The Tropics are 5-7 and 3 games back of 1st Place Sacramento and Long Beach as they return to ‘Iolani Palace for a three-game homestand against the Portland Lumberjacks. In the 1st game of the series Hawaii’s offense caught fire as they put up 15 runs on 12 hits against the Lumberjacks to win 15-4. Hawaii 1B Luis Estrada is as good as advertised as he banged out three homers against Portland pitchers, scored three runs and had six RBI. 3B Mitch Wareham and 2B Adhyapayana Mehta each drove in three runs while also scoring a run. Starter Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta earned the win for Hawaii allowing two runs on five hits and a walk while fanning three in five innings. He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA. In the 2nd game, Estrada hit his 5th homer of the season and was 2 for 5 at the plate with two ribbies while SS Quintin Trewartha drove in the game winning run in extras on a double as the Trops escape 5-4. John Moore got his team through six innings allowing four runs but the win went to Bill Phillips pitched 1.1 hitless, scoreless innings with two Ks to improve to 1-0. The Tropics completed the sweep of the Lumberjacks after scoring two runs in the 7th and four more in the 8th to blow the game open. DH Felipe Hernandez was 1 for 3 and hits a solo homer (2) in the 4th. Semih Gurani allowed two runs in six innings with three Ks in a no decision while reliever Luis Perez earned the win to improve to 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA. He allowed a solo homer and fanned four batters in 2.1 innings of work. The Tropics win 7-3.
Hawaii is now 8-7 two games back of the Sacramento Mad Popes.
The team boards their sea-jet and fly to Long Beach to play a three-game series against the Surfers. Long Beach is 9-6 and a game back of Sacramento giving the Trops a measuring stick against one of the best teams in the Pacific.
The Tropics get off the plane swinging as they jump out to a 7-1 lead through three innings and cruise to a 10-2 win. DH Russ McHaney was 2 for 5 and hit a two-run shot (2) in the 1st inning. He scored a run and drove in three. Mitch Wareham had a big day at the plate going 5 for 6 with a double, scored a run and drove in three. Starter Elvin Hilliard won his 2nd game of the season after six solid innings on the mound. He gave up two runs on a hit and three walks while striking out four. The bullpen took over from there and held the Surfers scoreless the final three innings. Long Beach evens the series with a 2-1 win as Chris Thompson and three relievers hold the Trops to a run on six hits for the day. Gerardo Rea pitched well and gave up one bad pitch that hurt him in 5.2 innings. Phil Thompson gave up a solo homer in 2.1 innings pitched that made him the loser to fall to 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA. Young Hawaii starter Utbah bin Muta was fantastic over 5.1 innings giving up two hits and issuing three walks. He earned the win to improve to 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA. He was followed by Juan Martinez with 1.2 scoreless innings and Bill Phillips with two scoreless. Mitch Wareham and Adhyapayana Mehta drove in the only two runs the Tropics would need. Hawaii wins 2-0.
Hawaii is 10-8 two games back of Sacramento. They are in a logjam for 2nd in the Pacific with Long Beach and the Bikini Krill. Vancouver and Valencia are lurking at 9-9 while San Fernando is 8-10 alone 4th. Portland is at the bottom of the heap at 4-14.
GM Jim Walker said, “After those ass kickin’s we took the 1st week of the season the guys have responded. We’re getting good pitching, hitting and defense.”
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