The Hawaii Tropics return home for a six-game homestand beginning with a three-game series with the Bikini Krill. The Trops and Krill are both 10-8 two games back of the Sacramento Mad Popes.
The Tropics struggled finding answers for Bikini Starter Samuel Nebraska as he led the Krill to a 6-1 win. Hawaii lost starter John Moore after three pitches and two outs with a herniated disk turning this into a bullpen game that the Trops couldn’t win. C Frank McMillan drove in the Tropics only run with a single in the 5th inning scoring Vicente Mendez. Hawaii evened the series with a solid pitching performance by Semih Gurani and three relievers. Gurani gave up just one hit while walking one and faning three batters as he improves to 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA. The Trops offense was held without an extra base hit for the 2nd game but did just enough to get the win. Angelo Lucchesi drove in a run and scored a run while going 1 for 3. Russ McHaney was 1 for 4 with an RBI and Quintin Trewartha was 2 for 2 with a stolen base while also scoring a run. The Tropics and Krill both watched their starters get shelled, but the game came down to Hawaii’s bullpen giving up just a run to secure the 9-6 win. Elvin Hilliard was hammered by the Krill lineup for five runs on six hits in 5.2 innings but still eked out the win to improve to 3-0. Luis Perez, Chih Kuang and Troy ‘Teddy Bear’ Reynolds combined for 3.1 nearly flawless innings. Hawaii’s offense exploded for 7 doubles with Bob Chastain getting two in four at bats with three ribbies and scored a run. Luis Estrada was 2 for 3 with a double (2), scored two runs and drove in one.
Hawaii gets a 2-1 series win.
The San Fernando Bears ship into town for a three-game series at ‘Iolani Palace. The Bears swept the Tropics in the 1st series of the season in San Fernando.
Hawaii starter Gerardo Rea was outdueled by San Fernando’s Ruben bin Majid al Din. Rea pitched 7.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits with four Ks, but al Din was better going 6.2 innings allowing just a run on four hits with five walks in the 4-3 win. Angelo Lucchesi remains hot to begin the season going 3 for 4 with a double (3) and scored two runs. Felipe Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a solo homer (3) and a walk. The Bears pitching staff continues to dominate Hawaii’s hitters as they allow the Trops just a run in the Game 2 win. Utbah ‘Crawdad Me’ bin Muta gave a great effort for Hawaii allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk in six innings of work but falls to 2-2. Luis Estrada was 1 for 4 and scored on a double off the bat of Adhyapayana Mehta. Hawaii finally managed to get a win against the Bears as SP Manny Ortiz allowed the Bears offense just two hits in 6.1 innings to get the win and improve to 2-2. Luis Perez and Chih Kuang both pitched 1.1 scoreless innings with Perez earning the hold (3) and Kuang the save (1). Mitch Wareham was the Hawaii offense going 1 for 3 with a 5th inning three-run homer to give his team the lead. Hawaii won 3-0.
The Bears win the series 2-1.
The Pacific Division is a bigger logjam now with Long Beach leading 14-10 followed by Sacramento, Hawaii, San Fernando, and Bikini at 13-11. Valencia is 12-12 followed closely by Vancouver at 11-13. Portland is 7-17 in last but crazy things will and do happen in this league.
