The Hawaii Tropics continue their disastrous August with a 13-game home stand. They begin with a three-game series against the Long Beach Surfers.
Game 1- A new series and the same old story for the bullpen. Hawaii led the game 1-0 going into the top of the 9th. Reliever Chih Kuang had put up 1.1 scoreless innings and was sent back out to the mound. Kuang struck out the first batter but gave up a double that chased him from the game. Juan Martinez took the ball and gave up a double that tied the game. Kuang’s line ended with 1.2 innings allowing a run on two hits with two Ks. Martinez issued a walk to the next batter then gave up the go ahead single. He recorded the last two outs with a ground out and a strike out.
The fans were quiet in The Palace as C Katsumi Matsumoto stepped to the plate. He hit a double to the right-center field gap on the 1st pitch he saw. Carlos Sanchez smashed a low line drive that made Matsumoto hesitate to see if it made it through. It went over the head of the second baseman into right. After a strikeout by Karunamaya Makarand, Vicente Mendez hit a slow roller to short that Long Beach tried to turn two with. Mendez beat the throw to first and Matsumoto scored the tying run. That cleared the way for DH Adam Backhouse. Backhouse battled the count to 3-2 on 8 pitches then sent the 9th pitch over the left-center field wall for a walk off two-run homer. The crowd erupted and began chanting ‘House”.
Hawaii wins 4-2.
Game 2- The Long Beach Surfers starter Mike MacRobb and two reliever held Hawaii’s offense to a run on two hits as they even the series 1-1. Carlos Sanchez put the only Hawaii run on the board with a solo homer off MacRobb in the 2nd inning.
The Surfers jumped all over Hawaii starter Ricardo Tapia with four runs on four hits (three homers) and a walk in 4.1 innings. He struck out four as he falls to 3-9 with a 4.80 ERA. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds was better in this appearance after some disappointing showings in San Fernando. He pitched 2.2 clean innings with a K.
Long Beach wins 6-1.
Game 3- Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea turned the tables on the Surfers with his solid start to give the Trops a series win. Rea pitched seven one run innings giving up those runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out four as he improves to 8-7 with a 3.38 ERA. Utkan Gocek pitched two innings of relief giving up just a hit with a K.
On offense, Makarand doubled, hit a sac fly and scored a run. Adam Backhouse continues to hammer pitchers this season. He was 2 for 3 with a solo homer, a sac fly and scored two runs. Russ McHaney along with Vicente Mendez had been a nice surprise this season. McHaney was 1 for 3 with a walk and hit his 16th homer of the season in the 7th inning.
Hawaii wins 6-1.
The Tropics win the series 2-1.
