Los Angeles Lakers (70-42, .625, 1st NL West) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (49-62, .441, 6th NL West)
Shawna has built a good offense – they score well (3rd), hit the long ball (2nd), and control the strike zone (9th in Strike Outs) – but, offense alone, isn’t enough in Baseball, and what she hasn’t done is paired her 3rd rated offense with a Pitching staff worthy of sharing the same clubhouse. Not even close… Shawna and her brain trust have done the opposite here – they’ve somehow amassed a collection of misfit toys so malformed, so malfeasant, that the work they’ve managed to put forth should be considered a crime against baseball. They are, in short, the worst. We are 7-1 against them so far this season – we’ll be looking to improve that to 9-1 before heading south to Orlando.
113 of 162: Michael Brisk (10-6, 3.88) @ Gregory Highman (5-10, 4.89)
Win, 4-3. We’d rally late, scoring runs in the 8th & 9th, to secure the road win here – Brisky goes 8, gives up 3, and Larry Williams hits the solo homer in the top of the 9th that put us up for good. Rollins scored twice, we steal twice (Otto – 34, Lonzo – 27), and Newman threw MIN 2B Brentley Ioannidis out at home from deep in Right Field for the OF assist.
Roster Note: Ethan Mullens was reactivated after the game, we’ll have him in the lineup tomorrow. With Mullens coming off of the IL, we’ve sent young Oh Hong back to Compton. Hong went 3 for 11 (.273) with 1 RBI and 1 K during his stint with the big club.
114 of 162: Newton Weiser (5-3, 3.65) @ Octavio Cervera (5-6, 5.22)
Loss, 6-2. Shawn Scaramella (2 runs) and PJ Trudell (3 for 4, RBI) put it on us in this one – giving their hometown faithful a much-needed opportunity to cheer… Ethan is 0 for 4 in his return, Pepper hit his 19th double, and Newman swiped a bag. Weiser was chased out early as he only lasts 2.1 innings with 5 earned charged to his name. Note: Ash Newman has made 5 relief appearances, put in 7 innings worth of work, and has not allowed a single runner to plate – he’s starting to make a case for himself. Pepper was injured while running the bases – diagnosis pending.
Well, a split in a quick 2-game set isn’t the end of the world – sure, it’s hard to justify the fact that we didn’t come in and simply smash the T’Wolves – but, that is easier said than done. Elsewhere: 3B Mustafa Boltz (JAX) has signed a $43.2M extension for 2-years… the Hagerstown Hummers have dropped to 2nd place in the BL Independence Division having been replaced by the Naperville Nibblers – this is the first time since the end of the 1st week of the Bush League season that Hagerstown has slipped from the top of the division. Roster moves: CL Steven Barbaccia is back! We’ve slotted him right back into the closer role and have moved Rudolf to a set-up role… Mason Sandoval was optioned to Compton upon Barbaccia’s return.
