[DD Martin]

Another catchup post as we move 2 weeks to the All-Star Break

June 9th-12th

Poor defense sabotages the Gulls. Duluth takes a 4-1 lead into the seventh. Chicago’s Thomas Arnaud homers. Walker Dunse singles, steals second, takes third on a grounder, and scores when the first baseman drops the ball on the would-be third out of the inning. In the eighth, Prowler Ashley reaches base on an error. He steals second, and comes around to score on a pair of sac flies. That ties the game, 4-4. In the 10th, José Aranda doubles, and Sean White singles him in. Chicago 5, Duluth 4

Chicago’s Prowler Ashley singles in the second. That would be the only hit allowed by Duluth’s Tim Gross (8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 K). After Ashley, Gross retires the next 14 Architects. He walks a man, then retires the next six. Hervé Smart pitches a perfect ninth to get the save. Oh, and Gross and Smart needed to pitch a shutout. The Gulls only score one run. In the second, Jorge Rangel triples, and Joe Hunt singles him in. Duluth 1, Chicago 0.

Bill Lutz (5.2 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K) and two Tects relievers shutout the Neptunes. Chicago leads the whole way. José Aranda doubled in Reagan Osborn in the first. Osborn, in turn, doubles in a run in the third. Chicago 4, Toledo 0.

Chicago’s J.J. Walker (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K) takes a shutout into the seventh and picks up his fourth win. Thomas Arnaud singles in a run, Sean White doubles in a run, and Reagan Osborn homers. Chicago 3, Toledo 1.

June 13th-16th

The Neptunes take a 3-1 lead into the ninth. Two singles and a Prowler Ashley double scored one for the Tects. A sac fly scores a second. Tie game, 3-3. In the 10th, Juan Durán singles, Sean White doubles, and Prowler Ashley singles in Duran. The Architects sweep the Neptunes. Chicago 4, Toledo 3.

June 14th off day

With the injuries to starters Yale Hulbert and John Moore, Chicago is lucky to have Joe Johnson to step up. Today, Johnson (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 12 K) pitches his best game of the season. He's undefeated 4-0 in eight starts. Chicago 5, Milwaukee 0.

This game goes into the seventh tied, 1-1. Schnozz hits a three-run homer, giving the Eagles a 4-1 lead. The Tects re-tie the game in the eighth. Samuel Amsden scores on a wild pitch. Prowler Ashley doubles in two. In the 11th, Amsden singles in Juan Durán. The Tects win their fifth straight game. The Eagles lose their seventh straight game. Chicago 5, Milwaukee 4.

June 17th-20th

Chicago’s Sean White goes 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a double. Walker Dunse goes 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Bill Lutz (5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K) worked his way out of jams. Chicago 5, Milwaukee 1.

Detroit scores four in the first and four in the second. Stan Gillis doubles in two, and Larry Thomson hits a pair of RBI singles. Detroit 9, Chicago 6

Detroit’s Stan Gillis and Mal Johnston terrorize Chicago pitchers. Gillis goes 4-for-5 with a three-run home run, three doubles, and four runs scored. Mal Johnston goes 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and four runs driven in. Detroit 13, Chicago 3.

Detroit’s Yan Heerens hits two two-run home runs. The Tects hit no home runs, but they do score more often. Rookie Pedro Farrulla goes 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Thomas Arnaud goes 3-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI, and three runs scored. Chicago 8, Detroit 6.

Summary - We get 3B Thomas Arnaud back on June 9th which is a welcome relief. While IF Larry Davis hit well (346/345/865 1HR, 9 RBI's and 9 runs scored) and deserved a better fate, he was optioned back to AAA and will await his next opportunity. The front office was impressed with him though and hope to see him back for the roster expansion date. He will be a candidate for the playoff roster as we will likely pare down our pitching staff by 1 or 2 for the playoffs.

A huge sweep of Toledo during this period and then also sweeping last place Milwaukee, but the losing 2 out of 3 against Detroit right before the All-Star break left a serious bad taste in the clubhouse. We get Detroit again on the other side of the break.

No significant injuries to report so hopefully we have put the injury bug behind us for good.