[DD Martin]

The Start of the US Division portion of our Final Homestand of the Season

We enter this last 15 game stretch of the season with 9 games at home and the final 6 away. We have Milwaukee at home first, then the big series against both Toledo and Duluth. The goal is to secure a playoff spot first with our clinching that is set at 9. Then we will focus on holding off Duluth who enters this last run of the season just 2 games behind, but considering they were tied for first just 2 days ago, we will take the 2 game lead.

The Eagles enter this series with a virtual lock to have the #1 pick in the draft and be on the clock. They are behind North of the Border last place Kingston by 12 games so it would take a tremendous turn of fortunes for the Eagles to fall out of the #1 slot and avoid 100 losses. The Eagles won 56 games last year going 56-88 so they have already surpassed and they look to have their worst record in the history of the franchise this year as no Eagles team has ever lost 100 games. Toronto is the only North of the Border team to ever lose 100 games in a season with 101 in 2025 and that record looks to fall. In GLBL history Toledo holds the all time top 3 spots in most losses with 109 in 2015, 106 in 2035 and 105 in 2045. In 2055 the Neptunes will not threaten that record as they are still in the thick of the race.

On the season we are 16-5 vs the Eagles.

Milwaukee Eagles 38-91 last in the US vs Chicago Architects 78-51 1st in the US
Frisday August 27th through Sunday August 29th 2055
At Chicago’s Pier IV Grounds

Game #1 - Friday August 27, 2055
A - 39,620
RHSP Mitch “Hypnotist” Belding 4-8 4.40 vs Jose “Pongo” Cedeno 8-9 4.39

Just 5 days ago “The Hypnotist” Belding helped Milwaukee to a victory over Chicago. This time Chicago’s José Cedeño (9 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K) pitched a complete game. He gives up a second-inning home run to Kennelly Mulford, then retires 13 batters. Thomas Arnaud doubles in one run and homers in another. Prowler Ashley singles three times and drives in three. With our win and Duluth’s loss to Toledo our lead over the Sea Gulls increased to 3 games, and we stayed 6 ahead of Toledo. Chicago 9, Milwaukee 1.

RF J Ashley 3-4 R, 3RBI SB, 3B T Arnaud 2-4 DB, HR 2R 2RBI, CF J Lambert 2-4 HR 2R RBI
CH HR - 3B T Arnaud (23) CF J Lambert (5)

Before the game on Saturday we made a few more call-ups from the AAA Joe’s. We decided that this Milwaukee game would be a good time to see what 2 kids could do as we hoped they would be a part of next year's club. SP Curt Hopkins 6-10 4.73 ERA (21 #12 prospect) and SS Cristo Sandoval (21 #10 prospect) were called up. Both would be starting against the Eagles.

Game #2 - Saturday August 28, 2055
A - 39,829
LHSP Donald Hubbard 7-11 5.33SP vs Curt Hopkins (0-0 0.00 big league debut)

Milwaukee takes a 5-1 lead into the eighth, where Chicago scores six. All six runs are scored with two outs. Reagan Osborn and Samuel Amsden singled in runs. Larry Davis doubles in Osborn. Miguel Toledo walks with the bases loaded, and Cris Luna singles in two.

The outing was short for Curt Hopkins who faced 3 batters allowing a 2-run home run and getting 1 out before leaving the game with a minor injury. SS Sandoval went 0-2 before he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 8th inning. Chicago 7, Milwaukee 5.

CF C Luna 2-4 2RBI, 3B L Davis 203 2DB BB R RBI,
CH HR - C J Duran (4)

In an effort to rest our big starting 4 pitchers, we decided to let rookie Ed Reedin make the start for the 3rd and final game against Milwaukee. Clearly we were showing a sign of disrespect to the Eagles starting a 21-year-old rookie 1 day and a lefty who had only pitched in a few games in the big leagues. We felt it was a calculated risk to take so that we could have Jose Cedeno, Joe Johnson, Cliff Simpson and val Imbert ready for Toledo and Duluth next week.

Game #3 - Sunday August 29, 2055
A - 39,636
RHSP Bryan Houston 1-5 5.97 vs Ed Reddin 1-0 7.27

On this day, the game did not pay off. Milwaukee got to Reddin in the 3rd for 4 runs and added 2 more in the 5th. Milwaukee’s Kennelly Mulford goes 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Both times Mulford scores it’s because Schnozz Park doubles him in. Luo-Lang Petit homers. Milwaukee 8, Chicago 3.

LF M Graves 3-5 R 2SB, 1B M Toledo 2-5 2DB RBI,
CH HR - none

Summary - So we only took 2 out of 3 against the Eagles, but as Toledo took 2 out of 3 against Duluth we had picked up a game and now led Duluth by 3 games and Toledo by still 6 games. Our magic number to clinch a playoff spot was now 7 games and with Toledo in town next before Duluth. It would sure be nice to take care of business here and not have to be too concerned with the final 6 games on the road. But even if we clinched the US side of things we would still be fighting with Thunder Bay for the best overall record and the home field advantage that went with it. We currently are up to 2 games on Thunder Bay.

Next up - The Biggest Series of the Season against Toledo and Duluth

The story continues after I was away for most of last week. The stats below are just the month of August as you can see the team wide hitting slump we had been in. Also ignore the "z" next to our name, we hadn't clinched anything yet.