Quanah Quackers (6-6, .500, 5th) @ Decatur Donnybrooks (9-3, .750, 1st)
At 6-6 so far in 2087, the Quanah Quackers are better than their record suggests – not much better, just better. Their offense sits in the middle of the road – they hit so-so (4th in Avg), they get on base so-so (4th OBP), they score runs so-so (5th), and when it comes to HR’s – they get squished, like grape (9th HR’s). Serviceable at the plate – they got a little bit of what it takes, but not enough to get started (album number ten!). Pitching, then, is where Quanah shines – 1st in RA & Starters ERA, 3rd in Bullpen ERA, and 2nd in both FIP and pWAR– they can huck it alright. With Tommy Bell as their Ace – a classic Fastballer with a wicked Change – they always have a shot to put a bad one on you when he takes the hill. Add in Danny Lamb (Fastball (99 MPH) & Slider) and Ron Kryshak – devastating curve – and you have yourself a solid staff – capable of keeping things close enough for their middling offense to get enough across to secure some W’s. And – can I just say that these guys keep it more than close most of the time – Quanah has a +15 rDiff and according to the Pyt should be 8-4 & near the top of the table with us and Waxahachie. They’re nobodies patsy – and unlike us, the Quackers are coming off a sweep (at home over the Denton Dilly’s) and looking to do some damage….
13 of 54: Ron Kryshak (1-0, 3.00) @ Jason White (1-0, 0.00)
Win, 3-0… So, about that Quanah offense – they are actually pretty clueless about some pretty important things – like hitting baseballs at key moments. They’d outhit us in this one 8-7, but we found ways to get runs across and managed to get our hits in the moments that counted. Kryshak performs admirably – 7IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K – but couldn’t get any run support because Jason White twirled a 7.1 inning 6 hit masterpiece. He’d add 7 K’s to his tally and managed to keep his scoreless inning streak intact – 15.2 innings of work so far and no earned runs. Kymani hit a 2-run double, Mendoza, Davis, and Kuiper scored, and Hessler went 2 for 2 with a walk. Solid start to the set.
14 of 54: Juan Maria (1-0, 2.92) @ Dan Crawford (1-0, 1.04)
Win, 6-0… Stop me if you heard this one before: So, about that Quanah… man, they can’t hit a lick! Crawford gives us 6 innings of 3 hit ball with 9 K’s, and Alejandro Hernandez is a one-man
hurtin’ crue (
DECENDENTS!)… 2 for 3 with a HR, 3 RBI, and 2 runs. Firing on all cylinders – we hit a team cycle in this one – Kuiper gets us the double, Hessler gets us the triple, and Hernandez gets us the bomb – a towering solo blast in the bottom of the 2nd. Hey – we’re pretty good – we got a double play, a sac bunt (Crawford), and a Sac Fly (McGill) in this one too. Dominating every single facet of the game, folks!
15 of 54: Jose Del Toro (1-1, 2.92) @ Steve Merryman (0-0, 8.68)
Win, 2-0… Um, you guys, we swept them… AND kept them scoreless for 3 straight! Where’s our parade?!? I’ve not seen much of this in my many, many, many days of playing OOTP. Merryman went 6 innings and gave up 5 hits while striking out 8 and Brandon Kuiper went 2 for 4 with an RBI (hey, it was a low scoring game, what can I say…). David and Segobia scored – and that’s about it for highlights. This wasn’t exactly the finale of a 4th of July fireworks show – but we’ll take it. Break out the brooms!
Listen, after this complete annihilation of the Quanah Quackers, I fully expect the fans to burn whatever hotel we call our home during our visit down. To the ground. With us in it.
