[DD Martin]

Chicago Architects
Season Opener and the Opening Week on the road

Chicago 83-72 2nd last season @ Detroit 58-86 5th

Last year Detroit was 58-86 last season. Chicago won the season series against Detroit 17-7 and we led the all-time series 473-383. Detroit is predicted to finish 4th in the US Division with a record of 67-77.

Pitching matchups

Chicago @ Detroit (pitcher records are 2054 season)
RHSP Yale Hulbert (12-9 4.07) vs RHSP Bill Clary (10-13 4.16)
RHSP Jose Cedeno (12-12 4.71) vs RHSP Joo-seok Kim (6-12 5.27)
RHSP John Moore (4-2 4.32) vs LHSP Dwayne Miller (10-5 4.66)

Game #1 Friday April 2, 2055
Detroit Thunderbirds Ballpark
A: 39,727

Detroit Thunderbirds 5 Chicago Architects 3
Like Thunder Bay, Chicago’s road back to the Championship Series starts with a hiccup. That hiccup comes in the form of 20-year-old T-Birds first baseman Mal Johnston. Playing in his first major league game, Mal Johnston. Johnston goes 3-for-4 with a two-run home run. Welcome to the big leagues, Mal! Too bad Chicago hit 3 home runs but had no base runners on base….. Detroit 5, Chicago 3.

RF J Ashley 2-5 DB 1B R Osborn 2-4, SP Y Hulburt 5IP 4H 2R 1ER 2BB 6K (L 0-1)
HR - C S. White (1), 2B K Noseworthy (1) LF M Graves (1)

Game #2 Saturday April 3rd, 2055
Detroit Thunderbirds Ballpark
A: 32,097

Chicago Architects 2 Detroit T-Birds 1
Great pitching duel as Chicago’s Juan “Pongo” Cedeño (7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W 1-0) takes a shutout into the eighth. He gets pulled after giving up Detroit’s first run of the game. For the Architects, Walker Dunse singles in a run, and Kent Noseworthy doubles in a run. Chicago 2, Detroit 1.
DH J Aranda 2-3 DB BB R , RP K Shannon 1.1 0H 0BB, 2K’s Save (1)
HR - none

Game #3 Sunday April 4th, 2055
Detroit Thunderbirds Ballpark
A: 25,313

Chicago Architects 4 Detroit Thunderbirds 0

Coming back from a long injury that cut short his 2054 season, Chicago’s John Moore (9IP 2H 2BB 0R 4K’s Win 1-0) makes it look easy. He gives up two singles and two walks and that’s all. He completed a two-hit shutout on just 94 pitches. If this pitching keeps up for Chicago, they may win 100 games. Chicago 4, Detroit 0.

SS W Dunse 2-4 DB R, RF J Ashley 2-4 DB, R, RBI, LF S Amsden 2-4 R
HR - none



So after a shaky start in game 1, we right the ship and have 2 great pitching performances that have us feeling pretty good. Maybe this will be the year of the pitcher, but after seeing some of the other scores across the league this opening weekend has me questioning that. Still a 2-1 start on the road even if it is against a team that isn’t considered to be a factor in the US Division is a start I will take. We head off to Milwaukee next

Chicago Architects 2-1 @ Milwaukee Eagles 0-3

Last season saw the Eagles struggle mightily as they finished last in the USA division with a 56-88 record and Chicago won the season series 17-7. Chicago also leads the all time series 464-377.

Based on the pre-season predictions things are not really looking up for the Eagles who are again predicted to bring up the rear in the USA Division but showing some improvement to a 62-82 record.

Probably Pitching Matchups
RHSP Val Imbert 12-10 4.87 with Detroit vs LHSP Donald Hubbard 6-8 4.37
RHSP Bill “Flamethrower” Lutz 11-10 4.45 vs RHSP Billy “Dude” Hill 6-14 4.81
RHSP Yale Hulbert 0-0 1.80 ERA vs RHSP Kent Bennett 0-0 2.84



Tuesday April 6th, 2055 Chicago @ Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s The Nest Ballpark
A - 39,617

Chicago Architects 9 Milwaukee Eagles 0
The only other team not to win a game thus far is Milwaukee. Could they get off the schneid against their Illinois rivals? In a word, no...


Val Imbert (7IP 3H, 0R, 0BB, 8K’s W 1-0) makes his debut for the Architects, and he pitches seven shutout innings, allowing three hits (all singles), walking not a soul, and striking out eight. He gets plenty of run support, too, with Thomas Arnaud homering and José Aranda tripling and doubling in runs. Chicago 9, Milwaukee 0

3B T Arnaud 3-5 HR, DB 2R 2RBI, DH J Aranda 2-5 DB, TP, R, 2RBI, RF J Ashley 3-5 TP, 2R 2RBI, SB
CH HR - 3B T Arnaud (1)

Wednesday April 7th, 2055 Chicago @ Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s The Nest Ballpark
A - 27,340

Milwaukee Eagles 12 Chicago Architects 5
The Eagles win their first game of the season. Rookie Randy Hiscock hits his first major-league home run. Congratulations, Randy! Seung-Jun Park scores four runs, and Kennelly Mulford goes 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored, and three RBIs. Milwaukee 12, Chicago 5.

C S White 2-4 2R, SB, LF M Graves 3-4 1R 2 RBI
Chicago HR -None

Thursday April 8th, 2055 Chicago @ Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s The Nest Ballpark
A - 32,300

Chicago Architects 17 Milwaukee Eagles 8
The Architects rattle off 18 hits, walk 10 times, and score 17 runs. José Aranda, Walker Dunse, Reagan Osborn, and Thomas Arnaud all homer. Reagan’s home run is a grand slam! Osborn also singles twice, walks thrice, and scores four runs. Dunse’s home run is his only hit, but he, too, scores four runs. Chicago 17, Milwaukee 8.

1B R Osborn 3-3 HR,4R, 4RBI, 3BB, SB, SS W Duns 1-4 HR, 2RBI, 4R, 2BB, RF J Ashley 3-5 2R 1BB SB, C S White 303 R, 2RBI 2BB, SS S Lefevre 2-2 DB 3RBI

CH HR’s - DH J Aranda (1), SS W Dunse (1), 1B R Osborn (1), 3B T Arnaud (2)

Summary - The first week is in the books and we go 4-2 on the road, but the downside is it is against the lower division teams in the USA Division. Still a good start and we are still healthy so that is always a bonus. I really think this is a 1st place team, but a lot of that will be decided by injuries and how players respond. There will be tough times and it is how you rebound from those things that normally determine how the season will go.