Highlights #2 (May 10-15)
Highlights #2 (May 10th-15th)
New York Dinkcity (26-19) @ New Orleans Pineapples (36-9)
With an aspiring newer team facing off with a seasoned vet, most of the 50,326 fans were hoping for an easy win. Braydon Pogue (.333, 8 HRs) hit a 2 run shot in the 2nd off of Noah Russo, and the Pineapples added 2 more on a 2 run double from future HOF Cuarto Curiel. While New York got one back, the Pineapples took a commanding 6-1 lead on another 2 run homer, this one from veteran 1B Lukas Mejia. Despite Hernan Madrigal’s (93-47, 3.89 career stats) dominance through the first 7 innings, the Pineapples manager didn’t want the 36 year old going much further, and pulled him in favor of Anbessa Barerra. The Dinkcity started a rally off of Barrera, scoring 5 runs on homers from Cidro Quezada, Ari Burge and Maverick Stubblefield. With the game tied at 6, the Dinkcity brought in young closer Buinton Guzman to close out the Pineapples, but it was too large of a task for the 21 year old to handle. Nicolas Kimbrough (.388, 20 HRs) led off with a single, and just 2 minutes later Mejia hit his 2nd homer, this one a walk-off in an 8-6 win.
MVP: Lukas Mejia: 3-3, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs
St. Johns Codfish (28-17) @ Buffalo Lights (23-22)
While these teams have had very different seasons (Codfish has great hitting, bad pitching, Lights the opposite) both are historic teams, and always competing in their respective divisions. Only 20,111 people showed up, but the few that did were treated to a special game. The Lights took a 1-0 lead early, but the Codfish struck back with 2 solo homers, one from 1B Garrison Battle. Buffalo managed to tie it up in the 4th, but the Codfish immediately went back up thanks to another solo shot, this one off the bat of Javion Seymore. However, Codfish starter River Richmond was tiring, and the Lights got to him for 5 runs over the next 2 innings to take a 7-6 lead. The Lights added another run on a sac fly by the pitcher, and despite bringing in struggling closer Wayne Merrell (7 saves, 7.36 ERA), were able to close out St. Johns for the 8-6 win.
MVP: Matro Santacruz: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI
Milwaukee Lightning Badger @ Canberra Cranberries
Cranberries 9, Badger 8, 10 innings
MVP: Jaheim Stark: 4-6, 1 HR, 2 2B, 4 RBIs
Cincinnati Reds @ Seattle Cyclones
Reds 7, Cyclones 5, 14 innings
MVP: Nathan Rosenberg: 3-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Colorado Springs Ghost @ NY Bombers
Bombers 9, Ghost 8
MVP: Vidal Bonilla: 3-3, 2 HR, 5 RBIs
Detroit Stars @ Stamford Demo Yankees
Yankees 10, Stars 8, 10 innings
MVP: Willie Demarco: 3-6, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
Washington Bears (24-21) @ Honolulu rbis (30-15)
The rbis have made great strides as of late, winning 3 division titles in the last 4 seasons. Currently up 3 games on the Bears and Cajun Gamecocks, a win here could almost ice it, especially with the way Honolulu’s #3 offense is playing. The rbis went up 2-0 early, and despite an RBI single from Sheldon Marble, scored 4 more in the 5th to go up by 5 runs. Even though rbi starter Khalid Hutto (4-2, 4.13 ERA) was having his best season yet, he was still susceptible to walks and the long ball. The Bears exploded for 5 runs, punctuated by long homeruns from Marble, Deon Nowlin and Kyle Aponte. But after just 4 minutes, Montrell Pedraza (.377, 7 HRs) mashed a homer, and the rbis went on top. With the game on the line in the 8th, Honolulu brought in relief ace Fabian Scruggs, and the Bears did absolutely nothing (5-0, 3 Svs) against him, leading to a 7-6 win.
MVP: Elvis Monahan: 3-3, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
Houston Astronauts @ Newark Jersey Bombers
Astronauts 7, Bombers 6, 10 innings
MVP: Lance Brooks: 4-5, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
Ontario Lightning (31-14) @ Knoxville Smokies (31-14)
With the Lightning chasing the Tacoma Time Warp in Delta South, and the Smokies just 4 games up in the North, a tough league matchup was the last thing these teams wanted. Despite a solo homer from Keegan Marrero (.327, 19 HRs) in the 1st, neither team backed down, and the battle of wills continued until the 8th, when star pitcher Carter Gardiner (8-1, 3.39 ERA) was knocked around, but great play by the Ontario defense held Knoxville to 1, and the game was tied heading into the 9th. Knoxville’s lights out reliever Chris Strain shut down the Lightning in the top frame, and all it took was a solo homer from Peter Crisp (.288, 10 HRs) to put the game away, a tough L for Ontario, but an exhilarating win for the nearly 50k fans.
Kansas City Royals0 @ Hartford HTFD Yankees
Yankees 7, Royals0 5
MVP: Devin McGuire: 1-1, walkoff 2 RBIs
Chicago WINNERS (37-8) @ Oakland Athletics (31-14)
Everyone’s eyes were on this primetime thriller, between 2 of the top teams in Bermuda Square. Surprisingly, there were only 41k fans at the stadium, but those that attended were treated to one of the best games of the season. Oakland jumped out to a huge 5-0 lead off of Chicago and Gavyn Michel was pulled for veteran Quinto Irizarry. However, the WINNERS got 3 back thanks to a homer from Reuben Lyon (.333, 17 HRs), and 3 more in the 5th on another dinger from star 2B Joel Boggs (.399, 28 HRs) to take a 6-5 lead. The Athletics retook the lead on a 2 run moonshot from their own 2B, Ian Chase (.360, 15 HRs). However, the Oakland owner had no tokens left, leaving his struggling starter Lincoln Shepard out to dry. While he did the best he could, an RBI double from Boggs and then 3 homers in the 9th sealed the deal in a 10-7 Chicago win.
Phoenix Psych-Out @ Vancouver Raincoats
Raincoats 8, Psych-Out 7
MVP: Fidele Atencio: 2 IP, 0 H, 2 K, Sv
Baltimore Orioles (32-13) @ Yonkers Renegades (34-11)
With a rivalry already in place between these 2 Ocean Star greats, every game was considered a marquee matchup, and 46,522 fans traveled to see the 3 time world champion Orioles take on the Renegades, who have 9 division titles in 11 seasons. Yonkers jumped out to a 3-2 lead off of Baltimore starter Alejandro Perron (4-3, 3.65 ERA), but the Orioles moved ahead with 3 solo homers from Misael Goldsmith, Teodor Teran, and Randall Livingston. However, the Renegades rallied once more off of Perron, scoring 3 of their own in the 7th and 8th to take a slim 1 run lead. After a leadoff double from Goldsmith, Livingston (.277, 13 HRs) was able to knock him in with a sac fly to tie it up. Star closer Lance Lucero was brought into the game, yet couldn’t even get out of the inning, as a sac fly from Camron Reuter (.363, 11 HRs) was enough for the win.
MVP: Hidalgo Rivera: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Grand Rapids BBBB @ San Diego Bombers
BBBB 5, Bombers 4
MVP: Ben Walsh: 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
Mayaguez Criollos @ Kansas City Royals0
Royals0 8, Criollos 7
MVP: Travis Vieira: 2-5, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
Thanks for reading...please share your thoughts in the comments!!
-Cyclones
