8/2/2081 to 8/5/2081
The Denver Broncos (60-48)
AT
The Miami Dolphins (70-38)
Pitching Matchups:
LH Robert McNett (12-6, 4.54 ERA) VS. RH Kevin Phipps (6-2, 4.76 ERA)
RH Larry Waltz (1-5, 3.33 ERA) VS. RH Joseph Brashears (6-2, 2.56 ERA)
RH Ray Lockridge (6-6, 4.07 ERA) VS. RH Christian Hokusai (12-4, 2.83 ERA)
RH Kenny Pillsbury (11-8, 4.55 ERA) VS. RH Mark Prior (9-4, 3.85 ERA)
After a second half of July filled with difficult opponents, August did not bring any weakening of the schedule for Denver, with their first series of the month coming against the American League's best team, Miami. The series began well, however, as the Broncos scored one run in each of the first two innings in the first game. Veteran CF
Ulises Menendez smacked a solo homer in the 4th inning for the Dolphins to get them within a run, but the Broncos extended their lead to two runs again by scoring in the 5th inning.
Mark Bakke's two run double in the 6th inning triggered a three run outburst.
Robert McNett did the rest, pitching into the ninth inning, as
the Broncos won the game by a final of 6-1.
McNett finished with 8 1/3 innings pitched, 1 run allowed, and 4 strikeouts. Bakke carried the offense, with 4 hits, a walk, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Tomas Sato,
Alexis Vazquez, and recent callup,
Michael Grace all had two hits. Grace also drove in a run.
******
Denver earned at least a split of the series with Miami,
squeaking out a 3-2 victory in the second game of the series, as
Larry Waltz tossed a complete game. The Broncos struck early, with two runs in the first inning. They pushed the lead to 3-0 with a run in the fourth inning.
Waltz then ran into trouble in the 8th inning. The Dolphins plated two runs, and had the bases loaded with nobody out, but Waltz pitched out of the jam with no further damage. Waltz's performance was very impressive. He surrendered just 6 hits in 9 innings, while throwing just 99 pitches (61 of which were strikes). He induced 16 groundball outs, and got two double plays.
At the plate,
Mark Bakke continued to contribute, with 3 hits, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored.
Alexis Vazquez and
Armando Navarro each had two hits.
******
The series then took a turn for the worse. Newly acquired
Ray Lockridge, in just his second start for the Broncos, appeared to have contracted "Denver Starting Pitcher First Inning Disease," in which an infected pitcher coughs up multiple runs in the first inning, usually via home runs. In this instance, it was Miami catcher
Jake Foss who smashed a 3 run homer in the first inning. The Broncos crept back into the game, with runs in the 3rd and 4th innings, but the Dolphins put the game out of reach once and for all with a three run 7th inning.
Lockridge got roughed up for 6 runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Russell Thomas and
Joseph Swayze were the lone offensive contrubuters, each with two hits in
the 6-2 defeat.
******
The fourth game turned out much like the third.
Kenny Pillsbury, one of those most afflicted by "DSPFID," got tagged for three runs in the first inning. Then, with the Broncos trailing 3-1 in the sixth inning, Pillsbury coughed up three more runs, and the
Broncos fell by a final of 6-1.
Pillsbury got blasted for 12 hits and 6 runs in 7 innings of work, though only 3 of the runs were earned.
Ellis Bolling's two hits were the only offensive signs of life for the Broncos.