@ Vancouver Mounties (60-63, .487, 5th AL West)
Alright Pioneers fans, pack your raincoats and prepare for the scenic journey into the Great White North, where the Portland Pioneers are set to clash with the Vancouver Mounties. Currently lounging in fifth place with a cozy 60-63 record, the Mounties are masters of home field advantage, boasting a solid 38-25 record at their place—probably because they’ve trained their moose mascots to distract opposing pitchers. Despite their struggles on the road, Vancouver has been raking at the plate, leading the league in runs scored and home runs. But don't let those stats fool you—our Pioneers are ready to expose their pitching staff that’s about as reliable as a leaky canoe. So, get ready for a series filled with maple syrup, majestic mountains, and hopefully, a few big wins for Portland!
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP N. Barilla (7-4, 3.02) vs RHP R. Galan (11-10, 4.26)
RHP W. Macomber (11-8, 2.98) vs RHP T. Abraham (7-4, 3.59)
RHP M. Holman (5-11, 3.83) vs RHP H. Vaughn (9-7, 2.86)
#124: Loss, 0-2… In a classic display of offensive ineptitude, our Pioneers couldn’t buy a run even if they pooled all their lunch money together. Despite
SP Norman Barilla's commendable performance on the mound, holding the Vancouver Mounties scoreless through six innings, the Pioneers' bats were quieter than a library at midnight. Standout performances from
DH Frodo Gonzales, who managed a couple of hits, and
C Chaz Gildea, who chipped in with a single, were not enough to crack
Russ Galan, Vancouver's resident ace and thorn in our side. Meanwhile, the Mounties’
1B Hunfredo Tavares decided to channel his inner superstar, knocking in two clutch singles and ultimately orchestrating the game-winning rally. The Mounties slipped past our Pioneers with a 2-0 victory, leaving Portland pondering where they left their offensive mojo.
#125: Win, 10-4… The Pioneers’ offensive explosion in the third inning was headlined by
CF Micky Austin, who launched a grand slam that sent Mounties’ starter
Tom Abraham packing and the hometown faithful into a slumber.
SS Skyler Dickey also flexed his power with a towering two-run homer in the sixth, while
1B Angel Marino stayed hot, racking up hits and scoring runs like he had something to prove. On the mound,
SP William Macomber pitched five solid innings, giving up just one run and keeping the Vancouver bats mostly silent. Despite the Mounties’ late attempt to rally, including a monstrous two-run homer by
C Shawn Klein, the Pioneers’ bullpen shut the door, ensuring Vancouver never had a chance to mount a serious comeback.
#126: Win, 10-2… The boys went on a hitting spree, trouncing the Vancouver Mounties 10-2. Despite a shaky start, where
RF Peter Claw of the Mounties launched a solo home run off SP Micah Holman, the Pioneers quickly took control.
SS Skyler Dickey was the hero of the day, blasting a two-run homer in the 4th inning that set the tone.
1B Angel Marino and
LF Simon Harris were relentless, each racking up multiple hits and RBIs, with Marino's aggressive baserunning causing havoc for Vancouver.
SP Hunter Vaughn of the Mounties struggled on the mound, allowing 10 hits and six runs before being mercifully pulled. All in all, it was a dominant performance by the Pioneers, with
Dickey and
Marino shining brightest, and poor
Hunter Vaughn likely considering a career change by the end of the night.
Elsewhere: LF Tyler Hill had a game to remember, kicking things off with a solo homer in his first at-bat, launching the ball 371 feet like he was sending it airmail. He later added a double to his tally in the 4th inning, setting up another run to score. Not content with a single long ball,
Hill went yard again in the 8th with a 2-run homer, solidifying his status as the Berserkers’ heavy hitter of the day. For the game his Reno Berserkers defeated the Ontario Dumplings, in their park, by a score of 10-3.
Record: 68-58, .539, 3rd AL West
Up Next: The boys will travel to Sin City for a three-game set against the Las Vegas Outlaws inside the lobby of the Mandalay Bay… or not, we’ll likely hold the game in Sin City Park. More seats, better concessions…