5/26/2081 to 5/28/2081
The Denver Broncos (24-25)
AT
The Miami Dolphins (35-14)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Christopher Kirk (6-3, 4.52 ERA) VS. RH Kevin Phipps (3-2, 4.95 ERA)
RH Kenny Pillsbury (3-6, 4.89 ERA) VS. RH Christian Hokusai (7-0, 1.77 ERA)
RH Tony Rivera (3-2, 6.46 ERA) VS. LH Jim Miller (6-3, 3.65 ERA)
Kirk Hammered, Broncos Lose
5/27/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
For the third time in the last five games, the Broncos entered with a chance to reach .500. For the third time, they failed to do so. This time, the culprit was
Christopher Kirk, who got battered by the Miami lineup for 17 hits and 7 runs in 7 1/3 innings, and the Broncos fell 7-6 to the Dolphins.
Miami jumped on Kirk early, scoring 3 runs in the first inning. The Broncos battled back, scoring one run in the third inning, and briefly took the lead, with a 3 run 5th inning. A
Tomas Sato home run in the top of the 6th pushed the Broncos' lead to 5-3. But in the bottom of the 6th, the Dolphins rallied and scored 4 runs to retake the lead.
Asbel Fuentez, who finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI, hit a solo homer in the 9th to make things interesting, but it was not enough.
Russell Thomas,
Patrick Chason, and
Booker Romero all had 2 hits apiece in the losing effort.
Unproductive Heart
5/28/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
When the middle of the order goes silent, not much will get accomplished. The Broncos learned that the hard way, as
Lee Chappel and
Ellis Bolling went a combined 0 for 8, with 4 strikeouts, in the Broncos 6-1 loss to the Dolphins yesterday.
Russell Thomas hit a solo homer in the first inning, but the Broncos never scored again on Miami's
Christian Hokusai. The Dolphins wasted no time in taking away the lead, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the first.
Thomas Fuentes, Jr. homered in the third to make it 3-1, and a
Roy Springs homer contributed to a 3 run 8th inning, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Professor Miller Still Doling Out Lessons; Miami Completes Sweep
5/29/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
Tony Rivera had his second straight excellent start, pitching 5 2/3 innings of no-hit ball, and finished with an 8 inning, 2 hit, 1 R performance. Unfortunately, he was matched and surpassed by the 39 year old
Jim Miller. Miller threw a complete game, 2 hit shutout, and the Dolphins defeated the Broncos 1-0.
With two outs in the 6th inning, and Rivera pitching a no-hitter, Miami SS
Berny Morales stepped to the plate and broke up the no-no with a base hit. The next batter,
Albert Chichester, broke up the shutout with a run scoring double.
This was the second time this season that Miller shut down the Denver hitters. Back on April 14th, Miller surrendered just 2 runs in 8 innings against the Broncos.
Manager John Wilkerson stated matter of factly after the game: "We aren't going to go very far if we can't at least occasionally beat the best pitchers in the league. We have to do much better than what we've shown in the last two games."