9/23/2081 to 9/24/2081
The Knoxville 79ers (80-72)
AT
The Denver Broncos (90-62)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Clarence Kahn (11-4, 5.45 ERA) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (16-10, 4.18 ERA)
RH Edward Headrick (15-15, 4.32 ERA) VS. LH Robert McNett (20-7, 4.20 ERA)
The Broncos raced to a quick lead over the 79ers, scoring two runs in the first inning. In the second inning,
Alexis Vazquez and
Booker Romero led off with back to back homeruns to put Denver up 4-0.
Joseph Swayze smacked a two run homer in the third inning, and the Broncos led 6-0.
Ellis Bolling made it 7-0 with a homerun in the fifth inning. The 79ers finally got on the board in the sixth inning, mustering two runs, but that would be all that they could manage, and
the Broncos prevailed 7-2.
Kenny Pillsbury pitched 7 innings and struck out 6 batters. Swayze,
Asbel Fuentez,
Russell Thomas, and
Mark Bakke all collected two hits apiece.
******
Edward Headrick and
Robert McNett opened the second game of the series with three scoreless innings each. In the fourth inning, both Knoxville and Denver scored one run. In the eighth inning, Knoxville went ahead 2-1, but
Russell Thomas led off the bottom of the eighth with a game-tying homerun. In the bottom of the ninth,
Ellis Bolling stepped to the plate with a runner aboard and promptly deposited a pitch into the stands
to win the game 4-2 for the Broncos.
McNett pitched 8 innings, surrendered 7 hits, and struck out 3 batters. Reliever
James Virgen picked up his 10th victory of the season.
************************
************************
9/26/2081 to 9/27/2081
The Denver Broncos (92-62)
AT
The Grand Rapids Tigers (67-87)
Pitching Matchups:
RH Larry Waltz (6-8, 4.11 ERA) VS. RH Dennis Kenzo (18-11, 3.39 ERA)
RH George Buentello (5-0, 3.68 ERA) VS. LH Norman Dale (6-18, 8.35 ERA)
Denver buried Grand Rapids' ace
Dennis Kenzo in an avalanche of runs. The Broncos got two in the first inning, and then exploded for eight runs in the third inning.
Lee Chappel contributed to that outburst with a three run homer.
Mark Bakke made it 11-0 with a homerun in the fourth inning.
The Tigers prevented a shutout with a two run sixth inning, then picked up another run in the eighth to make the score 11-3. That set the stage for a near comeback in the ninth. With rookie
Lyndon Gwinn attempting mop things up for the Broncos, suddenly the Denver fielders imploded. Multiple errors led to four unearned runs scoring, cutting the Broncos' lead to just 4 runs. With two outs, the Tigers had the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate. But
James Virgen came in to get the final out of the game, notching his 8th save, and preserving
an 11-7, Denver victory.
Larry Waltz pitched 7 innings, allowed 2 runs, and struck out 4 batters. Chappel had 1 hit, 1 walk, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Bakke had 3 hits, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Booker Romero had 2 hits and drove in 2 runs.
******
Once again, the Broncos jumped on Grand Rapids, scoring 4 runs in the second inning.
Ellis Bolling ripped a two run homer, and the Broncos scored 3 runs altogether in the fifth inning to go up 7-0. The Tigers made things interesting with a 4 run sixth inning, but the Broncos got one more run in the ninth inning, and hung on for
an 8-4 victory.
George Buentello was shaky, with 7 hits, 4 walks, and 4 runs allowed in 6 1/3 innings pitched. He did strike out 5 batters.
Ramon Gomez picked up his 16th save, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts.
Russell Thomas had 3 hits, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Mark Bakke had 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored.