May 1, 1999
Phoenix 8, Hawaii 5
Probaly the best ball-game the Tropics have played all year was a fantastic game to watch. Constant scoring for 8 innings proved to keep everyone in their seats -- even if hometown Hawaii lost. 1B David Smurf had a 2 for 4 game with a double. C Robin Larker also went 2 for 4. CF Mark Gosselaar hit a 2 run bomb in the 3rd inning that put the Tropics only 1 behind the Talons. RF Reddie Ray went 1-4 in his first game as a Tropic -- Ray singled and eventually scored, then was walked his next at-bat and scored. A pack of Tropics pitchers saw time on the mound, SP Travis McKinstry started the game and only went 3.0 IP. 5 Other pitchers went the last 6 innings with MR Ralph Desjardins eventually picking up the loss.
May 2, 1999
Day Off
May 3, 1999
Louisville 5, Hawaii 8
Three Tropics players had multi-hit games. C Robin Larker went 2 for 4 with a homerun. OF Jorge Abad and 2B George Gutowski each had 2-hit games. SS Tim McGraw had just 1 hit, but scored 3 RBI after the centerfielder booted the ball and the outfielders couldn't pick it up. McGraw walked twice in the game after that, finishing with 2 runs scored, 3 RBI, 2 BB. SP Steven McCullough pitched 8.1 hard innings, before giving the rock to CP Angel Miranda for Miranda's 2nd save.
May 4, 1999
Louisville 2, Hawaii 4
With each team gaining 8 hits, the Tropics just came at a more clutch period -- the bottom of the 8th as they scored 2 runs. 3B Robb Wells went 2 for 4 with a double that knocked in the go-ahead RBI. RF Reddie Ray contined to prove he was worth the check he was paid when he went 2 for 4, with an RBI and a run. SP Freddy Bilbao went 8 innings, giving up 8 hits and 5 runs while striking out 10. CP Angel Miranda received his 3rd save of the year.
May 5, 1999
Louisville 3, Hawaii 5
Seven starting Tropics each had a hit in the game, but no one had more than one. CF Mark Gosselaar drove in 2 with his homerun. 1B David Smurf, 2B George Gutowski, OF Silas Camarena, and C Robin Larker doubled in their hits. Setting a new season-high for doubles in a game with 4. SP Leo Lopez's transfer from the bullpen to the starting rotation has been less than ideal, but the 31 year old got the W today -- pitching 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits.
May 6, 1999
Omaha 7, Hawaii 8
Despite being out hit in the game by Omaha, the Tropics ralled in the 8th to score 4 runs and win the game. 7 Walks were the name-of-the-game for the Tropics as the offense wasn't particularily powerful today. OF Reddie Ray went 2 for 4 with a 2-run HR. Ray ended the game with 4 RBI. 5 Tropics pitchers combined for the game. SP Felix Pan looked like he belonged in Little League after his 3 IP, 9 Hits and 4 ER performance.
May 7, 1999
Omaha 4, Hawaii 7
Again the Tropics were out-hit, and again the Tropics pulled together for a win. RF Reddie Ray absolutely crushed the ball, going 2 for 3 with a 3-run homerun and a double. 3B Robb Wells went 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI. SP Dick Bacon Jr made his Tropic's debut, 2 years after signing a large deal that saw him pitch in just the minor leagues. Bacon was in fact great in his first start, pitching 8 innings, allowing 7 hits but only 1 run and striking out 7. CP Angel Miranda received his 5th save of the season
May 8, 1999
Omaha 1, Hawaii 3
Just 11 hits combined for both teams, as this game was plain boring. 1B David Smurf hit his 6th homerun of the season, OF Mark Gosselaar had a double as his single hit of the afternoon, and OF Silas Camarena doubled twice in the game. SP Steven McCullough won his 3rd game of the season after pitching in 8.1 innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 run and striking out 3.
May 9, 1999
Hawaii 0, Valencia 1
The Tropics managed just 3 hits, the franchise low for the past 3 seasons. No one got past first base. Poor SP Freddy Bilbao went 8 innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 run and struck out 12! ... Just to get the loss.
May 10, 1999
Hawaii 4, Valencia 6
A game that will make GM Josh Cornel shake his head. The pitching was horrible, plain and simple. SP Leo Lopez pitched 2.2 innings, gave up 8 hits, 6 runs, and walked 2. Four other pitchers had to come in to clean up Lopez mess. The offense, despite raking in 9 hits just couldn't catch up to the first 2 innings of disaster. OF Reddie Ray, OF Silas Camarena, and OF Mark Gosselaar all had 2 hits as the Tropics outfield continues to be the most productive of any in the bigs.
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Offensive Player
OF Reddie Ray -- Ray was signed prior to the 10-game stretch and could nearly write his own blank check from Josh Cornel. The total came out to just over $6.5 mil, but so far he's been worth every penny. Ray hit a stupid .458 in his 24 AB. 11 Hits, 1 Double, 2 Homeruns, 10 RBI, and 0 strikeouts powered the Tropics to a 5-game winning streak and the first winning stretch the club has had.
Pitching Player
SP Freddy Bilbao -- Bilbao has made this slot his home, and quite frankly, this last he got screwed. Freddy pitched 16.7 innings in his 2 outings this last stretch, allowing 14 hits, giving up only 3 ER, and striking out a ridiculous 22 batters. And yet, he was awarded with a 1-1 record, simply because the Tropics couldn't get their offense going.