[ayaghmour2]

April 25th, 1904: Nothing better then a double header to start a crazy five game series when you don't have another off day for what seems like an eternity!

But before that, Wildcats SS Manuel Contreras and Brooklyn 1B Lyle Raymond were the Players of the Week.

We checked in one spot higher at 7th in the Power Rankings. 11-8, we sit 3 games out of first and just 1 out of second.

Game 1 of 2 saw Nate McCue (2-1, 3.90 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) take on Lance Peterson (2-2, 7.77 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) in a game we really should win handily. Of course, Peterson beat us earlier in the year while McCue lost, so who really knows what could happen...

What did happen, of course, was a pitiful performance on our half, and we were topped 6-1, with every run except one in the last two innings.

McCue went 8 with 7 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 10 strikeouts. Tobias Laranjeira still hasn't looked the same, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs with a walk and strikeout in the 9th.

Andy Palme was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Josh Stevens was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. McCue was 1-for-2 with a walk. Damian Salcido was 1-for-3 with a walk.

No rest for the wicked, however, as Cody Hall (1-1, 2.57 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) took the second game against Ignacio Mosqueda (0-1, 9.64 ERA, 2.14 WHIP). Another game we "should" win, but instead decided to lose 6-3...

This is going to be fun...

Andy Palme left with an oblique strain, and would hit the DL for the minimum.

Hall went 5 with 8 hits, 6 runs, and 4 strikeouts. Josh Fisher allwoed a hit and got a strikeout in 2 innings, so he wouldn't start tomorrow. Matt Macias went 2 with a hit, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

Salcido was 2-for-5. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Jesus Camargo was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Jeremy Bell was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Philadelphia's Alpo Vaarakallio tossed a 3-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Boston. Cincinnati's Carson Reffitt allowed 6 hits in a 13-0 shutout over the Wildcats.

April 26th, 1904: Since he had the luxury of being on the 40-Man Roster, Bobby Smarsh will head up from Grand Rapids. He's hitting .357/.438/.429 with 4 RBI's, albeit in 14 at bats.

Rhett Wigmore would make his first career start against Bill Rivera (0-3, 10.80 ERA, 2.35 WHIP). I didn't expect to win this game, because the Cajuns just dominate us for some reason. After this 8-4 loss, 5 of their 9 victories have came against us...

Wigmore allowed 7 runs off 7 hits with 4 walks and a strikeout in 4 innings. Fisher went 2 with a hit, run, and 3 strikeouts.

Giobbe Capuana was 2-for-3 with 2 walks and a run scored. Damian Salcido was 2-for-5 with a solo homer. Justin Arrington was 1-for-5 with a two run homer. Jesse Chesley was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored.

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I never do this, but I stopped in the middle of a "write up" to continue later. Usually I play all the games I "set aside" but with being super angry at the game and being super hungry, I thought this was a perfect time to put the game away...

Okay, after a real life break involving a delicious dinner, a flag football win, and some real life baseball watching, I was ready to come back to my imaginary reality.

Let's just see if the players were too...

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April 27th, 1904: We looked to snap our huge drought against the Cajuns with Matt Puckett (0-2, 7.77 ERA, 1.77 WHIP) attempting to not suck against Steve Hudson (2-1, 5.40 ERA, 1.35 WHIP). Bobby Smarsh was in the lineup and would make his season debut. I think he may be the key to victory, as we absolutely demolished the ball, getting 16 hits ina 13-4 win.

I think it's more hits then the first three games...

Puckett wasn't terrible, 8 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs, and 10 strikeouts. Josh Fisher struck out 2 and allowed a hit in the 9th.

Giobbe Capuana was a perfect 3-for-3 with 4 runs, 3 RBI's, 2 walks, and 2 solo shots. Jesus Camargo was 3-for-5 with 2 runs and 3 driven in. Mike Koski was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and RBI. Damian Salcido was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and one driven in. Smarsh was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored. Josh Stevens launched a pinch-hit grand slam in the 8th.

That one felt good!

April 28th, 1904: Tough news for the 35-year-old RHP Kjeld Schwartz, who's career ended not by choice, but because of a torn rotator cuff. The Dutch native has been a solid pen guy, working 621 innings between 1891-1904 with Baltimore, St. Louis, New York, Buffalo, Milwaukee, and New York again. He has a 3.59 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 639 strikeouts, and 196 saves. He threw just 1 inning in two games, allowing 2 hits and a walk with a single strikeout for the Rebels.

We looked to salvage the finale with Eric Thomas (1-2, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) going against Jaime Bottorff (1-2, 4.28 ERA, 1.54 WHIP). In a tight game wire-to-wire, we managed to hold off the Cajuns, and escaped with a 4-3 win in the finale.

Thomas went 8 with 8 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts. Tobias Laranjeira earned the save, allowing just a hit in a scoreless 9th.

Thomas was also our best hitter, going 2-for-3 with a double, solo homer, and 2 runs scored. Damain Salcido was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

The tired team did not have to travel, as we'd welcome the Chicago Cardinals to town for a three game series. At just 3-19, they are bound to come in to town and absolutely dominate us. We'd face Chris Overson (0-0, 0.96 ERA), Orlando Vigil (0-2, 5.76 ERA), and Bobby Goldberg (0-5, 6.57 ERA).

April 29th, 1904: The 29-year-old Rookie Chris Overson (0-0, 0.96 ERA, 0.86 ERA) made his first big league start against D.J. Ruhnke (4-0, 1.93 ERA, 0.81 WHIP). Overson has just 10 big league innings under his belt, which is disappointing for the former 2nd Round selection of Brooklyn in 1893. Thankfully, we managed to escape with a 5-4 win in the opener.

Ruhnke had his worst start of the season, but still came with the win after an 8 inning, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 walk, and 11 strikeouts performance. Laranjeira tossed a perfect 9th with 2 strikeouts.

Jorge Rancier had a great game, 3-for-3 with a walk and solo homer. Jesus Camargo was 2-for-3 with a solo homer and 2 runs scored. Jeremy Bell was 2-for-4 with a two run double. Josh Stevens was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

April 30th, 1904: And just like that, we looked to stretch our three game win streak to four, with Nate McCue (2-2, 3.79 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) taking on the 23-year-old Orlando Vigil (0-2, 5.76 ERA, 1.56 WHIP). He did not looked phased, and the game was tied at just 2 after 9. Mike Leach hit a solo homer off Laranjeira in the top of the 10th to give the Cards a 3-2 lead. We had a chance to score, but Carl Firestone got Jeremy Bell to ground into a game ending play, and the Cardinals picked up just their 4th win of the year.

McCue looked good, 8 strong innings with just 4 hits, 2 runs, and 6 strikeouts. Laranjeira pitched an inning plus, allowing 3 hits, a run, walk, and strikeout.

Josh Stevens and Damian Salcido were both 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Jesus Camargo was 1-for-3 with a walk.

May 1st, 1904: Happy May! After just a 14-12 April, I'm hoping for a much better May!

Milwaukee 1B Al Birkbeck and Phialdelphia CF Jon Alvarado were Batters of the Month. Our very own SP D.J. Runke and Phialdelphia SP Alp Vaarakaillio were Pitchers of the Month. New York CF Robun Fujimoto and Philadelphia 1B Gabe Solis were Rookies of the Month.

As expected, Philadelphia is really good, and went 19-6, explaining why they swept the NL awards.

In St. Joseph, CF Justin MacFarland was named Batter of the Month. He hit .515 with 5 homers and 22 RBI's as well as going 9-for-11 in stolen base attempts. A level higher in Grand Rapids, our #2 prospect RF Jonathan Simmons was American League Batter of the Month. The 23-year-old hit .333 with 6 homers and 18 RBI's. He's definitely big league ready, and if Josh Stevens doesn't turn things around, the former 8th overall pick can take his spot.

We really, really, really needed to win this series, with Cody Hall (1-2, 4.74 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) facing the actually talented Travis Edwards (0-3, 3.80 ERA, 1.45 WHIP), a solid, albeit fragile and lowish stamina one. Of course, the team found a way to let it get away, and we somehow lost 7-6...

Hall went 6 with 7 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and 3 strikeouts. I'd be more mad about the unearned runs, but we scored two off an error as well. Simon Ellingson was tagged with the loss, 3 hits and 2 runs with a walk and 3 strikeouts in 2 innings.

Mike Koski was 3-for-4 with a double, steal, walk, run scored, and RBI. Jeremy Bell was 2-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI's. Jesse Chesley was 2-for-4 with a walk, run, and steal. Mike Legg was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored.

Well, despite that extremely dissapointing season, we still sit slightly above .500 (14-13) and just 2.5 out of a playoff spot. Off to Washington for four with the Wildcats. Expect to see Willis Salinas (3-1, 2.70 ERA), former Charger Juan Barajas (1-1, 4.50 ERA), Jose Gonzalez (1-0, 2.23 ERA), and the struggling Marcos Hernandez (2-3, 6.18 ERA), who's bound to pitch like an ace against us just to spite me. They are also slightly above .500, 13-12 to start the year.

I should also mention that Giobbe Capuana is leading the league with 10 homers and 26 RBI's.

And the Buffalo Calvary have the same amount of wins (2-23) as the Cardinals do against us alone...

Oh yeah, and the Cajuns still only have 9 wins, 5 against us...