July 3rd through 6th 2055
So after getting the first win in Toledo the club was fired up for the games on July 3rd and 4th. We had a real opportunity to put some distance between us and the Neptunes who had dominated the South of the Border USA division for the last 3 years running. We had SP Val Imbert slated for the 2nd game of the series on the 3rd and Jose Cedeno scheduled to go on the 4th of July. Never easy in Toledo, but the club was focused and ready to put some more distance between us and them.
Game 2
July 3rd 2055
Ballpark of Toledo
A - 39,859
Val Imbert 5-5 4.36 vs RHSP Wally Townsend 5-3 3.90
Chicago 5, Toledo 4
Matt Graves starts the game by singling, stealing second, and scoring on a Prowler Ashley single—all within the first four pitches of the game. Both teams scored a few early runs. Toledo’s Stephen Rice homers, Dusty Murphy doubles in a run, and Luis González singles in Murphy. Graves hits a sac fly, Sean White drives in Reagan Osborn by grounding out, and Walker Drunse singles in a run. Both teams score one more run later, but Toledo manages to hold a slim lead from the third inning on. Chicago 5, Toledo 4.
2B W Dunse 2-4 RBI, CF C Luna DB R
CH HR - None
07/03/2055 RF José Aranda was injured while running the bases (Chicago @ Toledo) Obviously this was a huge blow to the club. Aranda was hitting 294/365/874 with 14 HR’s and 56 RBI’s (2nd on the team). His diagnosis was a torn ACL of his left knee and he would be out until most likely late February or early March and miss the rest of the season. The scrambling began almost immediately to see who was out there that might be available. 3B Cruz Torres would get an opportunity in the next few games, but the question was were we comfortable with that. We had to get through these games until we could make any move. We had our work cut out too as we were facing Neptunes RHSP Ned Keddy who was the top pitcher in the South of the Border League.
Game #3
July 4th 2055
Ballpark of Toledo
A - 39,905
Jose Cedeno 4-4 4.83 vs Ned Keddy 7-3 2.97
Chicago 11 Toledo 8
The Neptunes scored four in the first. Dusty Murphy doubles in one, Carlos Figueroa doubles in two, and Philippe Labbé doubles in Figueroa. The Neptunes take a 5-2 lead into the seventh, where the script flips. The Tect’s sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs. Cris Luna leads off the inning with a double. He also ends the scoring with a bases-clearing three-run double. Chicago 11, Toledo 8.
LF M Graves 4-5 DB, HR 4R 2 RBI BB 2SB, 1B R Osborn 3-5 HR 2R 4RBI’s CF C LUna 2-4 2DB, R, 3RBI, SS P Farrulla 2-5 R
CH HR - LF M Graves (5), 1B R Osborn (23)
Summary - A huge sweep of the Neptunes and after starting the season 1-5 against Toledo we had won 8 of the last 9 games against them. We were now carrying a 10 game lead over 3rd place Toledo and were 7 out in front of Duluth who were the next team up on our schedule.
July 5th Off Day
Chicago Architects 53-28 1st in the US @ Duluth Sea Gulls (43-36 2nd in the US)
July 6th-8th
Duluth’s Sea Gulls Field
Game #1
A - 34,997
Bill Lutz 7-3 4.61 vs RHSP Mike Normore 5-2 5.40
Chicago Architects 4 Duluth Sea Gulls 1
Pitching against his old team, Chicago’s Bill Lutz (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K) worked four perfect innings before walking a pair in the fifth. He takes a no-hitter into the eighth where he gives up a leadoff single to Bill Whalley. Reliever Ken Shannon can’t quite complete the shutout: he gives up a home run to Carlos Sánchez. For the Tects, Thomas Arnaud and Cruz Torres homer. It was a great win for the Architects, but another damaging injury to our club as 1B Reegan Osborn was helped off the field with a knee injury. The Architects have been hit very hard by injuries all season long. Chicago 4, Duluth 1.
Summary - We would be waiting to hear the injury on Osborn, we were making arrangements for 3B Larry Davis to join us in Duluth for the 2nd game of this big series.
Later after the game at a local medical facility, Chicago’s team trainer made the call to my cell phone.
Tuesday, July 6th , 2055 - Chicago Architects: 1B Reagan Osborn was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: sprained knee. This is a day-to-day injury expected to last 1-2 weeks.
He let me know that while the injury could potentially be played through, he recommended that we rest Osborn and not push it. With the size of our lead at the moment, I made the call that we would do that and put Osborn on the shelf, but I also made another call the next morning. We were going to try and swing a deal.