[pauwoo]

Portland Pioneers (72-63, .533, 4th AL West) @ Detroit Motors (53-82, .392, 6th AL East)
Less Eminem, more Kid Rock, these Detroit Motors are a shopworn, tired outfit built on the cliches of a bygone era that some folks like to cling to as if it were a pair of water wings in the kiddie pool. And, while they don’t have a lot going for them, they do have a few bright spots languishing on their roster – names like SP Trevor Dotson, whose 6-10 record and 2.33 ERA don’t seem to jive, and LF Palmer Parker, a 33yo 2x Boyce Rigg winner who has 17 TANKS so far this year, each flex a Detroit kit… but, as ever, the drop-off after those two is as treacherous as it is steep. What this set represents is an opportunity. For us. An opportunity for the boys to get back on the good foot and to start making some real inroads towards claiming the last playoff spot in the American League.

Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP W. Macomber (11-8, 3.49) vs RHP T. Dotson (6-10, 2.33)
RHP K. Voll (10-4, 3.19) vs RHP M. Ferguson (4-2, 3.56)
RHP B. Sánchez (12-9, 3.23) vs LHP J. Chacon (6-8, 3.90)

#136: Win, 8-7… a real, rock ‘em, sock ‘em slobber knocker the likes of which Detroit hasn’t seen since Kronk Gym was putting on boxing events 2 to 3 times a week… with our own Frodo Gonzales hitting the run-scoring single during the top of the 6th that would ultimately decide the game after Wyatt, Leo, and Aitor each had driven in two to knot things up after the Motors posted a 5-run bottom of the 4th. Two doubles, a 2-run homer from Wyatt, and a SAC FLY from Aitor would round things out nicely for us on offense while the defense fielded two crispy double plays in support of our staff as reliever Miguel Cejas picked up his first win of the season and CL Payton Inzen secured his 27th save.

What we need is wins… any & all of them, so – we’ll take it.

#137: Loss, 1-2… we’ve petered out, reached the end of the line, we’ve met our full potential and have been found wonting. Which is an overwrought way of saying that this thing, a successful first season as the newly crowned GM of these Portland Pioneers, is likely no longer in the cards given our poor form of late. Frodo put one out, his 15th long ball of the season so far, but it represented our sole extra-base hit, and RP Morris Jones dropped to 3-6 after giving us two hard-scrabble innings of work where he’d allow just one run… the game-winning, solo DING DONG from CF Erhard Maze.

#138: Win, 5-3… finally, in what seems like forever, we’d find a way to win a series with Frodo leading the way for us in this one, bringing in the game winning runs during the top of the 7th on a single. 1B Angel Marino brought two in on a double, Leo finished 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored, and Bernal Sanchez picked up his 13th victory after putting in 6-innings of work where he’d allow 3 runners to plate… save #28 for Payton, who finished things off with a 16-pitch bottom of the 9th, closing the door on this set to help the club stay within 2 games of a wildcard slot – look, we hoped to make up some ground, but, with the way things have been going running in place will work too.

Record: 74-64, .536, 4th AL West
Up Next: Our road trip continues with a stop in Mexico City for a 3-game set against the Jaguars.