Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization

[Tyke]

Wow, I don't think I recall the Party Boys ever winning four in a row previously! Things are getting interesting.

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Wow, I don't think I recall the Party Boys ever winning four in a row previously! Things are getting interesting.

I don't even know how to check that in past seasons. This season, looking at their schedule, they won four straight from May 21-May 28. They beat County Crossing two straight to finish the series and then Salem two straight to begin the series.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

22 July 2297 - BL: Party Boys Pull Off Thrilling 6-5 Win in Extras

Finch Farm left fielder Danny Honeycutt had a good game, even if his team did not. The Four Leafs dropped a 6-5 decision in 10 innings to Nordhagen Beach at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium. Honeycutt was 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and 2 walks, while adding 3 RBI and scoring twice. The 5th-place Party Boys have won 5 straight.

The game was decided with two out in the bottom of the tenth. With Nordhagen Beach trailing 5-4, Clux Oldstreet hit a fastball from Steve Warwar to left-center for a 2-run double. Just like that, the Party Boys had a walk-off win.

"This place was jumping at the end," Oldstreet said.

The Party Boys jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 2nd inning when SS Taboo Richardson took a Matt Pageturner deep for a three-run bomb.

Finch Farm answered with their first three runs in the 3rd inning to make it a close game. Peter Tatoeater hit an RBI double off Boys' ace Julian Shed. Honeycutt then followed with his first home run, a two-run blast to cut the lead to 4-3. In the 5th inning, Honeycutt struck again, tying the game at 4-4, where it remained heading into the 10th inning.

After Tommy Junkman hit a solo home run in the top of the 10th off Nordhagen Beach closer Sia Abber, the Boys struck hard in the bottom of the inning for their fifth-straight victory. C3-88 Puppetboy led off the inning with a pinch-hit single. After Ryan Combs walked off Steve Warwar, the next two batters struck out, leaving the Boys with one out left. That is when Oldtreet put a first-pitch fastball off the left field wall, just missing a three-run jack but good enough to score both Puppetboy and Combs for the walk-off.

"This was excitement," Nordhagen Beach manager Craig Robinson said. "This felt like a playoff game. Our guys were intense. I think they like winning ball games."

With the win earlier in the day, County Crossing moved into sole possession of second place. The Party Boys now trail both the Four Leafs and Easy Town Assaultrons by a game. The Assaultrons were shutout by Salem.

Other Scores:

County Crossing 11 at The Slog 3
The County Crossing Bloodbugs trumped the slumping The Slog Ghouls, 11-3, at Tarberry Field Forever. County Crossing first baseman Josh Noggin was terrific. He went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, and a walk, while scoring 3 runs and driving in 4. Bad Company Grognak got the win, improving to 9-4. He pitched 9 innings, giving up 8 hits and 3 runs, while striking out 4 and walking 2. The first-place Ghouls have lost 4 straight games.

County Crossing grabbed the momentum in the top of the fifth, when Noggin, who leads the BL in doubles with 27, hit a 2-run home run. His 9th home run of the season put the Bloodbugs out in front, 4-2.

Easy Town 0 at Salem 1
The Salem Witch Hats did little to support starter Mike Cartrette against the Easy Town Assaultrons, but it turned out he didn't need the help.

The left-hander spun a complete-game shutout against the Assaultrons, striking out 10 and surrendering 2 hits. The performance from Cartrette allowed Salem to escape with the 1-0 win despite an anemic offense.

There were a total of eight hits in the game, all singles. Chris Treestump's RBI single in the 6th inning led to the game's only run.

22 July 2297 - IL: Adamantium Fall Short, 2-1, at Fort Hagen

In a low-scoring game between the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud and the Abernathy Adamantium, pitcher Brent Hooker was masterful on the mound. The Fort Hagen left-hander spearheaded his team's 2-1 win. Hooker went 8.2 innings to notch the win. He scattered 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6. His record improves to 4-8. The Silver Shroud sit in 4th place in the Institute League with a record of 22-24.

In the bottom of the second, Tiger King hit a run-scoring double. The 13th double of the season for the Fort Hagen catcher put the Silver Shroud on top, 1-0.

King called the win "a lesson in teamwork."

After the Adamantium tied the game in the top of the 6th on Chris Hirshfield's solo home run, the Shroud retook the lead in the bottom of the inning in an unlikely way. Jim Tiller hit a one-out double and moved to third on a Mark Miller groundout. With Sam Noob up to bat, Abernathy ace Chris Woods threw a wild pitch to score Tiller. That run proved to be the winning run.

Hooker was pulled in the 9th after he walked Canbed McMurty with two outs. Curtis Thriceshot then came in to get the final out and earn his 10th save of the season.

"It's an unconventional way to win," Fort Hagen manager Mark Andersen said, "but we'll take it. Wins are like perfectly preserved pies. They don't always come out the machine, but you enjoy them when they do."

Other Scores:

Sunshine Tidings 5 at Concord 8
Behind the hitting of Jason Robinson, the Concord Radstags stopped the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, 8-5. Robinson was 2 for 3 with a home run, a double, and was hit by a pitch, while scoring 3 runs and driving in 4 for the Radstags. The win was credited to Burt Oldshoe in relief. His record improves to 3-0. Tony Bertha took the loss. Bell Franklin earned save number 7 this season.

Robinson contributed in the bottom of the first. With the bases loaded, he hit a bases-clearing double. It was one at-bat among others that helped Concord get the win.

Lexington 6 at Starlight 7, 11 inn.
The Starlight Lady Killers took Lexington pitcher Pete Pembroke's best shot and still were able to claim a win at Valentine Detective Agency Field. The final score had Starlight getting past the Synths, 7-6. Pembroke went 7 innings and allowed 1 run, striking out 7. Starlight is now 26-20, 2 games up in the Institute League.

A defensive lapse proved costly in the contest. With the game tied in the bottom of the 11th, an error by the Synths' shortstop Swift Hendrix, his second of the game, allowed the Lady Killers to score the winning run.

22 July 2297 - ML: Hancocks Deal Red Rockets 5-3 Defeat

Goodneighbor picked up a win at Red Rockets Stadium, bumping off the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets, 5-3. Pitcher Quincy Eloquent was a major reason the Hancocks emerged victorious. With the win, Goodneighbor upped its record to 28-18.

John Oldsink had a key at-bat in the top of the seventh. With the bases empty, he hit a triple. It helped send Goodneighbor to the win.

"I'm trying to keep it simple," said Eloquent. "Just do my job."

Other Scores:

Quincy 9 at Atom Cats 11
The Atom Cats knocked off the Quincy Gunners, 11-9, at Coolest Field in Town. Shane "Bee's Knees" Stabb was a big reason Atom won. The third baseman went 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 singles, while scoring 2 times and driving in 3. The win has Atom at 18-28.

The Cats entered the sixth inning trailing 9-6, but scored five to produce the final score. Ed Tarberry reached on an error to start the inning. Travis Alone and Jeremy Schoolboy then hit back-to-back singles off Quincy pitcher Rapid Roberts to score Tarberry and advanced to second and third on an outfield error. Will Ashfire then hit a two-RBI double to tie the game, 9-9. With one out and Ashfire on third, Stabb hit a sacrifice fly to pull the Happening Cats ahead. Later in the inning, Garrett Machine scored following a double and an Earthbound Bussey RBI single.

Warwick 0 at University Point 7
There was no spell, no black magic -- just good pitching.

Quentin Malone of the University Point Deathclaws blanked the Warwick Mirelurks, 7-0, at Gwinnett Brewery Park today, and he did it the old-fashioned way. After finishing the 3-hit, complete-game shutout, he was all smiles. Malone walked 0 and struck out 8 in the victory.

To date this season, Malone has a record of 3 wins and 9 losses and a 5.73 ERA. He has appeared in 16 games and struck out 82 in 99 innings.

22 July 2297 - RL: Swatters Get Past Fairline Hill Estates for 4-3 Win

The Diamond City Swatters picked up a win at The Great Green Jewel, knocking off the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai, 4-3. Starting pitcher X10-44 Mannson played a key role in the triumph. Diamond City has a 3-game win streak, while Fairline Hill Estates has lost 3 in a row.

Allen Bishop was the walk-off hero for Diamond City. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Swatters third baseman hit a dramatic run-scoring single to send the teams home.

"It's great when the crowd gets into it," Bishop said.

Other Scores:

Egret 1 at Oberland 2
Sheng Kawolski was outstanding against Egret. The right-hander, who leads the RL with a 8.9 K/9 rate, had a cutter that was virtually unhittable at times. The result was a T-51s 2-1 win. Aaron Still was called on to finish, recording his 15th save. The triumph puts Oberland at 33-13 for the season.

Kawolski, who leaned on his cutter, allowed 1 run on just 3 hits over 8 innings for the T-51s. For the most part, Egret hitters were simply overmatched.

Vault 81 1 at Shaw 8
Shaw HS used a superb performance from starting pitcher Brad Westing to down the Vault 81 Dwellers, 8-1. The loss makes Vault 81 23-23.

Westing, the winner, is now 6-5. In 9 innings of work, he gave up 1 run on 3 hits, while collecting 8 Ks. He essentially shut down the Vault 81 offense.

[StLee]

Forgot hitting streak news! To sum up, Easy Town's Jarrett Metalbox, Atom's Ed Tarberry, and Oberland's Jeremy Bugs all lost their hitting streaks on Thursday.



Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

23 July 2297 - BL: Beach Masters Finch Farm in Complete Game Win

The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys extended their winning streak.

The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys beat the Finch Farm Four Leafs, 9-1. Nordhagen Beach pitcher and Winthrop, Massachusetts, native Tommy Beach led the way. The 4th-place Party Boys have won 6 in a row.

Beach, who dominated for Nordhagen Beach, earned the victory to move to 2-5. He was in control the whole game, scattering 6 hits over 9 innings, while striking out 9. Finch Farm batters could never bunch up enough hits to produce a rally. Beach had a shutout heading into the ninth but gave up an RBI single to Danny Honeycutt.

"Whenever we hold the other team to one run," said Party Boys manager Craig Robinson, "I like our chances."

Other Scores:

Easy Town 3 at Salem 2
The exploits of center fielder Sean Samuels, who finished 4th in the BL in hits with 102 last year, helped the Easy Town Assaultrons defeat the Salem Witch Hats, 3-2. Samuels was 3 for 3 with a home run, a triple, a double, and a walk, while scoring 2 times. Easy Town now has a record of 24-23 with the win.

Samuels had an important at-bat with the bases empty in the top of the sixth, when he hit a triple. The Assaultrons went on to win.

County Crossing 7 at The Slog 6
Getting a good performance from center fielder Dave Tattoo, the County Crossing Bloodbugs defeated the The Slog Ghouls, 7-6. Tattoo was 2 for 4 with a double. He drove in 2 runs and scored once for the Bloodbugs. Terry Stebbins picked up the win in relief, improving his record to 1-0. Gary Estate was tagged with the loss.

County Crossing relied on the hitting of Tom Mastodon to pick up the win. The left fielder ripped a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning to put the Bloodbugs on top, 7-6. For the game, Mastodon had 1 triple and 1 single in 5 at-bats.

23 July 2297 - Assaultrons End Schmidt's Streak

Pistol Schmidt's 28-game hitting streak has now come and gone. It was snapped today as the Salem Witch Hats suffered a 3-2 setback against the Easy Town Assaultrons.

Schmidt went without a hit in 3 trips to the plate. He was visibly upset during a postgame press conference, but it appeared that the streak had little to do with it.

"The hitting streak was one of those things where it was fun while it lasted, but I'm not going to lose any sleep about it tonight," he said. "On the other hand, I am going to lose sleep about dropping this game today."

This year Schmidt has hit at a .319 clip with 58 hits, 4 home runs, 20 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

23 July 2297 - IL: Morals Slugs Silver Shroud to 5-4 Win

In a close game at Hubris Comics Park, the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud edged the Abernathy Adamantium, 5-4. Fort Hagen third baseman Micah Morals stood apart with his performance. He hit 2 home runs. Fort Hagen reliever Matt Demented was the winner. His record is now 5-1. Joe Penaltybox took the loss. Curtis Thriceshot earned the save for Fort Hagen, his 11th of the year.

The game was at a stalemate until left fielder Safety Langer came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. Facing Abernathy pitcher Joe Penaltybox, he hit a 1-1 fastball for a run-scoring single. It was a game-changer, putting Fort Hagen on top, 5-4.

"We'll relax tonight and get back after it tomorrow," Morals said after the game.

Fort Hagen now has a 3-game win streak.

Other Scores:

Sunshine Tidings 5 at Concord 0
Sunshine Tidings left-hander Tim Fusion pitched his team to victory over the Concord Radstags at Nuka Park. The final score was 5-0. Sunshine Tidings, at 22-25, holds down 5th place in the Institute League.

Fusion scattered 7 hits over 8.2 innings for the Chemists. With the win, Fusion goes to 7-6 on the year with 120 strikeouts.

Lexington 12 at Starlight 4
The Lexington Synths defeated the Starlight Lady Killers, 12-4, at Valentine Detective Agency Field today. Leading the charge for Lexington was right fielder Crooked Tostado. He was 3-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 3. With the win, Lexington upped its record to 25-22.

Lexington used the clutch hitting of Greg Macn to capture the win. The second baseman drilled a 2-run double in the top of the seventh inning to give the Synths the lead, 5-3. For the game, Macn had 2 singles and 2 doubles in 6 at-bats.

23 July 2297 - ML: Red Rockets Prevail, 4-3, Over Goodneighbor

The Goodneighbor Hancocks and Jamaica Plain Red Rockets provided some drama for the home crowd.

Led by Carney Cornseed, the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets downed the Goodneighbor Hancocks, 4-3. Cornseed was 2 for 4 with a home run, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once for the Red Rockets. The win has Jamaica Plain at 18-29.

Cornseed had an important at-bat with runners on 1st and 2nd in the bottom of the sixth, when he hit a 3-run home run. The Red Rockets went on to win.

"I'm just happy to help the team win," Cornseed told BNN.

Other Scores:

Quincy 2 at Atom 4
Atom starter Jesse Emacipated pitched well against the Quincy Gunners at Coolest Field in Town. The left-hander led his team to a win, 4-2. Emacipated picked up the win for Atom, going 8 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits. He now sports a record of 2-10. Atom is now riding a 3-game win streak.

In the bottom of the fifth, Atom first baseman Will Ashfire had a productive at-bat. With runners on 1st and 2nd and two out, Ashfire stroked a run-scoring single to center. It made the score 2-1, Atom. For the game, he went 1 for 4.

Warwick 9 at University Point 6
The Warwick Mirelurks beat the University Point Deathclaws, 9-6, at Gwinnett Brewery Park. Warwick center fielder Radio Short had an outstanding performance. He went 3 for 5 with a triple and 2 singles. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. Pem Pollack got the save, the 18th for him this season. The triumph puts Warwick at 29-18 for the season.

Warwick used a timely hit from Shawn Robco to get the win. The pinch hitter stroked a 2-run double in the top of the eighth inning to put the Mirelurks ahead, 7-6. It was his only hit in 1 at-bat, but it made an impact.

23 July 2297 - 112 Strikeouts by Iddings Sets New Mark

It was quite a dramatic scene. The Red Rockets Stadium fans on the edge of their seats, and Bruce Iddings on the verge of setting a new league season record. The Goodneighbor Hancocks ace winds, fires, and gets it -- strikeout number 112! That tops John Diner, who was the previous record holder.

Talking with the press after the historic game, Iddings told them, "Strikeouts are great, the new record is great, but I'll take winning the game over them anytime. Striking out ten batters and losing the game is not what it's all about."

This year Iddings has gone 7-6 with an ERA of 4.57 and has 112 strikeouts in 104.1 innings.

23 July 2297 - RL: Yao Guai Earn 5-4 Win Versus Swatters in 11

Starting pitcher Sage Monticello pitched well enough to help the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai beat the Diamond City Swatters, 5-4. The winner in relief was Dave Crowfoot. He is now 4-2. The right-hander allowed no runs on 3 hits in 2 innings. With the victory, the Yao Guai upped their record to 24-23.

Fairline Hill Estates used the clutch hitting of Noah Arch to capture the win. The center fielder drilled a run-scoring double in the top of the 11th inning to give the Yao Guai the lead, 5-4. For the game, Arch had 1 single and 3 doubles in 6 at-bats.

"It was terrific getting this win," Arch said. "We put in a lot of work to do it."

Other Scores:

Egret 4 at Oberland 8
Oberland picked up a win at Graygarden Park, toppling the Egret Scrappers, 8-4. Pitcher Gerald Jerry was one of the reasons the T-51s triumphed. Jerry got the win, improving to 8-2. He allowed 9 hits and walked 1 over 9 innings. Jerry allowed 4 runs. The first-place T-51s have their sights set on making a deep playoff run.

The T-51s got a big at-bat from shortstop Chris Milteer. For the game, Milteer was 1 for 3 with a home run and a walk. He drove in 3 runs and scored once. In the bottom of the fourth, with runners on 1st and 2nd, he stroked a 3-run home run. His 5th home run of the season gave Oberland a 3-2 lead.

Vault 81 1 at Shaw 6
Shaw HS Knuckle Punchers starter Nick Mutfruit hurled his team past the Vault 81 Dwellers, 6-1. Mutfruit, now 3-6, was the winner. In 8 innings, he gave up 8 hits, while striking out 8, walking 2, and allowing 1 run. Shaw HS, now 21-26, holds down 4th place in the Railroad League.

The Knuckle Punchers got a big hit from second baseman Tony Acosta. In the bottom of the sixth, Acosta pounded a run-scoring double to right-center. His 12th double of the season put the Knuckle Punchers ahead, 3-1.

[OrangeP47]

The thought just occurred to me that people who haven't played the series, and I mean the old games specifically, won't get that Richardson is probably one of your custom names for the players too as a reference and not just a normal name thrown in so things aren't completely silly.

[StLee]

Originally Posted by OrangeP47

The thought just occurred to me that people who haven't played the series, and I mean the old games specifically, won't get that Richardson is probably one of your custom names for the players too as a reference and not just a normal name thrown in so things aren't completely silly.

In this case, I don't think that Richardson in particular was an edited name, but that is certainly an important family name in Fallout lore: Dick Richardson, former president of the USA.

Most of the family names or full names I edited in were in-game Fallout 4 characters. I have been pondering moving even beyond Fallout 4, and there are some West Coast/cross-dynasty characters that may make it here but that is only if this dynasty goes a ways into the future.

I do like that you brought up Dick Richardson. Maybe a clonetype by the institute can find his way here, John Henry Eden, for that matter, too.

I also liked the headline from the Nordhagen Beach game and added Beach Masters to my name list.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

24 July 2297 - Gunners Pettinato Suffers 2-Game Suspension

The league office has taken action against Quincy third baseman Ben Pettinato for inappropriate action and aggressive conduct in the Gunners game against the Atom Cats. He has been issued a 2-game suspension.

Pettinato was ejected from the game yesterday after arguing a called third strike. He first argued with the plate umpire. Then Pettinato moved up the first-base line, waving his fists at the umpire as the dispute continued. As he left the field, he also argued with the crew chief, who was umpiring at third base. His manager finally convinced him to leave the field as the umpires were threatening to forfeit the game.

Pettinato is currently batting .347 with 4 home runs, 30 RBIs and 41 runs scored. He has 68 hits in 196 at-bats.

24 July 2297 - BL: Four Leafs Deal Party Boys 7-1 Defeat

Finch Farm took on Nordhagen Beach in front of a lively crowd looking for another sweep.

Instead, the Finch Farm Four Leafs went home winners at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium, thanks in large part to starter Josh Dude. Dude stifled the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, enabling Finch Farm to grab the 7-1 win. Dude went 9 innings to notch the win. He scattered 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. His record improves to 7-5.

Alec Bullets, the 29-year old second baseman , had a direct impact on the outcome. Bullets contributed a run-scoring double in the top of the third inning to put Finch Farm up, 2-0.

"We cashed in when we had the chance," said Finch Farm manager Wiley Boat.

With the win, Finch Farm upped its record to 24-24.

Other Scores:

Easy Town 7 at Salem 8
Joe Rossi added some punch to the Salem offense, helping them outmuscle the Easy Town Assaultrons, 8-7. In the game, Rossi, who is tied for 2nd in the BL in stolen bases with 7, was 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2. The victory puts Salem at 19-29.

A defensive lapse proved costly in the contest. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth, an error by the Assaultrons allowed the Witch Hats to score the winning run.

County Crossing 11 at The Slog 12, 13 inn.
County Crossing shortstop Sean Koester was sensational. He went 2 for 6 with a home run, a triple, and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 4, but it wasn't enough to rally his team to a win. The Slog beat the Bloodbugs, 12-11. The Slog reliever Matt Suds picked up the win, upping his record to 4-1. Little Jemmy Madison took the loss. The win gives The Slog a season record of 29-19.

When he came to bat in the bottom of the 13th, Matt Suds had a chance to end it. County Crossing pitcher Little Jemmy Madison had other ideas. But with two outs, Suds reached on an error by the 3B, driving in 1 run. The Ghouls had the win.

24 July 2297 - IL: 2-1 Silver Shroud Win Completes Sweep

Fort Hagen beat Abernathy on the strength of starter Oscar Chekhemani's fine effort. The right-hander led his team to a win, 2-1. Chekhemani got the win, improving to 5-7. He allowed 8 hits and walked 1 over 7.2 innings. Chekhemani allowed 1 run. The Silver Shroud, at 24-24, have now won 4 straight.

The Silver Shroud got a big hit from first baseman Jim Tiller. In the bottom of the fifth, Tiller pounded a run-scoring double to right-center. His 21st double of the season put the Silver Shroud ahead, 2-0.

Tiller said his team "played with focus."

Other Scores:

Sunshine Tidings 9 at Concord 6
Sunshine Tidings third baseman Ryan Bobb made his presence felt in the 9-6 Chemists triumph over the Concord Radstags. Bobb went 3 for 5 with a double and 2 singles, while adding 4 RBI and scoring once. Sunshine Tidings is now 23-25. Concord is 24-24.

Sunshine Tidings took the lead in the top of the fifth when Bobb hit a bases-clearing double. His 14th double of the season made the score 6-3, Sunshine Tidings.

Lexington 9 at Starlight 3
The Lexington Synths beat the Starlight Lady Killers, 9-3, at Valentine Detective Agency Field. Swat Diamond, in particular, was impressive. He went 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 singles. He scored 3 times and drove in 2. Lexington raised its record to 26-22 with the win.

Lexington relied on the hitting of Dan Neofotistos to pick up the win. The catcher clubbed a grand slam home run in the top of the sixth inning to put the Synths on top, 5-3. For the game, Neofotistos had 1 home run and 1 single in 4 at-bats. He was playing in just his fifth game with the Synths after being traded there from Nordhagen Beach.

24 July 2297 - ML: Goodneighbor Gets 9-4 Road Win

The Goodneighbor Hancocks defeated the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets, 9-4, at Red Rockets Stadium. John Rose was a standout performer for Goodneighbor. His 4 hits included 3 singles and 1 double, in addition to the 2 runs he scored and 1 he knocked in. John Oldsink, credited with the win, is now 8-4. He allowed 4 runs on 5 hits in 9 innings. The victory gives Goodneighbor a record of 29-19.

Good Don Duck hit a run-scoring triple off Chad Adamczyk in the top of the third, which put the Hancocks in front, 1-0. Duck had 2 singles, in addition to the triple. For the game, he went 3 for 6.

"It was a solid team effort," said Rose after the game.

Other Games:

Quincy 7 at Atom 4
The Quincy Gunners defeated the Atom Cats, 7-4, at Coolest Field in Town. Quincy catcher Stuart Costantino had a superb performance. He went 3 for 5 with a home run and 2 singles. He drove in 4 runs and scored once. Quincy now has a record of 27-21 with the win.

Costantino contributed a big hit, a 3-run home run, for Quincy in the top of the third. With his team trailing 3-1, Costantino took a cutter from Wyatt Wallace and stroked the home run to left. His 6th home run of the season allowed the Gunners to leap in front, 4-3.

Warwick 5 at University Point 6
The University Point Deathclaws weathered a fine game by Warwick second baseman Brad Krol to upend the Mirelurks, 6-5, at Gwinnett Brewery Park. Krol was 2 for 4 with a home run and a double. He scored 2 runs and drove in 3. Gary Stallworth got the win, improving to 2-3. He pitched 7.2 innings, giving up 10 hits and 5 runs, while striking out 6 and walking 0. Marc Pondsip nailed down his 12th save.

Jason Harris hit a run-scoring double off Dave Kovalenko in the bottom of the sixth, which put the Deathclaws in front, 3-2. In addition to the double, Harris had 1 single, while going 2 for 4.

24 July 2297 - RL: Fairline Hill Estates Beats Diamond City, 8-6

The 8-6 Fairline Hill Estates win over Diamond City was due largely to Mike Eggs. The Yao Guai right fielder was 2-3 with a home run, a walk, and was hit by a pitch. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. Fairline Hill Estates pitcher Papa Bush got the win, upping his record to 5-4. Tyler Powers got the loss. With the win, Fairline Hill Estates raised its record to 25-23.

It could have been a different outcome for Fairline Hill Estates, had it not been for Jon Hitman, the 29-year old third baseman . Hitman contributed a 2-run single in the top of the first inning to put Fairline Hill Estates up, 2-0.

"We take it day by day here," said Eggs, "and today was a good one for us."

Other Scores:

Vault 81 2 at Shaw 3
Shaw HS picked up a win at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury, bumping off the Vault 81 Dwellers, 3-2. Pitcher Kyle Clevinger was a major reason the Knuckle Punchers emerged victorious. Shaw HS has now won 3 in a row.

Jamie Doctor was the walk-off hero for Shaw HS. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Knuckle Punchers pinch hitter hit a dramatic run-scoring single to send the teams home.

Egret 3 at Oberland 5
Oberland rode a decent outing from starter Matt Udder to victory over the Egret Scrappers. The final score was 5-3. Aaron Still picked up the save for Oberland, his 16th of the year. With the win, Oberland pushed its record to 35-13.

The T-51s picked up the win with a combination of good hitting and good pitching. They are now 10 games up on second place Fairline Hill Estates with 12 to play. Third-place Vault 81 is now 12 back, meaning the T-51s clinch a playoff berth with a win or Dwellers loss for the remainder of the season. In other words, Oberland is guaranteed to be a playoff team.

With a six-game lead in the CBO race, Oberland is not far away from clinching home field advantage throughout the Sole Survivor Playoff Series.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

25 July 2297 - Rayguns First to Clinch BMU Playoff Berth

The Cabot House Rayguns (Atom) are the first team to clinch a playoff berth in the BMU after a win today. They have clinched at least 2nd place in the Downtown Boston League with a current record of 32-11 outdistancing third-place Haymarket Mall bu 8.5 games with just seven to play for the Rayguns.

The Trinity Plaza Snipers struggled at the plate today against Rayguns hurler Jake Williams, who shackled them on 1 hit while hurling a complete game 6-0 shutout.

"What can you say? We didn't hit well," said Snipers skipper Bill Pinkerton in his postgame comments. "Hopefully we shake this off and bounce back tomorrow."

Williams finished the game with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks in an excellent mound performance.

"He pitched real well," Cabot House manager Fourth Wall said. "Jake made pitches when he had to. He hit his spots and did a great job of mixing in his changeup and using his fastball effectively."

Thus far this season, Williams has tossed 128.2 innings in 17 starts, fanned 148 batters, walked 41 and put up a 2.31 ERA with 11 wins and 4 losses.

For now the Rayguns are still in a divisional battle with the Trinity Plaza Snipers (Goodneighbor). See BNN's Pennant Chase information below.

[StLee]

Don't get too excited about the broadcast announcements below! I will still cover the regular season like I did this season because it plays out quickly and I wanted to add the flare of who exactly has been doing the play-by-play and color commentary for the games. However, the playoffs will get more play.

Analysis

Well, things look a bit more irradiated now throughout the CBO, except probably the Railroad League. Oberland is pretty much in the playoffs, the league winner, and the #1 overall seed in the CBO playoffs. Beyond them, only the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai even have a winning record, and they are only two games over .500. The Vault 81 Dwellers trail FHE by two games, but they have looked pedestrian lately with only Oberland finding ways to consistently win a string of games. This one may be all sewn up, but there are still some games to be played. Let us look at the battle for the wildcard in the RL.

Fairline Hill Estates (FHE for the rest of the way): at Shaw, at Diamond City, vs Oberland, at Vault 81

Vault 81: at Oberland, vs Shaw, at Egret, vs FHE

Shaw (3 games back): vs FHE, at Vault 81, at Diamond City, vs Egret

Advantage: FHE. Simply put, they are the best team of the three in the race. Still, that last series of the season could be an interesting one.

Disadvantage: Vault 81. The Dwellers go to Oberland next weekend, meaning they will probably lose two or three of those. That puts them at best even with the Yao Guai who will not get swept at Shaw.

Enigma: Shaw. If the Knuckle Punchers DO sweep FHE, then the wildcard race gets interesting. The Punchers also get a chance to knock down Vault 81. We just don't see either of those happening and think they will be out of the race in two weeks.

Coverage of the Railroad League action will be going to Oberland to take on Vault 81. That could mean the end of the Dwellers in their playoff hopes, but they have to play the games first. BNN's the Charles River Trio is covering that exciting action through WRVR.

The Minutemen League is starting to look more and more that the Warwick Mirelurks and Goodneighbor Hancocks are battling for playoff seeding, while Quincy is just hanging around with little hope. Two games are not a lot of games, and Quincy could easily make up that difference in one weekend series. Let's look at the remaining schedules of the battle in the ML.

Warwick: at Jamaica Plain, vs University Point, at Goodneighbor, vs Quincy

Goodneighbor: vs Atom, vs Jamaica Plain, vs Warwick, at University Point

Quincy: at University Point, at Atom, vs Jamaica Plain, at Warwick

Advantage: Goodneighbor. The schedule is heavily in their favor, playing the next two home series against the bottom two teams. The Hancocks also get Warwick at home which could put them solidly in first heading into the final weekend.

Disadvantage: Warwick. Though the Mirelurks have a two-game advantage over the Gunners, they have two difficult series to finish the season. That could also mean surging ahead of their two rivals, but playoff-like series before the playoffs could wear them out even if they make it. Last season, Warwick was a league winner that got knocked out in the first round by the wildcard and eventual champion The Slog Ghouls.

Enigma: University Point. The Deathclaws play all three teams and could work for or against any of them. Though the Claws are not realistically in the playoff hunt, winning all three of those series would definitely help put them in the hunt.

The Cool Cat Crew with Bluejay and Roxy for Atom Cats Radio is the BNN coverage for Week 16. They will be heading to University Point where the Deathclaws host Quincy.

We featured the races in the other two leagues last week, so just a quick overview of their races. In the Institute League, Starlight could not put Lexington away after winning the first game of the series. Now, they are back in a first-place tie with the Synths. Both of those teams still hold the advantage, but Fort Hagen made a play back in the race with a sweep of Abernathy. Concord also dropped the series to Sunshine Tidings. Right now, at five games back of the wildcard spot, only the Adamantium look to be out of it. Any of the other five have a chance with a few winning weekends.

The BosCom BNN Sports Team will be broadcasting Lexington at Fort Hagen live and on the air of BosCom TV, available for live viewing at the Starlight Drive-In, various bars and restaurants throughout Diamond City, and at the Viewhouse in Fairline Hill Estates.

As far as the Brotherhood League is concerned, the Ghouls ended their skid, which was making the first-place race more interesting. Now it is back up to four games, so the wildcard spot is in contention. Nordhagen Beach tried to sweep its way into a third-place tie but fell short in Game Three against Finch Farm. That puts the Four Leafs in that tie with Easy Town, who struggled against Salem. Four teams are in a tight tesla-arced arena right now for that wildcard spot.

Because the matchup of County Crossing at Nordhagen Beach has the most playoff pull, that is where BNN will be. Travis Miles and crew will be covering that one through Diamond City Radio.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

26 July 2297 - Players of the Week

Red-Hot Rampage Reaps BL Reward: At the age of 28, Josh Noggin might have some potential he hasn't realized yet -- if his success at the plate last week is any indication. The County Crossing first baseman put up some exceptional numbers the past seven days with a .438 batting average. For his efforts Noggin collected the Brotherhood League Player of the Week Award.

He racked up 7 hits in 16 at-bats, 2 home runs and 7 RBIs last week in 3 games.

This season Noggin is hitting .370 with 77 hits, 10 home runs, 41 RBIs, scored 39 runs and played in 48 games.

IL Player of the Week Selected: So far in his young career, Brightsun Ramos has kept a low profile, but after his performance at the plate last week, he attracted the notice of the rest of the Institute League in a big way as he was named the Player of the Week today for his efforts.

The 18-year-old Sunshine Tidings Chemists right fielder hit at a torrid .500 clip as he collected 7 hits in 14 at-bats, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Currently Ramos is batting .294 with 8 home runs and 35 RBIs.

ML Player of the Week Awarded: One of the league's most exciting young players, Jumper Hayes of the Goodneighbor Hancocks earned himself Minutemen League Player of the Week honors with a standout performance in last week's games.

For the week the 17-year-old second baseman had a lofty .538 average (7-for-13), collecting 1 home run, 2 RBIs and 4 runs scored.

This year Hayes is batting .377 with 8 home runs. He has scored 42 runs and driven in 43.

RL Star of the Week Picked: It's always a thrill for fans of the team and students of the game alike when a superstar in the making shows what he's got. Tony Acosta, the Shaw HS Knuckle Punchers 19-year-old second baseman, put himself in the spotlight last week making him the clear-cut choice for Railroad League Player of the Week honors.

He ripped 8 hits in 13 at-bats, compiling a .615 average with no home runs and 3 RBIs.

Acosta has collected 77 hits for the Knuckle Punchers this year, 4 of them home runs. He has also netted 35 RBIs and scored 46 runs while batting .385.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

26 July 2297 - Swim Succeeded in Stupidity, Swell-headed Swim

Mass Pike Interchange Robobrains reliever Eric Swim may have learned a lesson in humility the wrong way. While bragging to some teammates and friends that his name is Swim because his family was born natural swimmers who could not get radiation poisoning, a teammate dared him to swim through a toxic pond near Lake Cochituate.

Being unable to back down, Swim swam and swung himself deep radiation poisoning. So deep, in fact, that seven eyeballs spontaneously emerged from his backside, simultaneously surveying in surprise.

Swim will now need to be decontaminated, get those extra eyeballs surgically removed, and probably sign a contract never to swim again. He is out for the remainder of the season.

Fellow reliever Matt Harrell, who was considered to be the main instigator in the dare, has been suspended for one game by the team. Robobrains manager Chris Puzey said he was suspended "mostly for stupidity and caring too much about being right."

On the year, Swim pitched in four games, allowing one earned run on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings. The one run allowed was a solo home run by Dusty Glow of the Natick Banks Big Leaguers. We felt it was strangely appropriate to add to this story.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

The View from the BMU

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

27 July 2297 - Mystic Pines

On certain Tuesdays for the 2297 and 2298 seasons, we will feature one of the settlements where teams in the Boston Minor Union play.

In our second trip around the BMU, we will go to the tight-knit community near Lexington, Mystic Pines.

Then

When Nate Howard first arrived at Mystic Pines, it was "a retirement home or in the eastern outskirts of Lexington before the Great War. Several of the residents and staff seem to have remained at Mystic Pines and subsequently perished. . . . Mystic Pines is named after the nearby Mystic River or Mystic Lakes, both of which are located just a few miles to the east of Lexington."



Nate politely shooed away some raiders and roving ghouls near the area to make Mystic Pines another area to make as a base for his scavenger hunts in Lexington. Once settlers started moving in, Nate only occasionally visited but remembered the lofty project the settlers proposed.

Now



The residents of Mystic Pines not only improved the place, but they added on to it vertically. The facility is now a two-story structure that has a bridge to the overpass above it. Along Mystic Lake, settlers have built farms and a fishery. They have added some industrial structures to the western lot. All of these help feed into the larger Lexington settlement that is being worked on to make more building livable.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

29 July 2297 - BL: Jones Helps Nordhagen Beach Outscore County Crossing

The timely hitting of Tomas Jones helped the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys down the County Crossing Bloodbugs, 12-10. Jones went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He drove in 4 runs and scored once for the Party Boys. With the win, Nordhagen Beach goes to 24-25, while the Bloodbugs fall to 25-24.

Nordhagen Beach took a 10-8 lead on Taboo Richardson's 6th home run of the season. The 3-run home run came off County Crossing pitcher Little Jemmy Madison in the bottom of the seventh. The Boys scored five runs in the seventh.

"One win at a time, one game at a time. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Richardson told Diamond City Radio.

Other Scores:

Finch Farm 1 at Salem 2
Behind an impressive start by Mike Cartrette, Salem beat Finch Farm, 2-1. Salem pitcher Dan Beantown got the win, upping his record to 3-4. Matt Pageturner got the loss. The Witch Hats go to 20-29 with the win.

Scott Bregman was the walk-off hero for Salem. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Witch Hats pinch hitter hit a dramatic run-scoring triple to send the teams home.

The Slog 6 at Easy Town 4, 12 inn.
The The Slog Ghouls defeated the Easy Town Assaultrons, 6-4, in Brotherhood League action at Easy Town Field. The Slog pitcher Edwin Mass had a standout performance. The triumph puts The Slog at 30-19 for the season.

Stoop Bugwing, the 31-year old third baseman , had a direct impact on the outcome. Bugwing contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the 12th inning to put The Slog up, 5-4.

29 July 2297 - IL: Lexington Dismisses Fort Hagen, 12-2

Lexington Synths starter Pete Pembroke pitched his team past the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 12-2. In 8 innings, Pembroke surrendered 7 hits, while striking out 7 and walking 0. He allowed 2 runs. Lexington has now won 3 in a row.

Greg Macn aided the Lexington cause with a run-scoring triple in the top of the second. For the game, the second baseman went 3 for 5 with a triple and 2 singles. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2.

"We maximized our offense today," said Lexington skipper Sprole Races. "That makes everyone's life easier."

Other Scores:

Concord 6 at Abernathy 8
The Abernathy Adamantium outlasted Josh McIntyre and the Concord Radstags, 8-6. McIntyre was impressive in the loss. The Concord second baseman was 1 for 3 with a home run, a walk, and was hit by a pitch, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. Today's win puts Abernathy at 22-27, while Concord falls to 24-25.

Abernathy grabbed control in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and the bases loaded, Joel Mutfruit delivered a run-scoring single, to make it 7-6 in favor of the Adamantium.

Sunshine Tidings 13 at Starlight 4
The Sunshine Tidings Chemists beat the Starlight Lady Killers, 13-4, at Valentine Detective Agency Field. Sunshine Tidings second baseman Justin Zent collected 2 singles and 1 double, while driving in 4 runs. Sunshine Tidings has 3 straight wins, Starlight 3 straight losses.

Frank Corsica, who is on pace for 42 RBI this season, helped out the Sunshine Tidings cause in the top of the third inning with a 2-run triple. For the game, the center fielder went 3 for 5 with a triple, a double, and was hit by a pitch. He scored 2 times and drove in 3.

29 July 2297 - ML: Gunners Absorb 5-3 Loss at Gwinnett Brewery Park

University Point rode a decent outing from starter Quentin Malone to victory over the Quincy Gunners. The final score was 5-3. Malone went 8 innings to notch the win. He scattered 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. His record improves to 4-9. University Point, at 23-26, occupies 4th place in the Minutemen League.

The Deathclaws got a big at-bat from second baseman Jason Harris. For the game, Harris was 1 for 4 with a home run, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. In the bottom of the third, with runners on 1st and 3rd, he stroked a 3-run home run. His 5th home run of the season gave University Point a 5-3 lead.

"We played a good game and came out on top," said Harris.

Other Scores:

Atom 5 at Goodneighbor 13
Jumper Hayes was a vital contributor to the 13-5 Goodneighbor victory over Atom. The Hancocks second baseman went 3-4 with a home run, a triple, and a walk, while adding 5 RBI and scoring once. Quincy Eloquent got the win, improving to 10-5. He pitched 9 innings, giving up 13 hits and 5 runs, while striking out 5 and walking 2.

In the bottom of the second, John Oldsink hit a 2-run double. The 15th double of the season for the Goodneighbor right fielder put the Hancocks on top, 4-2.

Warwick 4 at Jamaica Plain 7
The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets topped the Warwick Mirelurks by a score of 7-4. Leading the way was left fielder Carney Cornseed. Cornseed went 2 for 3 with a home run and a walk, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once for the Red Rockets. Steven Rockman recorded the save, his 10th. The victory puts Jamaica Plain at 19-30.

Jamaica Plain took a 6-4 lead on Steve Baron's 1st double of the season. The 2-run double, which Baron hit in the bottom of the eighth, left Warwick pitcher Mike Woodrow shaking his head.

29 July 2297 - RL: Bather Helps Dwellers Beat T-51s, 5-4

Led by Knud Bather, the Vault 81 Dwellers downed the Oberland T-51s, 5-4. Bather went 3-4 with a home run and a double, while scoring 2 times and driving in 3 for the Dwellers. The Dwellers saw their win-loss record go to 24-25. At the same time, the T-51s fell to 35-14.

Had Steve Gunkill not delivered a key base hit in the top of the eighth, the outcome might have been different. Instead, with two down and runners on 1st and 3rd, Gunkill hit a run-scoring single. That made the score 5-4, in favor of the Dwellers.

"We cashed in when we had the chance," said Vault 81 manager Crow Monitor.

Other Scores:

Diamond City 1 at Egret 3
The Egret Scrappers picked up a win at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina, knocking off the Diamond City Swatters, 3-1. Starting pitcher Phil Wallace was a big reason why. The winning pitcher was Wallace, now 7-7. He tossed 7.1 innings of 5-hit ball, while walking 5 and fanning 11. Andy Helium earned the save for Egret, his 11th.

Early in the game, catcher Tony Tamez had a 2-run double for Egret. It was his 13th double of the season and put the Scrappers on top, 2-1.

Fairline Hill Estates 10 at Shaw 6
The bat of Nick Waterpipe helped the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai top the Shaw HS Knuckle Punchers, 10-6. Waterpipe was 2 for 3 with a home run and 2 walks, while scoring 4 runs and driving in 2 for Fairline Hill Estates. Fairline Hill Estates reliever Mayday Wilkins was the winner. His record is now 3-1. The losing pitcher was James Hickory. Fairline Hill Estates is now riding a 3-game win streak.

The result might have been different, had it not been for Adam Crook, the Fairline Hill Estates left fielder. Crook had a run-scoring single in the top of the eighth inning to put the Yao Guai ahead, 7-6. For the game, Crook had 2 doubles and 1 single in 6 at-bats.

29 July 2297 - Castillo Boosts Hit Streak to 25 Games

The Oberland T-51s suffered a 5-4 setback today at the hands of the Vault 81 Dwellers at Graygarden Park, but hot-hitting Prof Castillo went 2-for-4 and kept his consecutive-game hitting streak alive. The hometown crowd burst into cheers when the popular left fielder extended his streak to 25 games.

"The streak feels fine, but I'm sorry we couldn't send these fans home with a win," Castillo said.
Prof Castillo grounded out in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, hit a solo-shot off Front Porch Potter in the 5th and grounded out in the 7th.

Currently Castillo is batting .366 with 16 home runs, 62 RBIs and 57 runs scored.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

30 July 2297 - BL: Party Boys Blast Bloodbugs, In 2nd Place Tie

The home crowd had a good time watching the County Crossing Bloodbugs and Nordhagen Beach Party Boys get after it.

The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys beat the County Crossing Bloodbugs, 12-2, at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium. Taboo Richardson, in particular, was impressive. He went 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk. He scored 3 runs and drove in 3. The win puts Nordhagen Beach at 25-25 this season.

"We were able to get some things going offensively," said Richardson.

First baseman Dustin Mart also had a good game offensively. He went 3 for 5 with a home run, a run scored, and three RBI.

Tommy Beach (3-5) pitched 8.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on 11 hits with two walks and nine strikeouts to earn the win.

Other Scores:

Finch Farm 3 at Salem 4, 10 inn.
The Salem Witch Hats bested the Finch Farm Four Leafs, 4-3, at Vim! Park of Salem. Mike Laughingman was one of the standouts. He was 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 singles. Salem has now won 3 in a row.

The game was still up for grabs in the bottom of the tenth. With two out, Laughingman hit a fastball from Steve Warwar for a run-scoring single. The Witch Hats, in dramatic fashion, had a walk-off win.

The Slog 4 at Easy Town 5
The Easy Town Assaultrons downed the The Slog Ghouls, 5-4, at Easy Town Field. The Assaultrons were led by Matt Stoops. He was 3 for 4 with 3 singles, while adding 2 RBI. David Tech, who went 7.2 innings, was the winning pitcher. He was charged with 4 runs on 9 hits, while walking 7 and striking out 6. His record now stands at 6-6. The win elevated the Assaultrons to 25-25.

Bobby Carr chipped in for Easy Town with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. For the game, the third baseman had 2 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 home run, 1 single, 1 run scored, and 2 runs batted in.

30 July 2297 - IL: Acosta K's 10 En Route to 4-2 Silver Shroud Win

Fort Hagen beat Lexington on the strength of starter All Day Acosta's fine effort. The right-hander led his team to a win, 4-2. Curtis Thriceshot earned save number 13 this season. Fort Hagen raised its record to 25-25 with the win.

Acosta scattered 2 hits over 8 innings for the Silver Shroud. With the win, Acosta goes to 8-5 on the year with 84 strikeouts.

"Say want you want about this team, they play nine innings hard," said Fort Hagen manager Mark Andersen.

Other Scores:

Sunshine Tidings 10 at Starlight 5
With second baseman Justin Zent leading the charge, the Sunshine Tidings Chemists defeated the Starlight Lady Killers, 10-5, at Valentine Detective Agency Field. Zent went 2 for 4 with a double and 2 walks, while scoring 3 runs and driving in 2. Tim Fusion earned the win for Sunshine Tidings. He lasted 8 innings, allowing 5 runs on 13 hits, while striking out 9. With the win, he raised his record to 8-6. Sunshine Tidings has a 4-game win streak, while Starlight has lost 4 in a row.

Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Brightsun Ramos? The Sunshine Tidings right fielder had a 2-run double in the top of the second inning to put the Chemists on top, 5-3. For the game, Ramos had 1 double and 2 singles in 5 at-bats.

Concord 3 at Abernathy 8
Abernathy Adamantium starter Joe Penaltybox was in fine form against the Concord Radstags at Tato Field, leading his team to a win, 8-3. The Radstags, now 24-26, have lost 4 in a row.

Austin Engill, who is tied for 5th in the IL in extra base hits with 29, came through for Abernathy with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the fourth. The shortstop went 2 for 3 for the game, including 1 home run and 1 double. He scored 1 run and collected 2 runs batted in.

30 July 2297 - DBL: Brownknees Powers Snipers to Playoffs

Trinity Plaza Snipers Adam Brownknees hit two home runs and drove in four to help his team defeat the Haymarket Mall Commandos, 13-6, at the Haymarket Mall Gardens.on Friday. With the win, the Snipers both eliminated the Commandos and clinched a playoff spot in the Downtown Boston League.

Trinity Plaza trails division leader Cabot House (32-11) by one game with seven to play. The two teams are battling for which of the two will have homefield advantage in the playoffs, but one of them will win the DBL when it is all done.

The Snipers are the affiliate of teh Goodneighbor Hancocks. Haymarket mall is for Jamaica Plain, and Cabot House is the affiliate of the Atom Cats.

30 July 2297 - ML: Gunners Lose Late, 12-4

The University Point Deathclaws defeated the Quincy Gunners, 12-4, in Minutemen League action at Gwinnett Brewery Park. University Point pitcher William Radwater had a standout performance. Radwater went 8 innings to notch the win. He scattered 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. His record improves to 6-6. University Point is now riding a 3-game win streak.

University Point took a 5-4 lead on Chad Morris's 3rd double of the season. The run-scoring double, which Morris hit in the bottom of the eighth, left Quincy pitcher Manny McDuff visibly frustrated.

"We take it day by day here," said Morris, "and today was a good one for us."

Other Scores:

Atom 4 at Goodneighbor 5, 11 inn.
The Goodneighbor Hancocks wiggled past the Atom Cats, 5-4, at Third Rail Stadium at S. Boston HS. The win was highlighted by the performance of Goodneighbor pitcher Bruce Iddings. Goodneighbor now has a 3-game win streak.

The Hancocks relied on pinch hitter John Oldsink for the game-winning hit. And, in the bottom of the 11th, he delivered, hitting a run-scoring triple to seal the deal.

Warwick 0 at Jamaica Plain 6
The Warwick Mirelurks were no match for Will Rope of the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets. Rope totally shut down and shut out Warwick at Red Rockets Stadium as Jamaica Plain cruised to a 6-0 win. In the 9-inning effort, he gave up 5 hits, struck out 5, and walked 0.

For the season Rope has logged 5 wins and 6 losses and struck out 70 batters in 106.2 innings while compiling a 5.91 ERA.

30 July 2297 - RL: Gold Hits 2 home runs in Dwellers Win

The Oberland T-51s and Vault 81 Dwellers provided some drama for the home crowd.

Erns Gold made an impact in the 6-5 Vault 81 win over Oberland. Gold, who is on pace for 65 RBI this season, hit 2 home runs, while adding 3 RBI and scoring twice. Vault 81 reliever Alex Godcomplex picked up the win, raising his record to 2-1. Gerald Jerry was tagged with the loss.

Gold had a timely hit for Vault 81 in the top of the eighth. With Oberland trailing 5-4, he turned a first pitch curveball into a 2-run home run. It was his 20th home run of the season, making it 6-5, Vault 81.

"Nice to see our side come away with the win," Gold said after the game.

The win gives Vault 81 a season record of 25-25.

Other Scores:

Diamond City 3 at Egret 7
The Egret Scrappers handed the Diamond City Swatters a loss at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina. The final score was 7-3. Kyle Boohoo was one of the major contributors for Egret. In addition to his 1 single and 1 home run, he scored 2 runs and drove in 2. Andy Helium earned the save, his 12th, for the Scrappers. Diamond City has now lost 4 in a row.

Nick Poppa threw 8 innings allowing 3 runs for Egret. The 26-year old right-handed pitcher had a key at-bat in the bottom of the second. With one out and the bases loaded, he broke a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring sacrifice fly off Mark Stuhlsatz. It was his 1st RBI of the season.

Fairline Hill Estates 8 at Shaw 5, 11 inn.
The Yao Guai grabbed a win, 8-5, at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury, overcoming a fine effort from Shaw HS pitcher Nick Mutfruit. Mutfruit went 8 innings and allowed 2 runs. The Yao Guai, now 27-23, have won 4 in a row.

It could have been a different outcome for Fairline Hill Estates, had it not been for Adam Crook, the 19-year old left fielder . Crook contributed a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning to put Fairline Hill Estates up, 6-5.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

31 July 2297 - BL: Party Boys Edge Bloodbugs, 8-7

Well, that's how to end a game in style.

Getting a good performance from right fielder Tomas Jones, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys defeated the County Crossing Bloodbugs, 8-7. Jones was 4 for 5 with a double and 3 singles. He scored 2 times for the Party Boys. County Crossing's current losing streak has reached 4 games.

Mike Swift was the walk-off hero for Nordhagen Beach. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Party Boys catcher hit a dramatic run-scoring single to send the teams home.

"One win at a time, one game at a time. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Jones told Diamond City Radio.

Other Scores:

The Slog 5 at Easy Town 6, 11 inn.
The Easy Town Assaultrons defeated the The Slog Ghouls, 6-5. Doing his part was right fielder Boots Yellowhair, who was 3 for 5 with a home run, a double, and was hit by a pitch, while scoring 3 times. Easy Town raised its record to 26-25 with the win.

The Assaultrons procured the win, in large part because of third baseman Bobby Carr. In the bottom of the 11th, he produced the game-winning run-scoring single.

Finch Farm 5 at Salem 4
The Finch Farm Four Leafs defeated the Salem Witch Hats, 5-4, in Brotherhood League action at Vim! Park of Salem. Finch Farm pitcher Josh Dude had a standout performance. The winner was Ernie Peacemaker in relief. His record improves to 2-0. Roberto Gonzales took the loss. Finch Farm now sits in 5th place in the Brotherhood League at 25-26.

Finch Farm used the timely hitting of Cody Grime to seize the win. The pinch hitter stroked a run-scoring single in the top of the eighth inning to put the Four Leafs on top, 5-4. It was his only hit in 1 at-bat, but it was a game-changer.

31 July 2297 - IL: Synths Deal Silver Shroud 3-1 Loss

Lexington Synths starter Chris Morgen turned in an exceptional performance against the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud at Hubris Comics Park, resulting in a Lexington win, 3-1. Lexington reliever Chris Morgen got the win, raising his record to 8-5. Oscar Chekhemani was tagged with the loss. Adam Bias collected his 16th save.

Greg Macn, the 19-year old second baseman , had a direct impact on the outcome. Macn contributed a run-scoring walk in the top of the third inning to put Lexington up, 3-0.

"Getting the win feels nice," said Morgen. "More importantly, I had a good game."

The win gives Lexington a season record of 28-23.

Other Scores:

Concord 4 at Abernathy 5
The Abernathy Adamantium picked up a win at Tato Field, taking down the Concord Radstags, 5-4. Starting pitcher Neil Watson was a big reason why. Abernathy has a 3-game win streak, while Concord has lost 5 in a row.

Abernathy took control in the bottom of the sixth. With one out and runners on 1st and 3rd, John Burp hit a run-scoring single to make it 4-3, Adamantium.

Sunshine Tidings 10 at Starlight 5
Good production from first baseman Joe Provisioner helped the Sunshine Tidings Chemists topple the Starlight Lady Killers, 10-5. Provisioner was 4-4 with 4 singles and a walk for the Chemists. The winning pitcher was Bill Sarnacki. He's now 7-4. He went 8.2 innings, allowing 5 runs on 11 hits for the Chemists. The second-place Chemists now have a 5-game winning streak.

Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Brightsun Ramos? The Sunshine Tidings right fielder had a bases-clearing double in the top of the fifth inning to put the Chemists on top, 6-2. For the game, Ramos had 1 double and 1 single in 4 at-bats.

31 July 2297 - CL: Gun Fu Walk-Off Playoff Berth

The Bunker Hill Gun Fu (Abernathy) stopped the Mystic Pines Raybathers (Starlight), 6-5, at Wicked Shipping Field. The Gun Fu got a big game from Looter Knol, who went 2-3 with 2 singles and 2 walks. He scored 2 times. The win belongs to Jim Livermore in relief. His record improves to 2-0. Burn Rivera took the loss for Mystic Pines. With the win, Bunker Hill upped its record to 28-17, clinching at least a wildcard spot in the Cambridge League.

The game came to a dramatic end. In the bottom of the ninth, with Bunker Hill trailing 5-4, Jerry Leftnut hit a fastball from Burn Rivera for a 2-run home run, giving the Gun Fu the walk-off win.

"Great to get the crowd on its feet," Leftnut said.

31 July 2297 - ML: Stallworth, University Point Prevail in Pitchers' Duel

Gary Stallworth pitched a gem to lead University Point to victory over the Quincy Gunners, 2-1. Marc Pondsip recorded the save, his 14th. The winning streak has now reached 4 games for the Deathclaws.

Stallworth, the winner, is now 3-3. In 8 innings of work, he gave up 1 run on 3 hits, while collecting 7 Ks. He essentially shut down the Quincy offense.

"Whenever we hold the other team to one run," said Deathclaws manager Woody Lumpkin, "I like our chances."

Other Scores:

Atom 7 at Goodneighbor 4
The Goodneighbor Hancocks got a superb performance from second baseman Jumper Hayes, but the Atom Cats still won the game, 7-4. Hayes went 4-4 with a home run and 3 singles, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. Wyatt Wallace earned the win to go to 4-11. He allowed 4 runs on 12 hits, with 3 walks and 1 strikeout in 8 innings of work.

Atom relied on the hitting of Luis Lopez to pick up the win. The shortstop ripped a 2-run triple in the top of the fourth inning to put the Cats on top, 4-0. For the game, Lopez had 1 triple and 1 single in 3 at-bats.

Warwick 7 at Jamaica Plain 5
The Warwick Mirelurks withstood an impressive performance by Jamaica Plain right fielder David Seaweed to defeat the Red Rockets, 7-5, at Red Rockets Stadium. Seaweed went 3 for 4 with a home run, a triple, and a double, while scoring 3 times and driving in 3. The victory gives Warwick a record of 30-21.

Patty Cuttooth contributed a productive at-bat in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded, he hit a 2-run single. It was one at-bat that helped Warwick get the win.

31 July 2297 - RL: Oberland Whitewashes Vault 81, Clinch Playoff Berth

The Vault 81 Dwellers struggled at the plate today against T-51s hurler Matt Udder, who shackled them on 7 hits while hurling a complete game 8-0 shutout.

"What can you say? We didn't hit well," said Dwellers skipper Crow Monitor in his postgame comments. "Hopefully we shake this off and bounce back tomorrow."

Udder finished the game with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks in an excellent mound performance.

"He pitched real well," Oberland manager Dirk Steadyhand said. "Matt made pitches when he had to. He hit his spots and did a great job of mixing in his changeup and using his fastball effectively."

This year Udder has a 11-2 record and a 4.15 ERA.

Oberland has now clinched at least a wildcard spot and will clinch the league with one more win or a Fairline Hill Estates loss in the remaining nine games.

Other Scores:

Fairline Hill Estates 2 at Shaw 5
The Shaw HS Knuckle Punchers picked up a win at Atomatoys Stadium at Roxbury, knocking off the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai, 5-2. Starting pitcher Kyle Clevinger played a key role in the triumph. Shaw HS is now 23-28.

Shaw HS took a 5-2 lead on Damani Beebe's 21st home run of the season. The 3-run home run came off Fairline Hill Estates pitcher Papa Bush in the bottom of the eighth.

Diamond City 2 at Egret 4
Egret rode a fine outing from starter Ronnie Gipper to victory over the Diamond City Swatters at Fallon Field at Egret Tours Marina. The final score was 4-2. Andy Helium finished the game for Egret and earned his 13th save. The last-place Swatters have lost 5 straight games.

Dustin Bowfiddle, the Egret second baseman, contributed a run-scoring triple in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 2-0, Scrappers. For the game, Bowfiddle was 1 for 4 with a triple.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

1 August 2297 - July Players of the Month

Brotherhood League

Noggin Takes BL's Best Bat Award: The Brotherhood League Batter of the Month has been chosen for July and the trophy was presented to Josh Noggin of the County Crossing Bloodbugs.

He stood out this month with a .375 batting average, 27 hits and 7 home runs, along with 17 RBIs and 16 runs scored.

So far in 2297 Noggin is batting .378 with 11 home runs, 45 RBIs and 42 runs scored. He has 84 hits in 222 at-bats and a .407 OBP.

Salem's Cartrette Chosen July's Best in BL: Mike Cartrette took a much-deserved turn in the spotlight earlier today as he accepted the Brotherhood League Pitcher of the Month award for July.

The 18-year-old Witch Hats starter is a relative newcomer to the league, but nonetheless racked up an impressive 3-1 won-lost record in 5 starts. This month he fanned 54 batters in 39.1 innings and compiled a 2.75 ERA.

This year Cartrette has fashioned a 3-1 mark, 2.75 ERA and pitched 39.1 innings. Opposing clubs are batting .219 against him and he has logged 54 strikeouts.

Brotherhood League Names Rookie of Month: County Crossing's Biter Trout collected 27 hits to snare the Brotherhood League Rookie of the Month for July.

He batted .458 with no home runs, 9 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

The 20-year-old is barely old enough to shave, but he could definitely contend for Rookie of the Year if he keeps up this pace.

For the year Trout is batting .330 with 63 hits and 2 home runs. He has scored 26 times and driven in 30.

Institute League

Red-Hot July Lands Ramos Batting Prize in IL: When Brightsun Ramos stepped up to the plate in July he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the Institute League Batter of the Month award.

The young Sunshine Tidings right fielder posted a .418 batting average with 4 home runs, 27 RBIs and scored 14 runs. Ramos also worked pitchers for 4 walks to post a .451 on-base percentage.

Looking at his stats this year, Ramos has compiled a .313 batting average, while hitting 8 home runs and driving in 43 runs. He has played in 51 games and scored 32 runs.

July's Top Starter is Fusion: Tim Fusion hasn't been around long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning Institute League Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice.

In July the Sunshine Tidings starter earned a 4-0 mark in 5 starts. He threw 43.2 innings, struck out 52 and compiled a solid 2.27 ERA.

This season Fusion has compiled a 8-6 record with a 4.07 ERA in 17 starts.

IL Selects Rookie Star of the Month: Justin Zent is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest Institute League Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers.

In July the Sunshine Tidings hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .500 average with 12 hits, no home runs and 10 RBIs.

Zent is presently batting .500 with no home runs, 11 runs scored and 10 RBIs. His OBP is .586.

Minutemen League

Luttrell Crowned Top ML Hitter in July: Jukebox Luttrell may be much younger than other hitters in the Minutemen League, but he performed like a seasoned veteran in July to win the Batter of the Month award.

The 17-year-old University Point center fielder hit .433 with 5 home runs, 18 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

This year Luttrell has socked 84 hits in 210 at-bats for a .400 average with 12 home runs. He is getting on base at a .442 pace and his totals also include 41 RBIs and 41 runs scored.

July's #1 Hurler Announced: Human: The best pitcher this past month in the Minutemen League was Ray Human of the Quincy Gunners. He really razzle-dazzled league hitters, finishing July with a standout 3-1 record and 3.00 ERA.

The Gunners hurler made 4 starts and surrendered 26 hits in 27 innings. He struck out 24 and walked 10.

To date this season Human sports a 8-4 mark with a 4.84 ERA in 16 starting assignments. He has held the opposition to a .292 batting average and has 89 strikeouts in 102.1 innings.

ML Rookie of the Month: Nil

OOTP named Ray Human Rookie of the Month. He's not a rookie. Nil.

Railroad League

July's Premier Batter Announced: Mike Thunderdome had quite a month with the bat in July and the Shaw HS center fielder was crowned Railroad League Batter of the Month for his outstanding efforts.

To win the honor, he batted .426 with 29 hits, 2 home runs, 15 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He also drew 3 walks to post a .480 on-base percentage.

Currently Thunderdome is hitting .319 and has collected 3 home runs, 30 RBIs and scored 47 times, while playing in 51 games.

RL #1 Pitcher in July is Fairline Hill Estates's Crowfoot: Dave Crowfoot is at the zenith of his career and today he was selected as the Railroad League Pitcher of the Month for July.

He made 11 relief appearances for Fairline Hill Estates last month, throwing 14.2 innings and collecting 4 saves, a 4-1 record, 17 strikeouts and a 1.84 ERA.

So far this year Crowfoot has delivered 7 saves. In 24 relief appearances he has 33 strikeouts in 27.2 innings with a 2.60 ERA and a 5-2 won-lost mark.

Clevinger Wins July's Rookie Award: Kyle Clevinger of the Shaw HS Knuckle Punchers had a magical month in July. He held the Railroad League hitters spellbound, conjuring up a 2-1 mark and a 3.38 ERA.

Clevinger also chalked up 3 starts, 24 innings and 20 strikeouts. For this outstanding performance he was rewarded with the Rookie of the Month trophy.

[StLee]

Dark Hollow Pond League

Standings and Stats



Batter of the Month

DHPL Batter of the Month Honors to Toeclaw: It's perhaps an award he'll win many more times through his career, as at age 17 Antonio Toeclaw has a lot of baseball ahead of him.

But for now the young Breakheart Banks Wasteland Whisperers star can enjoy the numbers he put up in July, which have garnered him the nod as the Dark Hollow Pond League Batter of the Month.

His breakout month featured a .353 average with 5 home runs, 9 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Toeclaw is currently hitting at a .333 pace with 5 home runs, 10 RBIs and has scored 14 times.

Pitcher of the Month

Demps Wins DHPL Top Pitcher Award: Over the past month Aaron Demps has turned quite a few heads. He's young, talented and able to pitch with the established arms in the Dark Hollow Pond League. He proved all that and now he's been named July's Pitcher of the Month.

The rookie for the Greentop Nursery Night People posted 3-0 mark and a 1.14 ERA. In 3 starts he tossed 23.2 innings, permitted 18 hits and fanned 20 batters.

To date this season, Demps has a record of 8 wins and no losses and a 1.33 ERA. He has appeared in 10 games and struck out 73 in 74.2 innings.

Cambridge League

Standings and Stats



Batter of the Month

Can Wins CL's Best Bat Award: For a rookie just breaking in, Eddie Can certainly put together a successful month. It was good enough to win the CL Batter of the Month award for July.

The 26-year-old first baseman for the Corvega Assembly Plant Flamers hit .511 with no home runs, 7 RBIs and 9 runs scored.

Can is batting .380 this season in 44 games with no home runs, 25 RBIs and 25 runs scored. He has 65 hits in 171 at-bats.

Pitcher of the Month

Sweet Earns July's Best Pitcher Honor: Chad Sweet has made fans throughout Cambridge League take notice over the past month with an exceptional 5-0 record. No pitcher in the Cambridge League threw better in July, garnering him the Pitcher of the Month award today.

In 5 starts Sweet compiled a 2.09 ERA, putting up a 5-0 record, striking out 50 and tossing 43 innings.

This year Sweet has worked 144.2 innings with 154 strikeouts en route to a 11-5 record and 2.80 ERA.

Downtown Boston League

Standings and Stats



Batter of the Month

July's Best DBL Hitter is Roger Rivera: Roger Rivera has a lot going for him. The Trinity Plaza center fielder just broke into the majors this year and now the Downtown Boston League has just picked him as its top hitter for July.

In 12 games last month this outstanding rookie batted .353 with 3 home runs, 15 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Thus far this year Rivera is batting .379 with 6 home runs, 34 RBIs and 54 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Month

Downtown Boston League Picks Best Starter in July: In July, John Bayers tore through the Downtown Boston League like a seasoned veteran -- quite impressive for a player only 17 years old.

The young Haymarket Mall starter posted a 3-1 mark and an ERA of 2.19 to earn the Pitcher of the Month award. In 37 innings he collected 34 strikeouts while limiting the opposition to a .169 average.

This year Bayers has recorded a 11-4 mark. In 18 starts he has fanned 133 batters in 135 innings with a 3.20 ERA.

Glowing Sea League

Standings and Stats



Batter of the Month

Glow Garners GSL Batter of the Month Award: Dusty Glow put together a good July to earn the Glowing Sea League Batter of the Month prize. A virtual unknown, he made the most of his chance to prove to Natick Banks officials that he belongs on the big league roster.

The Big Leaguers shortstop posted a .361 batting average with 6 home runs, 19 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Glow is hitting .272 this year with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs and 36 runs scored. He has 43 hits in 158 at-bats, 28 walks and a .385 on-base percentage. Glow has played in 44 games.

Pitcher of the Month

Maloney Gets July's Top Pitcher Trophy: The Glowing Sea League Pitcher of the Month honor has been given to Charlie Maloney of Mass Pike Interchange for a superlative month.

"I actually never wanted to be a pitcher," Maloney told reporters when asked who he credits for his pitching ability. "I was an outfielder until high school and on the third day of tryouts my coach came up and said, 'Son you couldn't hit a lick even if we put it on a tee for ya.' Well, that ticked me off, so I decided if I couldn't hit I wanted to make sure no one else could either and so here I am."

It all turned out for the best as the Mass Pike Interchange starter notched a 4-0 record with a 1.69 ERA last month. He made 5 starts and struck out 37 in 42.2 innings.

This season Maloney has crafted a 12-3 mark with a 2.42 ERA in 141.1 innings. Opposing clubs are batting .228 against him and he has 118 strikeouts.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

1 August 2297 - Players of the Week

Star of the Week Awarded in BL: Mike Laughingman demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the Brotherhood League Player of the Week Award.

The Salem catcher wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .615 average (8-for-13) with 1 home run and 3 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.

This year Laughingman is batting .329 with 53 hits, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, 17 walks, .393 OBP and has scored 23 runs.

IL Awards Player of the Week: Brightsun Ramos has the tools to stick in this league for many years. The 18-year-old right fielder of the Sunshine Tidings Chemists had a hot bat in the Institute League over the past seven days and won the Player of the Week honors.

Ramos batted .571 with 8 hits in 14 at-bats, no home runs and 8 RBIs.

This year Ramos is batting .313 with 8 home runs and 43 RBIs.

ML Star of the Week Chosen: One of the league's most exciting young players, Jumper Hayes of the Goodneighbor Hancocks earned himself Minutemen League Player of the Week honors with a standout performance in last week's games.

For the week the 17-year-old second baseman had a lofty .692 average (9-for-13), collecting 2 home runs, 8 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

In his season totals Hayes has 10 home runs and a .396 batting average.

Week's #1 Player: Diamond City's Bishop: So far in his young career, Allen Bishop has kept a low profile, but after his performance at the plate last week, he attracted the notice of the rest of the Railroad League in a big way as he was named the Player of the Week today for his efforts.

The 19-year-old Diamond City Swatters third baseman hit at a torrid .692 clip as he collected 9 hits in 13 at-bats, 1 home run, 1 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

This season in 51 games, Bishop has hit at a .341 clip with 72 hits, 2 home runs, 22 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

1 August 2297 - Rumbles in Vault 81 from Players

The Vault 81 Dwellers have two verifiable stars in first baseman Erns Gold and right fielder Deer Quickwalker, but neither have a good relationship with manager Crow Monitor.

One of issues seems to be Monitor's playstyle which is called "smallball." Though Gold and Quickwalker, along with Knud Bather, all have double-digit home runs, the team's offense is overall inept.

The Dwellers are 5th in the Railroad League in runs scored (266), batting average (.283), on-base percentage (.332), and WAR (4.6). With the Dwellers in the position to earn a playoff spot, a different approach to offense may be the way to get those numbers up and better than average.

However, reports are that Monitor disagrees and will still ask Steve Gunkill (.295/9/29) and the bottom of the lineup to bunt more than any other team in the CBO. That seems to be a problem as one of the team leaders, Gunkill has tried to be neutral. Gold and Quickwalker are groaaning.

Should the Dwellers miss the playoffs, there may be a standoff between management and players. A team with this much talent probably does not want that to happen.

2 August 2297 - Lifegivers Reliever Sacked

In other disgruntled news where a player took action, Union Hope Cathedral Lifegivers reliever Rob Thurston.

Thurston, who has been verbally angry that he has not been given playing time. Scouts put him on the fringe of CBO talent but expect him to be out of the league.

He may have quickened the end of his career, as he verbally lashed out at his manager, Greg Tannenbaum, and pitching coach, Jesse Silverbullet. The team decided to suspend him a total of 10 games, which will end his 2297 season.

Thurston appeared in only one game for the Lifegivers. In 2.0 innings, he allowed one hit and struck out four.

[StLee]

Analysis

There are only three more weekend series, nine more games on the season, and all but two teams are mathematically still in the chase for the Sole Survivor Series. Those two teams out are the Atom Cats, a 2296 playoff team and semifinalist, and the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets. Both of those teams look to be in the first overall draft choice pool with the Diamond City Swatters. The Swatters are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but they do possess the CBO's worst record currently.

Some teams have started to make a playoff charge, while some other teams appear to be fading away. Let's take a look at our risers and fallers.

Risers:

* Sunshine Tidings Chemists (26-25, tied for 2nd in IL) - With the CBO's longest winning streak at five games and a sweep of what was the first place, the Starlight Lady Killers (see Fallers), the Chemists now control their own destiny for making the playoffs. They also finish the season against the current first place team, the Lexington Synths.

* Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (26-25, tied for 2nd in BL) - If you look at the standings just a month ago today, the Party Boys were dealing with their usual struggles: early leads with late losses. They were in a lot of close games but not winning. Now, closer Sia Abber may be the hottest in the league, and the Boys are winning a lot. They still have their work cut out for them with the next two weekends involving trips to Finch Farm (25-26, 2296 league champion) and The Slog (30-21, 1st place, 2296 CBO champion). Should the Boys from the Beach pull off those two series, the SPECIAL-11 is the limit.

* Easy Town Assaultrons (26-25, tied for 2nd in BL) - The Assaultrons aer also hot, having defeated The Slog in two of three games to move into second place along with the Party Boys. Easy Town does not have the stats to back up their position, so they are scrapping together close wins. It is yet to be seen if they will keep teh momentum from knocking off the Ghouls, but home stands against Salem and Finch Farm and then a potential knockout series in Nordhagen Beach could tell if they are in the money or lose their house.

* Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai (27-24, 2nd in RL) - The Yao Guai took two of three from the Shaw Knuckle Punchers (23-28) to basically make the wildcard spot a two-team race between the Yao Guai and Vault 81 Dwellers (25-26). With some turmoil reported in the Dwellers clubhouse, the spot is probably FHE's to take, a nice gift for the new owner, Piper Wright, taking over.

* Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (25-26, 4th in IL) - The Shroud had a setback this past weekend against Lexington, but they were the hottest team in the IL before that series loss. As we will show in the paragraph after this one, there is a good reason the Shroud are still considered risers. The bad, though, is they do not play at home again in the regular season, so they will need to take on some weary warrior perks to overcome their lack of the well rested perk.

The Chemists, Party Boys, Yao Guai, and Silver Shroud all are tied for second for the best record in the second half of the season, 13-8. Only the CBO's best team, the Oberland T-51s, have a better second half record (14-7).

Fallers:

* Starlight Lady Killers (26-25, tied for 2nd in IL) - The Killers have ahad anything but killer instinct in the second half of the season. In fact, the Killers have been murdered in the second half of the season to the tune of a 5-16 record. The only other team close in that category is Egret (7-14).

* County Crossing Bloodbugs (25-26, tied for 4th place in BL) - The Bloodbugs met their main nemesis last weekend in the Party Boys and came away licking their wounds. In fact, they are happy to finish the 2297 not playing them again, falling to 4-8 on the season against Nordhagen Beach. They will benefit playing three teams they have winning records against.

* Quincy Gunners (27-24, 3rd in IL) - After being swept by University Point, the Gunners are likely the odd team out in the IL's three-team race. It will be highly difficult to overcome either Goodneighbor or Warwick. Still, the next two weekends give them a chance to get back in the race with matchups at Atom and versus Jamaica Plain before a season-ending series at Warwick. Should the Mirelurks get beat up by Goodneighbor the weekend before, then the Gunners could be in position to overtake them.

* Vault 81 Dwellers (25-26, 3rd in RL) - As mentioned in our previous story, the Dwellers are supposedly rebelling against the team's management, unhappy with the playstyle. Though the team is made up of several good offensive stars, they are just not hitting consistently and we doubt that changes in 2297.

[OrangeP47]

I guess this analysis just goes to show that while 60 games may not seem like that many compared to a traditional season, it's plenty long for different story arcs to emerge. Just looking at Starlight, for example, they had an amazing first half, but now aren't doing so hot in the second half. If the season was shorter things would have been over too quickly and the season would have had obvious winners, but if it was longer there wouldn't be as much drama surrounding them having one last chance to hold onto what they had built.