[ayaghmour2]

September 12th, 1904: Milwaukee 1B Al Birkbeck and Philadelphia RF Ben Donaldson were named Players of the Week.

We fell to 8th in the Power Rankings. At 76-66, we are 7.5 out of second as we continue to fall farther out of the playoffs.

We'd probably drop another game in St. Louis, with Josh Fisher (4-11, 4.41 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) facing Ron Howard (12-3, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP). We couldn't get the offense going, and dropped the opener 3-1.

Fisher went 8 with 5 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts.

Ben Etienne was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-4 with a double. Justin Arrington was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Chicago SS Angelo Rios was 5-for-6 in a 4-3 win over New Orleans. The 22-year-old is a rising star who was a 2nd Round Pick of the Cardinals in 1901.

September 13th, 1904: The middle match pitted Jorge Montalvo (3-0, 2.66 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) against Matt Nesgoda (12-8, 3.39 ERA, 1.18 WHIP). After tieing the game with a three run 9th, Julio Montes took Tobias Laranjeira deep in the bottom of the 10th, and our comeback was in vain after a 6-5 loss.

Montalvo allowed 7 hits and 5 runs with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Jonathan Hyde went 2.1 innings with 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Tobias Laranjeira went 1.1 innings with a hit, run, and strikeout.

Jorge Rancier was 2-for-4 with a double, triple, run, and RBI. Alex Nagel was 1-for-4 with a three run homer. Omar Atillio was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Montalvo was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Red Hawks SP Mike Gardenhire tossed a 3-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in a 13-0 domination of the Mustangs.

September 14th, 1904: The St. Louis Lightning will return to the postseason for the 12th straight year. After missing the playoffs the first 23 years of their existence, they've made it every year since. At 96-49, they are 12.5 games ahead of the Rebels.

Speaking of the Lightning, they'd look to finish off the sweep with Jim McNiff (16-6, 2.46 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) taking on D.J. Ruhnke (19-11, 4.14 ERA, 1.18 WHIP). Tied at 4 after 9, the Lightning walked us off again, winning the finale and finishing the sweep with a 5-4 win...

Ruhnke went 6 with 5 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Laranjeira got another loss, 1.1 innings with 2 hits, a run, walk, and 2 strikeouts.

Ben Etienne was 2-for-5 with a two run homer. Zack Lawrence was 2-for-6 with a double and 2 RBI's. Seth Bland was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored.

Washington's Marcos Hernandez struck out 18 in a 12-5 win over the Rebels. This is the 2nd 18 strikeout game of his career, and the 2nd of 18 or more this season with Bobby Brosius breaking the single game record with 19 a few weeks ago.

Our final road series of the year starts in Chicago with three against the last place Cardinals. We'd take on Bobby Goldberg (9-16, 5.43 ERA), Chris van der Linden (2-0, 3.27 ERA), Orlando Vigil (8-12, 5.27 ERA), and Andy Riffle (1-2, 4.50 ERA).

September 15th, 1904: We looked to get back in the win column with Matt Puckett (12-9, 4.85 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) looking to get back on track against the "red hot" Bobby Goldberg (9-16, 5.43 ERA, 1.43 WHIP). Neither offense was hot, but we managed to escape with a 3-1 win.

Puck went 6 with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 11 strikeouts. Tyler Bienvenu and Yu-wei Li picked up holds before Tobias Laranjeira got the save. Bienvenu struck out both batters he face, Li struck out 2 with a hit in 1.2 innings, and Laranjeira struck out 1 in 0.2.

Zack Lawrence was 1-for-3 with a walk and solo homer. Ben Etienne was 1-for-4 with a two run homer. Jesse Chesley and Mike Legg were both 1-for-4 with a double.

September 16th, 1904: Game 2 saw Nate McCue (8-9, 4.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) take on Chris van der Linden (2-0, 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). It was a tight one throughout, but we managed to edge our hosts 6-5 to insure at least a split.

McCue went 7 with 8 hits, 5 runs, and 4 strikeouts. Tyler Bienvenu went 0.2 innings with a hit and strikeout for the hold. Juan Londono went 1.1 perfect innings for his 5th save of the campaign.

Jonathan Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-4 with a walk and two run homer, his 50th on the sesaon. Omar Atillio was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 runs, and a solo homer. Justin Arrington was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored. McCue was 1-for-2 with a double, sac-bunt, and RBI. Zack Lawrence was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

September 17th, 1904: A shocking September trade with RHP Matt Rosenthal and SS Julio Segura going to St. Louis from New Orleans for 2B Bob Mendez and C Ricky Cobos Jr.

Rosenthal, 30, is a lefty who's set to be a free agent. A former 9th Round Pick by the REd Hawks, he tossed just 3 innings with them in 1897 before being traded to New Orleans. In his big league career, he's tossed 251.2 innings with a 5.58 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 300 strikeouts. This year has been his only good season, working to a 2.91 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 47 punchouts in 43.1 innings.

Segura, 22, is a decent middle infield glove-first prospect. He doesn't hit the best, but he's a great athlete and leader in the clubhouse. He signed for just $142 out of Venezuela back in 1898, but he looks like a decent prospect.

Mendez, 24, is also from Venezuela, but doesn't have nearly as much prospect hype as Segura. Mendez isn't much of a hitter either, and is likely best suited for third instead of second. He his, however, just as athletic, but with much less upside.

Cobos Jr., 24, is son of former big league starter Ricky Cobos who managed just 101.1 innings in the big leagues with Cincy and St. Louis. Junior was an 8th Round selection in 1898, and has reached Class A for the first time this season. A solid defender who won't strike out too much at the plate, Cobos has backup catcher potential.

We looked to clinch the series win a day early with Josh Fisher (4-12, 4.36 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) taking on Orlando Vigil (8-12, 5.27 ERA, 1.50 WHIP). We looked absolutely pathetic, and were hammered 14-1.

Okay, no more losses this year...

Fisher allowed 8 in 5.2 innings with 11 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Toshiya Hayashi allowed 6 hits and 6 runs with 2 strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

Jonathan Simmons was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Danny Sanchez was 1-for-3. That's all the hits...

September 18th, 1904: Fresh off an AL Championship, I brought up the remainder of my callups from Grand Rapids. Joining the team were pitchers Joe Stoner, Travis Walters, Danny Waltz, and Jesse Padula and 2B's Bobby Smarsh and Juan Villanueva. With 35 of 40 spots filled, left were the injured James Peters, James Rose, and Damian Salcido, although Salcido should be ready tomorrow. We had 2 open 40 spots with Eric Thomas and Jeremy Bell on the 60-Day DL. I may make a few moves when we return home.

We looked to put yesterday behind us and retake the series with Jorge Montalvo (3-0, 3.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) facing southpaw Andy Riffle (1-2, 4.50 ERA, 1.53 WHIP). But of course, we fell short, and dropped the finale 8-4...

Montalvo allowed 8 hits and 8 runs with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 4.1 innings. The pen combined for 3.2 innings with 5 hits, 2 walks, and just 2 strikeouts.

Jonathan Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI. Giobbe Capuana was 1-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and solo homer. Seth Bland was 1-for-3 with 2 walks, a run, and RBI. Andy Palme was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and a run scored.

Well, even though the playoffs seem out of reach, we'd head home before our off day tomorrow. With 13 games left and being 7 games out of second, it seems all but over...