[jksander]

APRIL 29, 1963 . . . We sit a game back of the Cubanos, heading into this series with the Saints trailing us by a pair, so a lot can happen over the next three nights. Ludovic Peltier (4-2, 3.20 ERA, 64.2 IP, 33 K’s, 1.36 WHIP) pitched in the first game, facing Luis Ibarra (4-5, 4.21 ERA, 66.1 IP, 21 K’s, 1.63 WHIP). Peltier had a rough second inning, walking three batters, including the one that drove in the first run of the game with the Saints taking an early 1-0 lead. And it got ugly as hell from there, as he just completely lost all control, walking, walking, walking, until I had to start warming up Guzman on two days’ rest -- bases were still loaded, six runs had scored, and we only had one out. He finally got the two outs, but we trailed the Saints 8-0 heading into the bottom of the inning, and his night was done. Antonio Fernandez batted in a run for us with a double in the bottom of the second, giving us an 8-1 deficit to overcome from the third inning onward. Fernandez hit into a double play in the bottom of the fourth but drove in a run, cutting the Saints’ lead to six, but they got the run back in the top of the fifth when Fernandez bobbled a catch and couldn’t make a throw in time to get an out at first. They scored their 10th run of the game in the top of the sixth off a sac-fly to left, and added another in the seventh, while our bats remained completely and inexplicably impotent. The Saints added more insult to our injury in the top of the ninth, adding three more runs to their total, and they made it quick in the bottom of the inning as they whipped us completely 14-2.

Peltier fell to 4-3, allowing three hits, walking seven batters and striking out three while allowing eight earned runs in just two innings. Guzman came in and pitched seven innings, giving up 10 hits and six earned runs while walking six and striking out four. They outhit us 13-8, but we did next to nothing with the hits we got, led by Fernandez with two hits and an RBI.

APRIL 30, 1963 . . . Juan Ortiz (0-1, 11.57 ERA, 18.2 IP, 11 K’s, 2.68 WHIP) will be getting the start today against Patrick Godin (4-4, 6.59 ERA, 56.0 IP, 25 K’s, 1.98 WHIP). He threw 60 pitches two days ago, but is better rested than our starters at the moment so he’s our best option. Considering he’s been wanting a chance to play more often, this should be a good test of his mettle. And he took to the challenge well, holding them scoreless through the first three innings, and we took the lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Juan Flores! Victor Diaz drove in another pair with a double of his own, and with two outs Logan Holmes hit one deep into right center field, taking second and driving in a fourth run! A balk called on Godin made it 5-0 Hunters heading into the top of the fourth. They got one run back in the top of the fourth, Cantimori drove in another run with a double in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 6-1 lead, and Juan Flores doubled in another! But we brought Aguirre in with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, and he got the final out there to keep the lead from quickly evaporating -- I’d say Ortiz owes him a few good cigars for that one! Unfortunately his streak of scoreless innings ended tonight, as the Saints hit a two-run homer off him with two outs in the top of the eighth, but he shut them down just the same and we were able to hold tough and win this one 7-3.

Juan Ortiz picked up the win, improving to 1-1 with an 8.88 ERA by allowing just three hits, with six walks and six strikeouts to go with his one earned run. Aguirre put in 2.1 innings with just three hits, a strikeout and two earned runs, bumping his ERA up to 2.13 through 12.2 innings. We outhit them 12-6, led by Flores with three hits, a run and two RBIs, while Cantimori added three hits, two runs and an RBI.
 
MAY 1, 1963 . . . Roberto Diaz (3-4, 6.28 ERA, 38.2 IP, 24 K’s, 1.94 WHIP) started our third game against the Saints, facing Francisco Reyes (3-1, 3.34 ERA, 35.0 IP, 7 K’s, 1.60 WHIP). Victor Diaz hit an RBI double, managing to take third when Cantimori decided to go for it and gave us that first run of the game! But in the top of the third the Saints hit a solo homer over the wall at center to tie it all up. Victor Diaz then hit an RBI double in the bottom of the inning in an almost identical play to the one in the first inning, with Cantimori sizing the defense up and successfully going home, allowing him to advance to third with just one out. But again we left him stranded and had to settle for taking a 2-1 lead into the fourth inning. Roberto Diaz got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh, getting an out at home plate and a strikeout to end the frame with our 2-1 lead still safe. But his luck didn’t last through the eighth, when with two outs he allowed a hit into center to drive in the tying run. Unable to score in the bottom of the eighth, we brought in Aguirre to hopefully get us a chance to walk this one off in the bottom. He did his part, getting three outs around a single infield hit, and he picked up a hit himself in the bottom of the inning with one out, advancing to second on a sac-bunt by Alejandro Botello. But Cantimori grounded out to first and we headed to extra innings for the first time all year, knotted at 2-2.

Aguirre got us through the top of the 10th without any runs scoring, but again we couldn’t score, and we had to bring in Ludovic Peltier to pitch in the top of the 11th, with the intention that he’d be in for the duration. He did well to start, three quick outs to get us another shot at finishing this one. But in the bottom of the 11th the story was the same: groundout, strikeout, groundout and we were still going. Peltier stumbled in the top of the 12th, giving up a double and a single to put runners on the corners without an out. We got our first out with a quick throw to first on a weeak grounder, but they scored the go-ahead run from third. Peltier got us out of the inning, but we trailed 3-2 and needed something to happen on offense! With Guzman warming up in the bullpen, we pinch-hit Jose Alcaraz for Peltier ... he took the count full and then hit one straight to the center fielder. Out number one. Alejandro Botello hit one straight to the left fielder for out number two, bringing up Cantimori. He completed the trifecta, hitting it straight to the right fielder and we lost this one 3-2 in the bottom of the 12th. Thankfully we have a day off before our road trip begins, because everyone but Guzman went at least an inning.

Roberto Diaz lasted eight innings with eight hits, six walks, two strikeouts and two earned runs, improving his ERA to 5.59, and Aguirre gave us two solid innings with two hits and a strikeout to get his ERA back down to 1.84. Unfortunately someone was going to have to break the stalemate, and in this case it was Peltier who fell to 4-4, allowing two hits and an earned run in his two innings, giving him a 4.19 ERA. They outhit us 12-9 and yet we were still in this one til the end. Logan Holmes hit three times but never made it home, while Cantimori hit once, walked twice and scored two runs. Victor Diaz’s two doubles early in the game batted in our two runs, but we couldn’t get anyone around to score after the third inning.

After the off day tomorrow, we’ll play road series against the Bayamo Bombadiers (16-11) at Bombadier Stadium (see below) and the Nuevitas Naturals (14-13).We currently are in second place in the division, a game ahead of Santa Clara but three games back of Cienfuegos.