-4, 5 SV, 21.2 IP, 5.82 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, -0.1 WAR
v New Orleans 1-2 L P Muneer bin Khairy (L) - 14 G, 3 GS, 1 SV, 45.1 IP, 3.77 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, -0.1 WAR
v New Orleans 4-6(10) L P Buddhapalita Kankipati (ND) - 10 G, 1 GS, 23.0 IP, 1.57 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, -0.1 WAR
The Spuds came into Sim #12 feeling a little better than they should have. After getting swept at home by Charlotte, they took the opening game of a 4-game set vs New Orleans. To make things brighter, they went and won the 2nd game of the series. Eckhoff was excellent allowing only 2 runs in 8.0 innings and Santos came in and secured the save. New Orleans SP Kinzo Iwamoto was very good as well pitching a complete game allowing the 4 runs. Then came the pale rider. bin Khairy allowed a run in each of the first 2 innings but there was no sign that the scoring was over...it essentially was. The Crawdads SP John Lucas tossed 6 innings of shutout ball allowing only 3 hits while fanning 3. Hoping to get a series win, Boise sent fill-in starter Kankipati to the mound and got 5.2 innings of shutout ball. But he was eventual undone by Spuds closer Santos who allowed 2 runs on a double and 2 singles in the top of the 10th. New Orleans 2B Jason Newton was 3-5 on the night with a solo HR, and C John McMuttray drove in 2 runs.

@ Montreal 4-8 L SP Mahad 'Furball' Einan (ND) - 15 G, 15 GS, 4-4, 89.1 IP, 3.93 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, +1.1 WAR
@ Montreal 2-3 L SP Mario Reyes (L) - 15 G, 15 GS, 90.1 IP, 3.29 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, +1.4 WAR
@ Montreal 4-6 L Eckhoff (L)
@ Montreal 3-6 L bin Khairy (L)
Boise seemed shell-shocked about just splitting the Crawdads series and facing a road series vs the Blazers. Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy. But they were all such close games. Yes, even the opener. Montreal held a 4-1 lead heading into the 8th inning when the Spuds scored twice and then once more in the top of the 9th to tie the game at 4. How do you respond? You walk the fucking game off, that's how. And Montreal RF Roosevelt Davis did so with extreme prejudice launching a grand slam off Boise P Bart Crews. The stumbling Spuds then watched the Blazers push across 3 runs in the 1st inning on Mario Reyes. They were the only runs surrendered by the lefty, but it was enough with the Spuds reeling. The third game had a more comfortable start with Boise pushing across 2 runs in the 1st off Montreal SP Samuel Nebraska, but that would be answered with 2 and 3 runs in the 3rd and 4th innings, respectively. The 4th inning featured a 3-run HR from Blazers C Calvin Johnson off Eckhoff. Boise scored 2 late runs but it wasn't enough in the 4-6 loss. The finale had the Spuds trying to avoid both a sweep and a 6-game losing streak. But a RBI single in the top of the 5th was answered by a 3-spot in the bottom of the inning comprised of a wild pitch, an error on Spuds 3B Bill Kuhn, 2 singles, 2 walks, and a sac fly. A team in total chaos.