Vs. Seattle Metros (73-74, .497, 5th AL West)
A set, at home, against our natural rival, who, so far this season, have been playing under an unrelenting canopy of clouds that reform each time the sun breaks for a while to deliver sheets of PNW rain all over their parade, is a daunting task… and, it doesn’t much matter the state that they’re in. These are games you get up for, an opportunity to rain on our parade, to make our route to the dance fraught with danger, to be the pothole that blows our tire. Seattle’s pitching has been their backbone, boasting the second-best starter ERA in the league (3.44) and a strong bullpen (3.72 ERA, 4th), though their offense has struggled, ranking ninth in runs scored (573) and 11th in batting average (.243). The season series favors the Metros slightly at 9-6, and with standout pitchers like
Adam Gunter (17-8, 2.55 ERA) and
Morten Fauske (14-7, 3.95 ERA) headlining the matchups, we will need strong showings from our arms, including ace
Jeremiah Fletchall (10-2, 1.85 ERA). Look for key performances from Seattle’s veterans,
RF Patrick Adams and
LF Roberto Ruelas, as they battle for pride and momentum down the stretch.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP W. Macomber (13-9, 3.02) vs RHP B. Dauncey (10-11, 3.86)
RHP J. Fletchall (10-2, 1.85) vs RHP M. Fauske (14-7, 3.95)
RHP M. Holman (7-12, 3.76) vs LHP A. Gunter (17-8, 2.55)
#148: Win, 2-1… With our umbrellas flexed, the boys pulled off a tense 2-1 victory over the Metros at Pendleton Park, led by a rip-roaring outing from
SP William Macomber. Your boy hurled seven innings of one-run ball, striking out nine and scattering five hits to earn his 14th win of the season.
3B Shane Fukumoto delivered the game-winning hit in the seventh, driving in
Micky Austin with a two-out single to break a 1-1 tie. Catcher
Chaz Gildea also contributed with an early RBI double in the second inning.
CL Noah DiMaio slammed the door in the ninth for his 44th save, solidifying our grip on the second AL Wild Card spot… there’s still some work to do, of course, but winning a close one against our I-5 enemies is a good way to put one foot in front of the other as we continue to slog towards the finish line.
Elsewhere: Philadelphia Liberty first baseman
Satoru Ono etched his name into the MLB record books Tuesday night, crushing a solo home run in the fourth inning off Brooklyn’s
Hank Wilson for the 300th homer of his illustrious career. Ono’s milestone blast, his 28th of the season, showcased his continued prowess at the plate and provided a spark in the Liberty’s eventual 4-3, 13-inning victory. The veteran slugger also drew a walk and played steady defense, helping anchor Philadelphia's lineup and defense in a memorable night.
#149: Win, 7-3… Here we’d use a mix of solid pitching and timely power to defeat the Metros, 7-3, at home, in front of our wives, girlfriends, kids, and children.
SP Micah Holman turned in a gutsy start, going 6.1 innings and striking out six while allowing three earned runs.
RP Patrick Frost stepped up in relief, securing a six-out save to close the door on the Metros.
SS Skyler Dickey got us rolling early with a two-run homer in the second inning, while solo blasts from
DH Frodo Gonzales and
CF Micky Austin in the eighth sealed the win. Austin also showcased his versatility with two stolen bases. On the basepaths,
Satoru Fukumoto burgled two bags of his own to bring his season total to 44. A nice series win for the boys as we gear up to try to even the season series at 9 wins each with a sweep in front of the hometown faithful tomorrow.
#150: Loss, 0-2… We fell victim to a pitching masterclass as
SP Adam Gunter and the Seattle Metros dealt us a crushing 2-0 shutout at Pendleton Park and secured the moral victory of owning a 10-8 mark head-to-head against us this season.
Gunter was in complete command, scattering just four hits across nine innings, striking out 10, and stranding eight of our guys on base. A solo homer by
2B Zen Wakabayashi in the sixth and a clutch two-out RBI single from
1B William Meadows proved to be all the offense Seattle needed. Despite a valiant effort by our starter
Terry Singleton, who struck out eight over 8.2 innings and allowed just four hits himself, our bats couldn’t crack the code. Our playoff hopes remain alive, but the offense will need to wake up to stay competitive down the homestretch.
Record: 82-68, .547, 3rd AL West
Up Next: We’ll board a flight to Colorado for a 3-game set at altitude against the division leading, 85-65, Kings.