The Hawaii Tropics begin their 1st road trip to Des Moines for a four-game series against the Kernels.
Game 1- Hawaii reliever Utkan Gocek picks up where he left off last season as he gave up a walk-off two-run homer to Kernels catcher Andy Elmer. He is tagged with the loss and a blown save to fall to 0-1 and an 18.00 ERA.
Phil Thompson started the game and threw four scoreless innings with a walk and two Ks. He gave up just two hits and yielded to Semih Gurani. Gurani was sloppy again for the Trops allowing three runs and getting just one out. Bill Phillips came out of the ‘pen on fire as he fanned four batters in two innings of work. He gave up a hit and issued a walk.
Mitch Wareham was 2 for 5 with a double, scored a run and drove in two. Tomas Borges was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and stole a base. Carlos Sanchez continues to hit well going 1 for 4 with an RBI.
Des Moines wins 5-4.
Game 2- Hawaii starter John Moore was wild in his 1st start of the season as he walked seven batters while giving up two hits. The Kernels turned those free passes into four runs. Bill Ritz stopped the Kernels from popping off with 1.1 clean innings with a K. Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds pitched 3.1 innings allowing a run on a hit with three Ks.
Karunamaya Makarand was 2 for 4 and scored a run. Sanchez drove in the only run on a sac fly in the 1st inning.
Des Moines wins 5-1.
Game 3- The Tropics woes on the mound and at the plate continue in another loss. Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta allowed five runs in 3.2 innings on seven hits and a couple of walks. He struck out one batter as he falls to 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA. Semih Gurani allowed a run in 1.1 innings in relief of Muta. Bill Williams was good late in the game with three scoreless innings. He gave up a hit and issued a walk.
Carlos Sanchez is Hawaii’s offense going 2 for 4 with a solo homer.
Des Moines wins 6-1.
Game 4- Kernels starter Tommy ‘Stew’ Akers pitches a complete game shutout of the Trops to complete the series sweep. Hawaii managed just two hits all day and worked just one walk. Thomas Kramer and Will Patterson singled.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea had another horrible start going 2.1 innings allowing five runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out just one batter as he falls to 0-2 with a 11.74 ERA.
Des Moines wins 6-0.
The Kernels sweep the four-game series.
The Tropics are hitting .186/.246/.273 as a team while their Team ERA is 6.48. The starters are the main culprit posting a brutal 9.97 ERA over 6 games.
