9/29/2081
The Denver Broncos (94-62)
AT
The Washington Senators (87-69)
Pitching Matchup:
RH Christopher Kirk (19-10, 4.51 ERA) VS. LH Kenneth Thurman (23-10, 4.38 ERA)
The Broncos closed out the month of September with a game against the Senators. Facing 23-game winner
Kenneth Thurman did not faze the Denver lineup in the slightest. A run in the second inning gave them the early lead, and
Lee Chappel's three run homer in the third made it 4-0. In the fifth inning,
Alexis Vazquez belted a two run homerun, and the Broncos scored 3 runs in total to open up a 7-0 lead. The Denver onslaught continued relentlessly, with another run in the seventh inning and a solo homer from
Ellis Bolling in the eighth, making the score 9-0. In the ninth inning, reserves
Norman Cadet and
Ronald Matamoros each provided two run singles to cap the scoring
in Denver's 13-0 triumph.
Christopher Kirk pitched 8 strong innings, allowing only 2 hits. Vazquez and
Booker Romero each had 3 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs batted in; Vazquez also scored 3 runs.
Michael Stennis collected 1 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored.
With the victory, the Broncos moved into a tied for first place with Tucson with only five games remaining in the season.
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Still A Little Left in the Tank for Batter of the Month Bakke
10/1/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
At 37 years of age, Denver designated hitter Mark Bakke was predicted by most pundits to have a mediocre season as his skills eroded. Bakke had other plans. After a brief slump early in the season, Bakke has hit extremely well for several months, the month of September being his best yet, as he was named the American League Batter of the Month- the 4th time in his career he has earned a BotM award. Bakke batted a torrid .466/.520/.727 with an OPS of 1.247 in the past month. He ripped 6 doubles, 1 triple, and 5 homeruns, while driving in and scoring 22 runs apiece. He also drew 10 walks, and went 8 for 8 stealing bases.
"Everybody is ready to put you out pasture once you get to be this old," Bakke commented, "This is just my way of proving everyone wrong. I can still hit."
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10/1/2081
The Nashville Predators (76-81)
AT
The Denver Broncos (95-62)
Pitching Matchup:
RH Tony Rivera (9-11, 5.09) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (17-10, 4.13 ERA)
The Broncos opened the month of October in a tie for first place, and facing a familiar face,
Tony Rivera. Denver jumped on Rivera for two runs in the first inning, one coming from a solo homer by
Ellis Bolling. The Predators got a run in the top of the second inning, but the Broncos scored two more in their half of the second. The game remained 4-1 in favor of Denver until the seventh inning, when both teams exchanged runs. The Broncos opened up a big lead in the eighth inning, scoring three runs, two from back to back solo homers by
Mark Bakke and
Joseph Swayze. Nashville got one more run, but no more,
in Denver's 8-3 victory.
Kenny Pillsbury went 8 innings, gave up 5 hits, 2 runs, and struck out 7 batters.
Russell Thomas banged out 5 hits, and drove in 3 runs. Bolling, Swayze, and
Alexis Vazquez all had two hits apiece.
Denver's victory, combined with Tucson's 7-0 loss to last place Green Bay, put the Broncos in sole possession of first place in the division for the first time all year.
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10/2/2081
The Denver Broncos (96-62)
AT
The Green Bay Packers (46-112)
Pitching Matchup:
LH Robert McNett (20-7, 4.14 ERA) VS. RH Raymond Labat (9-7, 4.80 ERA)
It's hard not to take a team as bad as Green Bay lightly, but the Broncos players knew full well that the only reason that they were all alone in first place, was because this same hapless Packers squad had routed the Diamondbacks the day before. With the playoffs so close in sight, there would be no chance of the Broncos falling prey to a "trap game." They quickly took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, and then
Lee Chappel crushed a 3 run homer in the third. They held that 4-0 lead until the sixth inning, when the Packers started make things dangerous. Green Bay managed one run in the sixth, and then another two runs in the seventh inning, cutting the Denver lead to just one run.
The Broncos emphatically ended any further discussion by exploding for eight runs in the eighth inning.
Asbel Fuentez belted a two run homer, and
Mark Bakke had a two run double in the eruption. The Packers tried to keep up the debate, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but once again the Broncos shut them up. Denver scored three runs in the ninth inning to cap
a 15-6 rout of Green Bay.
Javier Cordero contributed to the ninth inning by delivering a pinch hit, two run double.
Robert McNett pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed 3 runs, and struck out 5 batters. Fuentez produced 3 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Bakke drove in another run in addition two his two run double in the eighth, giving him 3 RBI in total.
Booker Romero drove in a pair of runs, as well.
The third place Memphis Grizzlies lost to Knoxville, so Denver clinched a playoff spot with the win. They also opened up a two game lead on Tucson, as the Diamondbacks fell to Miami 1-0 on a
Thomas Fuentes, Jr. run scoring single in the ninth inning.
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Playoffs!
10/3/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
It has been a long, strange season- one filled with quite a bit of doubt at many points along the way- but the Denver Broncos are in the postseason again. Their 15-6 win over the Packers yesterday, coupled with third place Memphis' loss to Knoxville, clinched at least a playoff spot for the Broncos. They also currently hold a two game lead on Tucson for first place with three games remaining- one of them against the Diamondbacks.
Manager John Wilkerson admitted that it was not the same team that began the season, and not just because there are new faces. "Sure, you've got some guys that were picked up along the way, but there are quite a few, I think, that were here at the beginning, but are not the same. There are several players who grew quite a bit this year." Wilkerson also said that just reaching the playoffs is simply not enough. "We've been here before, many times. There's still something missing. The job is not finished."
The players are also aware of the task that remains ahead of them. "We're tired of just reaching the playoffs. We've done that before. We want more," Ellis Bolling said.