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5/20 - 5/22 vs BOS (16-12):
We enter this series off 5 wins in our last 7 games, and a series victory over the division leading Surf. We face another division leader here, as the Rebels sit tied with Atlanta atop the NBL East division. The Rebels are on a bit of a skid, losing 4 of their last 5 games, including 2 of 3 against Phoenix. This one will be a test for our pitchers, as the Rebels have superstar 1B Mitch Silverman, who is coming off a season where he led the NBL with a .332 batting average and a .987 OPS. That was accompanied by 38 homers and 117 RBIs. In Game 2 we are expected to face Vinny Escamilla, the former Sentinel who led the league with 17 wins last year and a 2.18 ERA. Should be a fun one to watch.
5/20: Oh dear. Well this one was miserable. We lose 11-3 with the only real bright spot being SIngleton’s 3-4 day as he continues to finally heat up after a dreadful first few weeks. However, the big story here is Oscar Grande, who had been one of our more reliable starters so far, suffered a ruptured UCL in the second, is done for this year, and could potentially miss time next year as well. Absolutely devastating. We have of course placed him on the 60-day IL, and have called up 23 year old right hander Dave Stalker. Stalker spent last season in the bigs, and in 89 innings split between 6 starts and 44 relief appearances had a 5.06 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 31 walks. This year with Newark he has made 4 starts and is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA with 20 K’s and 15 walks, averaging 7 innings an outing. (13-16)
5/21: Escamilla didn’t start today so looks like I’m watching tomorrow’s game. Instead, it was 28 year old Scott Rome making his first start of the year, going 7.1 and allowing 3 runs (2 earned). On our side, it was Taylor Martinez with a solid outing of his own, going 6 and allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits with 3 K’s. Singleton went 2-5, giving him 5 multi-hit performances in his last 7 games. This one went to extras, and it was George Mees allowing the game losing run after an error led to an RBI squeeze bunt in the top of the 11th. Final: 5-4 loss in 11. (13-17)
5/22: So no Escamilla here either, instead Kyler Wahl makes the start for Boston. For us, we have Jose Ramirez on the mound, trying to avoid the sweep at home. The scoring got kicked off in the bottom of the 2nd on an error by Silverman that allowed Gille to score from 2nd, then an RBI single by Baker, putting us up 2-0 early. 5 shutout innings so far for Ramirez with 5 strikeouts and just one baserunner allowed on a 2nd inning single. He has been dominant so far. Aaaaaand now there’s runners on the corners with nobody out. Why do I ever speak. We retire the next guy but then Robbie Flores takes Ramirez to deep left-center and gone. 3-2 Boston. I jinxed him. Next man up Jim Yoder takes him deep to right. Yikes. 4-2. He’s able to finish off the inning with 2 strikeouts, upping his total to 8 on the day. Olson leaves him in for the 7th, and he’s able to set them down 1-2-3 with his 9th K of the game. On to the bottom half, a leadoff double by Bedford followed by single by Baker and Kurtz makes it a 1 run ballgame. Next man up, Caldwell rips a double down the line to drive in Baker and tie it at 4. After a Hann strikeout and a Petzke IBB, Gille works a 3-0 count and takes a fastball out of the zone to walk and score the go-ahead run. Bowen would then strike out for the third time today, but then Edgar Soto rips a base hit to right. Kurtz would score but Caldwell was thrown out trying for home to end the inning. 6-4 through 7. Doug Morgans came in for the 8th and was able to get us through it allowing just 1 hit. After a scoreless bottom of the 8th, we turned to Dan Schmitz to get his first save of the year. He allowed a leadoff walk, then after retiring the next guy, walked another then gave up a base hit. He forced a flyout to the pinch hitter next and got a groundout to first to end the game. Final: 6-4 win. We avoid the sweep. (14-17).
5/23 - 5/25 @ NAS (10-21): If there’s ever a chance to get back to .500 it’s now. Nashville enters the series on a 4 game skid, winners of just 1 of their last 14 games, and owners of a 4-16 record in May thus far. They have the worst ERA among NBL starters and the 3rd worst bullpen ERA in the NBL as well. As long as our bats don’t die, I think we should have a good chance to sweep, or at worst go 2-1.
Oh, before I start this series, I was sitting on Nashville’s home page, and noticed that their minor league teams are a combined 39-10 right now. I knew they had the top system in baseball, but jeez that is ridiculous. Absolute domination.
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