7/30/2081 to 8/1/2081
The Knoxville 79ers (58-47)
AT
The Denver Broncos (58-47)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Pablo Esparza (6-8, 5.80 ERA) VS. Ray Lockridge (5-6, 4.08 ERA)
RH Edward Headrick (10-11, 4.37 ERA) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (11-7, 4.35 ERA)
LH Iemaru Noriyuki (5-5, 6.80 ERA) VS. RH Chrsitopher Kirk (13-7, 4.76 ERA)
The Broncos closed out the month of July with a three game series against the 79ers. The first game turned into a laugher very quickly. Denver jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning. In the second,
Joseph Swayze's home run contributed to a three run outburst, and the Broncos led 5-0. Swayze homered again in the third inning, and it was 6-0.
Knoxville got on the board with a couple of runs in the 4th, but Denver responded with three more runs- two from an
Ellis Bolling home run.
Lee Chappel homered in the 5th inning to make it 10-2. Denver got another run in the 6th, and Knoxville picked up a run in the 7th inning to make the score, 11-3.
Alexis Vazquez concluded the scoring for the Broncos with a two run homer in the bottom of the 7th inning. The 79ers managed to get one more run in the ninth, but
the Broncos cruised, 13-4.
Ray Lockridge made his Broncos' debut, and pitched 7 quality innings, with only 3 runs allowed. Chappel ripped 4 hits and scored 5 runs. Swayze collected 4 hits, drove in 2, and scored 3. Vazquez and
Tomas Sato each drove in 3 runs.
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The second game of the series was a disaster for
Kenny Pillsbury. Pillsbury has struggled all year long to prevent the longball, and this game was no exception. Knoxville crushed back to back to back home runs in the first inning to stake themselves to a quick 5-0 lead. It was 7-0 after three innings.
Lee Chappel did his best to get the Broncos back in the game, blasting home runs in the 4th inning and the 8th inning, but that was all the offense that Denver could manage in
a 7-2 loss.
Pillsbury finished with 7 runs allowed in 6 1/3 innings.
******
Swayze Honored For Impressive Month Of Hitting
7/31/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
Denver 3B Joseph Swayze was named the American League Batter of the Month for his efforts in July. Swayze, who bolted out of the post-All Star break gate with 12 RBI in two games against Charlotte, never stopped hitting. He finished the month with a .386/.394/.851 line. He clubbed 5 doubles and a whopping 14 home runs in the month and collected 30 runs batted in and 26 runs scored.
"Man, that's just the kind of hitter I am," Swayze commented,"I go through crazy stretches when I'm crushing everything in sight, and then I'll go through a horrible slump when I just can't hit anything. I admit, though, that this past month was about as good as I've ever hit. I really hope I can keep it up."
******
The Broncos opened the month of August, and concluded the series against Knoxville with a thumping. It began competitively enough. The two teams traded two run innings- the Broncos in the third and the 79ers in the fourth- and the game was tied at 2 after the top of the 4th inning.
In the bottom of the 4th, 2081 July AL Batter of the Month,
Joseph Swayze, slammed a three run homer, and Denver struck for 4 runs to take a 6-2 lead. Three more runs in the 5th inning made it 9-2. Knoxville cut it to 9-4 with two runs in the 6th inning, but the Broncos put the game away in the eighth.
Alexis Vazquez led off the inning with a solo homer, and
Armando Navarro ripped a pinch hit, two run bomb to finish off
the 12-4, Broncos victory.
Christopher Kirk pitched 8 2/3 solid innings, with 4 runs allowed. Vazquez had 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Asbel Fuentez collected 3 hits in the game.