[ayaghmour2]

August 17th, 2021: Danny Duffy (7-5, 3.52 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) to the mound against Randall Delgado (3-7, 3.27 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) to open the series in our nations' capital. It was a wild one late. Up 1-0 in the 6th, they scored 2 in the 8th to take the lead. We put up 3 in the top of the 9th, but then allowed 2 in the bottom half. In the 10th, Brian Goodwin walked off former National Koda Glover, and the Nats won 5-4.

Duffy was great, allowing just 1 run off 5 hits in 7.1 innings. He walked 1 and struck out 5. James Farris allowed a run in the 8th to blow the save, and Yasukazu Shiotani allowed 2 in the 9th, and the run in the 10th was charged to him as well.

Cole Brannen swiped bag 48 and doubled in 5 at bats. Andrelton Simmons hit a 3-run homer in the 9th and had two singles as well. Ryan Mountcastle was 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Lewis Brinson was 2-for-5 with a double and scored.

Down in the GCL, 3B Ismael Mayen went 5-fpr-6 in a 15-1 domination over the Rays.

August 18th, 2021: Jordan Montgomery (5-4, 4.46 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) got the ball against Jerald Eickhoff (5-5, 7.13 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) as we looked to bounce back. Today was another rough one, as we lead 4-0 before allowing 2 in the 7th and 5 in the 8th, to fall 7-5.

Montgomery pitched well, just 2 runs in 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6. Tanner Rrainey struggled, getting just 1 out while allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, and 5 runs. He actually struck out two, but one got on from a dropped third strike.

Cole Brannen picked up another steal and was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks. Lewis Brinson had a piar of solo homers in four at bats. Brian Anderson was 1-for-4 with a three run homer in the 7th.

August 19th, 2021: The Yankees lost SP Bryse Wilson for the year with a torn flexor tendon. The 23-year-old made 16 starts in 21 games and had a 4.69 ERA.

We looked to avoid the sweep with Jameson Taillon (6-8, 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) facing Freicer Perez (1-6, 4.50 ERA, 1.60 WHIP). We really, really, really couldn't afford to lose today as well, but the Nationals have killed us this season. Luckily, wer picked up a 7-3 win in part to a 4 run 4th.

Taillon didn't do too well, lasting just 4.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and striking out a pair. Max Povse got the win, his 7th, after 1.1 hitless innings with 3 strikeouts. Kenyan Middleton earned a hold with 2 perfect innings and James Farris tossed a perfect 9th.

Charlie Tilson delivered a key 3-run homer in the 4th and went 1-for-4. Andrelton Simmons went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a walk, and a run scored. Victor Caratini went deep in a 1-for-3 game with 3 RBI's, a walk, and run scored.

We took a flight to Milwuakee where we'd meet Milwaukee for four. We're 73-50 and just 3.5 game out. Milwaukee hasn't had much success, and is in 4th with a 59-64 record. They project to send Jimmy Nelson (5-8, 4.67 ERA), Osvaldo Hernandez (6-4, 3.82 ERA), Brandon Woodruff (8-8, 4.80 ERA), and Carson Fulmer (7-5, 3.46 ERA).

August 20th, 2021: Zach Davies (6-6, 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) took on his former team and teammate Jimmmy Nelson (5-8, 4.67 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) to open up the four game set. We edged the Brewers 2-1.

Davies had a brilliant outing, just a single run in 8 innings with 4 hits, a walk, and a single strikeout. Shiotani earned the save, his 38th of the sesaon.

Charlie Tilson has done well in the starting lineup, and today he was 2-for-4 with a triple. Victor Caratini doubled home both runs in the 4th with a double. Ryan Mountcastle was 2-for-4 with a run scored and 2 steals. He's not very fast, but an excellent base runner.

Former Marlin and now Pirate CF Carlos Tocci went 5-for-5 in a 7-4 win over the Cardinals. Just 25, he's had major league at bats with Texas, the Cubs, the Nationals, the Twins, and now Pirates. He was in our system, but never suited up. We acquired him for Jarrett Parker and then later in the offseason moved him to the Cubs with Justin Bour for Thomas Hatch and Chase Smartt.

August 21st, 2021: A.J. Puckett (3-2, 1.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) got the start against Osvlado Hernandez (6-4, 3.82 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) in game two. Today's outing took 12 innings, but we took advantage off an error and won 3-2.

Puckett was excellent, just the 2 runs in 8 innings, while allowing 6 hits, walking just 1, and striking out 5. Tyler Jay became the first Marlin with double digit wins, improving to 10-2 with 2 innings with a hit and a walk, while striking out 4.

Scott Kingery drove in Cole Brannen for the go-ahead run in the 12th on a triple. Him and Charlie Tilson both singled and tripled in the game. A.J. Puckett drove in 2 runs himself in a 1-for-2 day with a walk. He singled home Tilson and drew a bases loaded walk that scored Brian Anderson.

August 22nd, 2021: Danny Duffy (7-5, 3.39 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) took on Brandon Woodruff (8-8, 4.80 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) as we looked to take the series a day early. The bats came to play, and we won again, this time 8-4.

Duffy allowed hald the runs in 5 innings off just 2 hits, 3 walks, and he struck out 6. James Farris allowed the other two runs in 1.2 innings, but struck out 4 and allowed only a single hit and walk. Him, Koda Glover, and Tanner Rainey got holds. Rainey's 8th was eventful, despite the ball not going in play. He walked three and struck out three. Shiotani earned the save, and he's just 1 away from 40.

Cole Brannen swiped his 50th bag and went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored. I gave Garrett Hampson a start in center to get him at bats, and he rewarded me with a 3-for-5 day. He scored twice, doubled twice, and dorve in a run. Lewis Brinson hit his 32nd homer, got a steal, scored twice, and drove in 3 in a 2-for-4 game. Andrelton Simmons was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI's. He also stole a base.

Another former Marlin farmhand is in the news, as Rowdy Tellez went 5-for-5 in a 7-6 Pirates loss to the Cardinals. Acquired from Atlanta this season in a trade, he's really broken out, hitting .316 with 11 homers and 31 RBI's since the midseason trade.

August 23rd, 2021: A few pieces of news before we went for the sweep:

Class A- Batavia C Brhayan Campos won New York-Penn League Player of the Week. The 22-year-old hit .636 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's to raise his average to .440 in 25 at bats.

We lost prospect 2B Cadyn Grenier for the year with a torn ACL. Hopefully the former 2nd Rounder from Kansas City will be completely helathy to start next year.

We're also up to 4th in the Power Rankings, but the Mets are 3rd. The top two teams are the Astros and Indians, the latter who our next series is against.

But first comes today's game, Jordan Montgomery (5-4, 4.33 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) vs. Carson Fullmer (7-5, 3.46 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). I forgot to mention that Nicky Delmonico and Keston Hiura got to face each others former teams, as well as RF Teoscar Hernandez and LF Christian Yelich. Interesting enough, the Brewers are also playing Troy Tulowitzki at second. We finished the sweep with a nice 4-2 win.

Montgomery was amazing, 6 scorless with 5 hits, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts. Both runs were charged to Koda Glover in the 7th. Corbin Clouse earned a hold, and Kenyan Middleton pitched the 9th and earned a save.


We had 7 hits, and the only Marlin with more then one was RF Cole Brannen. He was 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Keston Hiura was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run scored against his former squad. Victor Caratini drove in a run and scored in a 1-for-4 effort with a double.

The sweep brought us to withing 2 of the Mets, and extended our Wild Card lead to 8 over the Cubs, who have a 1 game lead over Atlanta. The Indians are 1 game better then us, leading the AL Central at 78-49. We'd end our road trip with three against reliever-turned-starter Addison Reed (7-7, 4.68 ERA), Trevor Bauer (10-7, 3.20 ERA), and Mike Shawaryn (3-7, 3.91 ERA). It'll be a tough one, although both Walker Buehler and Dustin Fowler are nearing returns. Buehler would probably get at least 2 rehab starts, while Fowler could join right away. As well as Hampson has done, I rather have Fowler in the lineup.