The Hawaii Tropics begin the 2057 Brewster Baseball Association season at home for a two-game series with the Portland Lumberjacks.
Game 1- The Tropics drop the season opener as starter Gerardo Rea gives up five runs on six hits and three walks in 5.1 innings. Hawaii reliever Bill Ritz worked his way out of a jam of Rea’s making with a strikeout and a fly out to right. Bill Williams took the mound and went three innings allowing two more runs on four hits while fanning two.
After getting the bulk of the at bats the last 10 days of spring training, the offense still fell flat. The Trops scored their two runs in the game on a blast by Katsumi Matsumoto that scored SS Thomas Kramer who had walked.
Portland wins 7-2.
Game 2- The Tropics score four runs in the 1st inning but Elvin Hilliard and Semih Gurani can’t hold the lead. Hilliard gave up five runs in 3.2 innings before yielding to Gurani. Gurani gave up two runs in 2.2 innings.
The Tropics fought back in the 5th and loaded the bases for CF Carlos Sanchez. Sanchez was behind in the count 1-2 before connecting on a mistake by Portland reliever Umayr Suhayl. The ball traveled 423 feet to left center hit a palm tree so hard that three coconuts dropped. No fans were hurt.
Gurani earned the win to improve to 1-0 with a bloated 6.75 ERA. He gave the ball to Luis Perez and Perez allowed just a hit in 1.2 innings. He struck out two as he earned his 1st hold of the season. Juan Martinez earned the save with a scoreless inning.
Sanchez was 2 for 4 with four RBI and scored two runs. Adhyapayana Mehta was also 2 for 4 with a double. He scored two runs, drove in one and stole a base. LF Shafiq Zahir is trying to bounce back after a disappointing 2056. He was 2 for 4 with two doubles and two ribbies.
Hawaii wins 9-7.
The Trops and ‘Jacks split the two-game series.
