9/1/2081 to 9/3/2081
The Denver Broncos (77-57)
AT
The Tucson Diamondbacks (80-54)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Larry Waltz (4-7, 3.69 ERA) VS. RH Cleveland Lauria (15-9, 4.37 ERA)
RH George Buentello (1-0, 3.86 ERA) VS. RH Paul Reyes (13-10, 5.60 ERA)
RH Christopher Kirk (17-8, 4.51 ERA) VS. RH William Bergan (7-13, 6.45 ERA)
The Broncos entered the final month of the season three games out of first place, and facing the first place team in a three game series. They opened the series by jumping all over
Cleveland Lauria.
Joseph Swayze ripped a solo homer in the second inning to get things started.
Russell Thomas and
Lee Chappel went deep in consecutive at bats in the third inning to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead. The Diamondbacks scored a run in the fourth inning, but in the fifth, the Broncos put the game out of reach. Thomas followed an
Asbel Fuentez leadoff double with a doubleof his own to score him. Chappel followed that with his second homer of the game. Later in the inning,
Booker Romero knocked Lauria out of the game with a two run double to put Denver on top 8-1. Tucson kept hope alive with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Broncos pulled away again. Denver scored a run in the 7th inning, and then erupted for 6 runs in the ninth inning
to finish off the Diamondbacks by a score of 15-3. Chappel hit his third home run of the game, a three run blast, in that final explosion.
Larry Waltz pitched 8 innings with 3 runs allowed and 4 strikeouts. Thomas finished with 3 hits, 4 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Chappel had 3 hits, 6 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Swayze had 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored.
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Tucson grabbed an early lead in the second game, but it didn't last long. The Diamondbacks scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning, but the Broncos took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, getting a 2 run homer from
Ellis Bolling. Tucson went back on top, 4-3, in the sixth inning. Once again, however, the Broncos rallied. Denver scored 3 in the seventh inning to take a 6-4 lead. They hung on to the lead, and with the victory, moved to just a game back of the first place Diamondbacks.
George Buentello pitched 7 1/3 innings, with 4 runs allowed.
Tomas Sato had 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Joseph Swayze had 2 hits and 3 RBI. Bolling had 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
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Standing on the brink of first place, the Broncos faltered.
Lee Chappel gave Denver an early lead, smacking a first inning home run. But
Christopher Kirk proceeded to get bombed. Tucson scored 2 runs in the first inning and 3 more in the second inning to go up 5-1. When the Diamondbacks opened the fourth inning with back to back home runs, Kirk was immediately yanked. Things didn't get much better, and after 6 innings, the Broncos trailed 10-1.
Denver staged a late rally, but it would come up short. Two run doubles from
Asbel Fuentez and
Joseph Swayze contributed to a 5 run eighth inning. The Broncos got one more in the ninth, but
fell 10-7.
Kirk gave up 10 hits and 7 runs in 3 innings of work. Fuentez had 2 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Swayze had 2 hits and 2 RBI.