The Hawaii Tropics host the San Fernando Bears in a four-game series at 'Iolani Palace.
Game 1- The Tropics score six runs in the 3rd inning highliighted by a Frank McMillan three-run homer. McMillan was 2 for 3 with a walk, scored a run and had three ribbies. 3B Mitch Wareham helped out offensively going 3 for 4 with a run and two RBI.
Hawaii starter Elvin Hilliard won his 1st game of the season after allowing just one hit over 6.1 innings. He waked two and fanned eight batters.
Hawaii wins 7-2.
Game 2- The Tropics collect 12 hits but only score a run as the Bears even the series at 1-1. Wareham, Vicente Mendez, Tomas Borges, and Adhyapayana Mehta each had two hits in the game.
Hawaii starter Phil Thompson threw just 15 pitches before exiting the game with an ankle injury that will put him on the shelf for 5 weeks. He had allowed just a hit in 1.1 innings. He was relieved by John Moore who allowed a solo homer in 1.2 innings. He walked two and struck out four batters. Semih Gurani was tagged with the loss after giving up a run on two hits in two innings. He falls to 2-1 with a 4.57 ERA.
San Fernando wins 5-1.
Game 3- Hawaii’s offense continues to let down the team as they were easily handled by the Bears pitching staff. The Trops scored a run on six hits, drew two walks, and stranded 16 baserunners. Thomas Kramer scored the only run for Hawaii after he walked, went to third on a McMillan double and scored on a Karunamaya Makarand sac fly.
Manny Ortiz struggled in his start for Hawaii allowing five runs on five hits, two walkds and three Ks in 4.2 innings. He falls to 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA.
San Fernando wins 6-1.
Game 4- The Hawaii Tropics tie the game in the 8th with a three-run 8th inning then walk it off with an Adhyapayana Mehta two-run homer. Mehta was 3 for 6 with a walk, double and the game winner. Tomas Borges had a 4 for 7 day at the plate with a two-run homer in the 8th inning.
Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta started for Hawaii throwing four innings and allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk. He struck out three in a no decision. Bill Phillips earned the easy win with 1/3 of an inning of work and throwing one pitch. He improves to 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA.
Hawaii wins 6-4.
The Bears and Trops split the four-game series.
GM Jim Walker said, “Our team is consistently inconsistent.”
