2081: Desperation in Denver

[jamus23]

6/6/2081 to 6/8/2081

The Denver Broncos (28-30)




AT


The Grand Rapids Tigers (29-29)







Pitching Matchups:

RH Kenny Pillsbury (4-7, 4.79 ERA) VS. RH John Marcil (2-2, 3.72 ERA)
RH Arden Hawthorn (2-4, 7.63 ERA) VS. RH Emanuel Martorell (2-1, 4.63 ERA)
RH Tony Rivera (3-4, 6.10 ERA) VS. RH Aaron Williams (5-6, 3.69 ERA)


This series started well, as a two run double from Booker Romero and a three run homer from Lee Chappel highlighted a six run 2nd inning in the first game. The scoring didn't stop, as the Broncos added four runs in the fifth inning and another run in the 8th on their way to an 11-2 victory. Kenny Pillsbury wasn't as efficient as he was in his previous start; he wound up walking a career high 7 batters. Still, he managed to get the job done. Tomas Sato had 4 hits and scored 3 runs, while Mark Bakke and Alexis Vazquez each had three hits.

That would be the highlight of the series; it was downhill from there.


******


The second game began well. Lee Chappel's two run homer in the first inning keyed a 4 run outburst. The lead didn't even last an inning. Grand Rapids RF Lamont Ferro hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first, and the score was evened at four. The Broncos took a 5-4 lead in the second inning, but that didn't last long, either. Arden Hawthorn collapsed, and gave up seven runs in the 4th inning. Denver made it 11-6 with a run in the fifth inning, but reliever Roman Torre graciously coughed up 2 runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Broncos then began a stunning rally. Trailing 13-6, they scored two in the 7th inning, two more in the 8th inning, and then put together a four run 9th inning to actually take a 14-13 lead. Ramon Gomez promptly blew the lead in the bottom of the ninth, and then gave up a run in the tenth inning to make the final score 15-14 in favor of the Tigers.

Lee Chappel finished with 3 hits and 5 RBI, while Russell Thomas and Tomas Sato each had 3 hits. Hawthorn finished with a 12 hits allowed, five walks, and 11 runs in only 4 innings.

For Grand Rapids, Ferro finished with 4 hits and a whopping seven runs batted in. Javier Longoria, Jr. had 5 hits for the Tigers.

******



If ever there were a sign of the lack of confidence in Denver's bullpen, the third game of this series would be it. Trailing 2-0 after two innings, Lee Chappel single-handedly brought the team back into the game. Chappel delivered a run-scoring double in the 6th inning, and hit a solo homer in the 8th to tie the game up. Booker Romero seemingly made Chappel's efforts worthwhile, when he hit a run-scoring double in the 9th inning to briefly give the Broncos a 3-2 lead.

In the ninth, however, Ramon Gomez, Leo Salguero, and..... Robert McNett, set to start the following game, combined to blow the lead and the Broncos lost 4-3. McNett was brought in to face a left-handed hitter with runners on and the game already tied up. Needless to say, he gave up the hit that scored the winning run.

The only bright spots in this game belonged to Tony Rivera, who pitched 7 innings and allowed just 2 runs, and Lee Chappel, who had 4 hits (2 doubles and 1 homer), and drove in two runs.

[jamus23]

Desperate for Relief Help, Denver GM John Mounts Makes a Trade
6/9/2081
Al Vincent
Staff Writer


After recent games continued to highlight the ineffectiveness and unreliability of the Broncos' bullpen- manager John Wilkerson is turning to his starting pitchers for help now- General Manager John Mounts has pulled off a trade.

Coming to the Broncos is veteran right-hander Steven Andrade from New Jersey. The 36 year old reliever has a 4.07 ERA in 36 appearances this season. Heading to New Jersey are relief pitcher Roman Torre, with a 5.40 ERA in 10 games; infielder John McQuillen, with a .567 OPS in 36 at bats; and minor league 1B Herbert Lin.

The struggling New Jersey team was looking to unload Andrade's $5.1 million contract, and the desparate Broncos were just the team willing to take a chance. Mounts said that with the way the bullpen was playing, changes had to be made, and maybe a veteran like Andrade could settle some of the other pitchers down. Andrade's pricetag was not considered to be a concern by Mounts.

[jamus23]

As an aside, check out this crazy game:

BOX SCORES Miami @ Green Bay
Game #: 728, (GAME LOG), Sunday, 6/8/2081


            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21   R  H E
Miami       0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   4 12 3
Green Bay   0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0   3 14 3




Miami             AB R  H RBI BB K  AVG HR RBI
E. Mcgurk C        4 0  0  0   0 0 .188  3   8
   J. Foss C       5 1  1  1   0 1 .347 12  40
E. Rehberg 2B      8 0  3  0   1 1 .249  4  20
R. Springs LF      8 0  0  0   1 2 .319 18  51
T. Fuentes Jr. 3B  9 0  1  0   0 1 .274 15  50
A. Shorts 1B       7 0  0  0   2 2 .242  5  33
U. Menendez CF     9 1  0  0   0 0 .258 11  40
A. Chichester RF   9 0  2  0   0 2 .299  7  25
G. Esqueda DH      6 1  2  1   0 0 .259  2   8
   T. Alder PH     3 1  2  1   0 0 .253  6  17
B. Tovar SS        4 0  1  1   1 0 .257  0   6
   B. Morales SS   4 0  0  0   0 0 .212  0  17
Totals            76 4 12  4   5 9

BATTING
Doubles: E. Rehberg (7, 1st inning off Haugen, 0 on, 1 out.) A. Chichester 2 
(13, 2nd inning off Haugen, 0 on, 1 out, 18th inning off Walk, 0 on, 2 out.) 
G. Esqueda (2, 4th inning off Haugen, 0 on, 1 out.) B. Tovar (6, 4th inning 
off Haugen, 1 on, 1 out.)
Homeruns: J. Foss (12, 9th inning off Leto, 0 on, 0 out.) T. Alder (6, 21th 
inning off Walk, 0 on, 2 out.)
Runs Batted In: J. Foss (40), G. Esqueda (8), T. Alder (17), B. Tovar (6)

FIELDING
Errors: E. Rehberg (6), R. Springs (3), B. Morales (8)



Green Bay         AB R  H RBI BB  K  AVG HR RBI
L. Stec 2B         9 0  1  0   0  1 .260  5  24
R. Quirk 3B        7 0  0  0   0  0 .222  5  22
   F. Elliott 3B   2 0  1  0   0  0 .246  1   7
K. Perry 1B        8 0  1  0   1  2 .314 12  31
T. Keith RF        9 1  3  0   0  0 .250  4  20
A. Stice SS        3 0  0  0   0  0 .232 10  32
   E. Willis LF    6 0  0  0   0  1 .211  1   2
A. Andersen DH     3 0  1  1   0  1 .233  1  10
   R. Ferrari DH   6 1  3  0   0  1 .500  0   0
J. Shenk LF        2 0  1  0   0  0 .237  4  10
   A. Ocampo SS    5 1  1  0   1  1 .247 11  37
A. Fernandez C     8 0  2  2   0  4 .275  7  33
H. Bassett CF      8 0  0  0   0  4 .286  7  29
Totals            76 3 14  3   2 15

BATTING
Doubles: A. Andersen (4, 7th inning off Hokusai, 1 on, 2 out.) A. Fernandez 
2 (12, 6th inning off Hokusai, 1 on, 0 out, 7th inning off Hokusai, 2 on, 2 
out.)
Runs Batted In: A. Andersen (10), A. Fernandez 2 (33)
Caught Stealing: T. Keith (2), R. Ferrari (1), H. Bassett (4)

FIELDING
Errors: K. Perry (2), A. Stice (5), R. Quirk (8)



Miami          IP H R ER BB K HR  PI PS ERA  RECORD
C. Hokusai    7.2 6 3  3  1 5  0 103 66 2.00
J. Seder      3.1 4 0  0  0 1  0  46 27 3.43
C. Lain       3.1 1 0  0  1 5  0  53 32 3.68
G. Carolan W  5.2 3 0  0  0 3  0  74 46 2.75  5-2
E. Morris S     1 0 0  0  0 1  0   9  7 5.47  3 SV

PITCHING
Batters Faced: C. Hokusai 29, J. Seder 14, C. Lain 13, G. Carolan 19, E. 
Morris 3
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: C. Hokusai 7-10, J. Seder 5-4, C. Lain 5-1, G. 
Carolan 9-4, E. Morris 0-2
Game Score: C. Hokusai 59



Green Bay    IP H R ER BB K HR  PI PS ERA    RECORD
B. Haugen     8 7 2  1  3 2  0 111 62 6.50
M. Leto       2 1 1  1  1 1  1  17 10 2.55
B. Montalvo   2 1 0  0  0 1  0  29 18 3.54
N. Miceli   1.2 0 0  0  0 2  0  18 10 6.08
W. Antone   1.1 1 0  0  1 0  0  17  8 4.50
L. Walk L     6 2 1  1  0 3  1  64 38 5.76    0-4

PITCHING
Batters Faced: B. Haugen 36, M. Leto 8, B. Montalvo 7, N. Miceli 5, W. 
Antone 6, L. Walk 19
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: B. Haugen 16-8, M. Leto 1-4, B. Montalvo 4-1, N. 
Miceli 2-1, W. Antone 2-2, L. Walk 8-6
Game Score: B. Haugen 61



GAME INFO
Time: 6:50
Attendance: 31944 (45000)
Weather: Clear skies (69 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 10 mph
PLAYER OF THE GAME: George Carolan

[jamus23]

6/9/2081 to 6/11/2081

The Kansas City Royals (33-28)





AT


The Denver Broncos (29-32)





Pitching Matchups:

RH Chris Kapp (0-3, 8.54 ERA) VS. LH Robert McNett (6-3, 4.47 ERA)
RH Kosami Masaru (7-6, 4.39 ERA) VS. RH Christopher Kirk (7-5, 5.25 ERA)
LH Ross Otis (8-3, 2.41 ERA) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (5-7, 4.69 ERA)


Ellis Bolling opened the first game of this series with a bang, hitting a 1st inning home run. That was one of the few bright spots in the game, as the Royals quickly took complete control of the game. Kansas City scored 4 in the 2nd inning, one in the fourth inning, and 2 more in the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Denver made the score 7-2; in the 7th inning, both teams scored 2 runs, making the score 9-4. The Royals would tack on two more runs to complete the 11-4 rout of the Broncos.

Robert McNett got battered, allowing 13 hits and 7 runs in 5 innings, but he (and the bullpen) also didn't get much help from Denver's fielders, who committed 3 errors leading to 3 unearned runs.

Bolling had two hits and two RBI, while Tomas Sato collected 3 hits.



******


The second game turned out better for the Broncos, but it certainly had its frustration-inducing moments. When it was all said and done, the Broncos prevailed 14-13 in ten innings. Christopher Kirk pitched 6 innings, and gave up 10 hits and 6 runs. Lee Chappel was a one-man wrecking crew, delivering 4 hits (three doubles and a homer), 3 runs batted in, and scoring 5 runs. Ellis Bolling had two hits and drove in four, while Russell Thomas had 2 hits and 3 RBI. Asbel Fuentez had four hits in the game.


******


The Broncos took the series with a 6-3 victory, as Lee Chappel and Kenny Pillsbury combined to overcome the efforts of "Broadway Jack" Ector, who smashed three home runs. Chappel homered in his fifth straight game, and then added a second home run for good measure, while he drove in 3 runs. Pillsbury threw a complete game, allowing just the three solo homers to Ector. Mark Bakke contributed with three hits in the game.

[jamus23]

6/12/2081 to 6/14/2081


The Denver Broncos (31-33)





AT


The Washington Senators (38-26)






Pitching Matchups:

RH Larry Waltz (0-0, 4.91 ERA) VS. RH Robert Penney (7-3, 3.89 ERA)
RH Tony Rivera (3-4, 5.74 ERA) VS. RH Andrew Barnes (6-5, 6.98 ERA)
LH Robert McNett (6-4, 4.80 ERA) VS. RH Otis Smith (2-4, 7.13 ERA)



Making a surprise start in place of Arden Hawthorn was Larry Waltz, who had made a few relief appearances so far this season after being promoted following the Florian Blanco trade. The Broncos grabbed the early lead, 1-0, in the top of the first. It didn't last long. The Senators scored 2 in the bottom of the first to take the lead. They added to the lead with a three run 4th inning, and that concluded the scoring for the game with the Senators winning, 5-1.

Waltz was serviceable in the start, going 7 innings with the 5 runs allowed, though only 3 of the runs were earned. He struck out five and surrendered a pair of homers. Unfortunately, after recording his final out, he felt a twinge in his elbow. It's not a serious injury, but he will go on the disabled list. Replacing him is 26 year old right-hander Valentine McGurk. McGurk is 4-2 with a 5.28 ERA, and 95 K's in 73 1/3 innings pitched at AAA this season.

Russell Thomas had three hits and scored Denver's only run in the loss.



******



The second game did not begin well. Steven Patterson hit a grand slam in the first inning for the Senators to stake them to the early lead. The Broncos rallied with a 4 run fourth inning, highlighted by a 2 run triple by Michael Stennis. In the fifth inning, Tomas Sato hit a two run homer to give the Broncos the 6-4 lead. They would stretch that lead to 9-4, which seemed safe. Then Ramon Gomez got into the game. Gomez entered in the 8th inning to face the Senators' "murderer's row" of left-handed hitters: Manuel Madrid, Leon Pino, Christian Zarzuela, and Patterson. Gomez was fine in the 8th inning, and then remained in the game in the ninth to finish it off. A couple of batters later, Eugene Pantoja ripped a three run homer. Gomez was immediately replaced by Steven Andrade, who finished off the 9-7 victory.

Sato had three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored. Stennis had 2 hits and 2 RBI. Tony Rivera pitched seven innings and allowed 4 runs.




******



Robert McNett allowed only one run in the first five innings of the third game of the series, then ran out of gas and gave up 2 in the sixth and three more in the 7th inning, as the Broncos lost 6-3. Russell Thomas managed 4 hits in the losing cause.

[jamus23]

6/15/2081 to 6/17/2081


The Denver Broncos (32-35)




AT


The Tucson Diamondbacks (39-28)






Pitching Matchups:

RH Christopher Kirk (7-5, 5.47 ERA) VS. RH Peter Boughner (10-1, 2.56 ERA)
RH Kenny Pillsbury (6-7, 4.55 ERA) VS. RH Cleveland Lauria (9-5, 4.28 ERA)
RH Valentine McGurk (0-0, 0.00 ERA) VS. RH Scott Council (5-1, 3.33 ERA)



Aside from the third game, this series could be dubbed the "heartbreak series."

In the first game, Christopher Kirk tossed six shutout innings, and the Broncos led 2-0 heading into the seventh inning. The Diamondbacks picked up a run, but Denver still had the lead. Then the eighth inning happened. In the blink of an eye, the game was tied and Patrick Chason committed a throwing error that allowed the go-ahead run to be scored. And that was the final: 3-2, Diamondbacks.

Kirk finished with 8 IP, 3 R, and 5 K's. Lee Chappel and Mark Bakke each provided 2 hits in the loss.



******



Asbel Fuentez led off the second game with a home run. In the 4th, Tucson's Israel Kutz hit a solo homer to tie the game. The Broncos retook the lead when Fuentez drove in Patrick Chason in the 7th. With the score 2-1, Broncos, in the ninth, however, Kutz stepped to the plate and delivered his 4th hit and second home run of the game to tie the game at 2. Kenny Pillsbury, who had dominated Tucson's lineup aside from Kutz, kept right on trucking, and eventually left in the 12th inning with the game still tied. James Virgen would give up the losing run in the 13th inning in another 3-2 defeat.

Pillsbury finished with 11 1/3 innings pitched, 2 runs allowed, and 10 strikeouts. Fuentez had 2 hits and 2 RBI in the loss.



******



Valentine McGurk unexpectedly salvaged the final game of the series, as he pitched 7 innings and allowed just 3 runs, though he walked five batters. He was helped by early run support, as the Broncos scored 3 runs in the first, 2 from a Mark Bakke double.

Tomas Sato added a 2 run homer in the fifth inning, and Alexis Vazquez hit one in the seventh, and the Broncos ultimately prevailed 6-4.

[jamus23]

6/19/2081 to 6/22/2081

The Nashville Predators (32-38)





AT



The Denver Broncos (33-37)






Pitching Matchups:
RH Alfred Ambriz (4-7, 5.22 ERA) VS. RH Robert McNett (6-5, 4.93 ERA)
LH Frank Margolis (6-1, 6.71 ERA) VS. RH Christopher Kirk (7-6, 5.24 ERA)
RH Steven Withrow (4-6, 5.15 ERA) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (6-7, 4.28 ERA)
RH Douglas Malone (4-4, 4.64 ERA) VS. RH Valentine McGurk (1-0, 3.86 ERA)




The Broncos jumped all over Nashville's pitching in this series, starting with game one. They opened with 2 runs in the first inning and three more in the second inning. One run was scored in both the third and fourth innings. In the fifth, the Broncos scored two more runs, and then Alexis Vazquez hit a two run homer in the 6th innning. In the seventh, they got a three run homer from Ellis Bolling. The only inning that Denver didn't score in was the 8th, as they stomped Nashville, 14-5.

Russell Thomas had 4 hits and drove in 2. Bolling had 3 hits (two doubles and a homer) and 5 runs batted in. Vazquez had three hits and two RBI. Joseph Swayze, who has done pretty much nothing for over a month, broke out with 4 hits (1 homer) and 3 RBI.

Robert McNett pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 runs, while striking out 6.




******




The second game didn't get off to a great start, and the Broncos trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second. In the 2nd, however, they exploded for 9 runs. Joseph Swayze hit a pair of two run homers in the inning, and Mark Bakke and Lee Chappel added 2 run shots of their own.
Tomas Sato's 2 run homer highlighted a 3 run fifth inning, while Ellis Bolling smashed a three run shot in the 6th. Bakke added his second homer of the day in the 8th inning. When the fireworks were over, and the smoke cleared, the Broncos had pummeled the Predators, 17-1.

Christopher Kirk didn't have to be great with all the offense, but he was. Kirk pitched 7 innings, allowed 1 run, and struck out 8.
Bolling finished with 4 hits and 3 RBI, Bakke has 3 hits and 3 RBI, Russell Thomas had 3 hits and scored 2 runs, Sato had 2 hits, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored, and Chappel had 2 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.




******




The third game was much closer, but the Broncos prevailed again, 8-7. Kenny Pillsbury served up a 1st inning homer to William Gammill, but the Broncos responded. Ellis Bolling jacked a 2 run shot in the first to the tie the game at 2. Pillsbury continued to struggle, and served another homer in the second, this one to Edward Lafferty.

But, the Broncos tied it up in 3rd inning, and a home run from Alexis Vazquez took a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning. Pillsbury then imploded in the 5th inning, and gave up 4 runs. He served up another homer to Gammill, a two run shot, and then a 2 run homer to Isaias Hernandez to give the Predators a 7-4 lead. Both of the home runs came with two outs.

The Denver lineup wouldn't go down without a fight, however. Bolling jacked his second homer of the day, another two run shot, in the seventh inning, to cut the score to 7-6.

And then Lee Chappel came to save the day. Chappel led off the ninth inning with a game-tying home run, and delivered a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to win the game.

Pillsbury got pounded, as he pitched 7 innings, gave up 12 hits, 7 runs, and served up 4 homers. James Virgen tossed 3 scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win.

Asbel Fuentez had 4 hits and scored 2 runs, Bolling had 3 hits and 4 RBI, and Chappel had 3 RBI.




******



The Broncos completed the four game sweep of Nashville, and finally reached .500 for the first time this season, with a 14-8 thumping of the Predators. Valentine McGurk's second start was much less impressive than his first. It got off to a bad start, as he surrendered 1st inning home runs to Clarence Lei and William Gammill. Fortunately for him, the Broncos matched it the two runs, and the game was tied after one inning. The two teams exchanged runs in the second inning, and the game was tied at 3.

In the fourth, McGurk served up back to back home runs to Gammill and Carlo Romero, and the Predators led 6-3. Tomas Sato got one back in the bottom of the 4th with a solo homer, and in the 5th inning, Lee Chappel and Ellis Bolling hit back to back homers to give the Broncos a 7-6 lead.

In the 6th inning, the bats went BOOM! again, as Joseph Swayze and Mark Bakke hit back to back homers, and Bolling hit another homer. By the time inning was done, the Broncos had built a 12-6 lead. For good measure, Bakke hit his second homer of the game, a two run shot, in the 7th inning to make the score 14-6.

McGurk lasted just 4 innings in the game, and allowed 6 runs, walked 3, and coughed up 3 HR.

Bakke finished with 4 RBI, while Bolling and Chappel each drove in 3 runs. Sato had 3 hits and drove in 2 runs.

Now that the Broncos have reached .500, they have a particularly crucial, and difficult, stretch in front of them. The next 7 games are against Memphis and Tucson- the second and first place teams, respectively, in the division.

[jamus23]

6/23/2081 to 6/25/2081


The Denver Broncos (37-37)





AT


The Memphis Grizzlies (41-33)






Pitching Matchups:

RH Tony Rivera (4-4, 5.68 ERA) VS. LH Thomas Fruge (0-1, 13.50 ERA)
LH Robert McNett (7-5, 4.86 ERA) VS. RH Jose Padula (8-6, 6.26 ERA)
RH Christopher Kirk (8-6, 4.92 ERA) VS. RH Clarence Fiol (1-3, 5.11 ERA)


The Denver bats continued to be swung well, as the Broncos prevailed 14-8 in the first game of a three series against the Grizzlies. With the win, the Broncos moved above .500 for the first time this season.

Tony Rivera got hit hard early, allowing 3 runs in the first inning. Joseph Ishmael led off the game with a home run, and Roy Chouinard hit a two run shot later in the inning. The Broncos erupted in the second inning for five runs, as Joseph Swayze and Russell Thomas each hit two run homers, and Mark Bakke added a solo shot.

Memphis tied the game at 5 in their half of the second, when Chouinard hit his second homer of the game, another two run shot. The Broncos retook the lead in the 5th inning when Tomas Sato delivered a two run homer, but the Grizzlies refused to go down easily. Chouinard tripled and scored a run in the seventh inning to cut the Denver lead to 1 run.

The Broncos put the game out of reach in the 8th and 9th innings. They scored two runs in the 8th to make the score 10-7, and then Russell Thomas' 3-run homer highlighted a four run ninth inning.

Rivera got hit very hard in this game, allowing 7 runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched, while walking 5, and allowing 3 home runs.

Thomas had 4 hits and drove in career high 8 runs in the game. Sato and Swayze each had 2 hits and 2 RBI. Asbel Fuentez had 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases.



******



The Broncos slipped back to .500 as Robert McNett got pounded by Memphis in a 15-5 loss to the Grizzlies. For a second straight game, Joseph Ishmael led things off with a homer. The game went downhill rapidly after that. Memphis would score 4 runs in the second, 5 more in the 4th, three runs in the 5th, and 2 in the 6th. McNett lasted just 3 1/3 innings and gave up 9 runs and 3 homers. Reliever Fred Lemire wasn't much better, as he gave up 6 runs and 3 HR in 3 1/3 innings.

Asbel Fuentez and Ellis Bolling were the lone bright spots in the game; Fuentez had 3 hits and scored 3 runs while Bolling had 3 hits and 2 RBI.



******



The Broncos concluded the series against second place Memphis by routing them, 10-2.

Incredibly, Joseph Ishmael led off a third consecutive game with a home run for the Grizzlies. Memphis led 1-0 until the 4th inning, when Lee Chappel, Ellis Bolling, and Tomas Sato opened the inning with three straight doubles, giving the Broncos a 2-1 lead.

After the Grizzlies tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the 4th, the game turned into the Lee Chappel show. Chappel's two run double highlighted a 4 run fifth inning that gave Denver a 6-2 lead. In the 7th inning, Chappel led things off with a triple and was driven in to make the score 7-2. Finally, Chappel delivered a two run homer in a 3 run ninth inning to put the game firmly out of reach.

Chappel finished with two doubles, 1 triple, and 1 home run, four runs batted in, and four runs scored. Russell Thomas collected two hits, which extended his hitting streak to 17 games, and two runs scored.

Christopher Kirk settled down after the leadoff homer, and pitched 7 innings with just the two runs allowed.

With the Broncos now a game over .500, they now have to prepare for a four game homestand against the first place Tucson Diamondbacks.

[jamus23]

6/26/2081 to 6/29/2081


The Tucson Diamondbacks (45-32)





AT


The Denver Broncos (39-38)






Pitching Matchups:

RH Cleveland Lauria (9-5, 4.27 ERA) VS. RH Kenny Pillsbury (6-7, 4.47 ERA)
RH Peter Boughner (12-1, 2.52 ERA) VS. RH Valentine McGurk (1-0, 6.55 ERA)
RH Scott Council (6-2, 3.26 ERA) VS. LH Robert McNett (7-6, 5.43 ERA)
RH Paul Reyes (6-6, 6.46 ERA) VS. RH Christopher Kirk (9-6, 4.79 ERA)



In the showdown against the first place Diamondbacks, things did not get off to a good start. Kenny Pillsbury quickly put the team in 3-0 hole, giving up a 2 run homer to Israel Kutz in the first inning, and another run in the second. The Broncos would battle back, however. In the fifth inning, Asbel Fuentez hit a two run homer. In the seventh inning, Mark Bakke tied the game up with a solo shot.

In the ninth, it looked like Denver's hearts would be broken. Tucson SS Jose Morales, not known for his power, hit a solo homer off of Pillsbury to give the Diamondbacks the lead. But in the bottom of the ninth, Booker Romero came through an RBI single to tie the game up, and Fuentez delivered a run scoring single of his own to win the game, 5-4.

Pillsbury pitched a complete game. Fuentez finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Russell Thomas extended his hitting streak to 18 games.



******



Valentine McGurk was no match for Peter Boughner in the second game of the series. Mcgurk lasted only three innings, surrendering 7 runs and 3 home runs, while walking 3.

Boughner, meanwhile, pitched a shutout into the 7th inning, before Alexis Vazquez broke it up with a solo homer. He finished with a complete game, 8 hitter, as the Diamondbacks crushed Denver, 15-1.

Russell Thomas extended his hitting streak to 19 games.

After the game, Larry Waltz was activated from the disabled list, and McGurk was demoted to AAA. Also, OF Michael Stennis, hitting .220 with 2 homers, was sent down to AAA, while left-handed hitting infielder Jack Rumfelt, hitting .309 at AAA, was promoted.



******



The Broncos earned at least a split of the four game series against the Diamondbacks by clubbing them, 11-3. After Robert McNett gave up a run in the first inning to Tucson, it was all Denver. They scored 2 in the first inning and 1 in the second. In the third, Tomas Sato hit a solo homer. A seven run fourth inning sealed up the victory, as Alexis Vazquez hit a two run homer and Joseph Swayze added a solo shot.

McNett pitched 7 innings and gave up just two runs. Both Sato and Vazquez had 3 hits and 2 RBI. Russell Thomas collected 3 hits (extending his hitting streak to 20 games) and scored 2 runs. Lee Chappel doubled twice and scored 2 runs, while Ellis Bolling delivered 2 hits and 3 RBI.



******




The Broncos concluded the first half of the season by taking 3 of 4 against the Diamondbacks, winning the final game of the series, 6-3. They trailed 1-0 after the top of the first, but put together a 4 run first inning. Tomas Sato was injured on the final out of the top of the second. The injury was not serious, though. He may miss a few games coming out of the All Star break but that's about it.

The Diamondbacks inched to within a run with a 2 run third inning. The score remained 4-3 until the bottom of the 7th. Patrick Chason, who had replaced the injured Sato at second base, delivered a two run single to provide some precious insurance runs, and the Broncos hung on from there.

Christopher Kirk pitched 8 strong innings, while Asbel Fuentez, Alexis Vazquez, and Mark Bakke all picked up two hits. Fuentez also scored 2 runs. Russell Thomas extended his hitting streak to 21 games.

[jamus23]

It's time for a look at the standings:

National League Standings 
 
West Division 
 
Team          W  L  PCT GB 
San Jose     51 30 .630  - 
San Diego    47 34 .580  4 
Sacramento   39 42 .481 12 
Los Angeles  36 45 .444 15 
Portland     36 45 .444 15 
Phoenix      32 49 .395 19 
 
Northeast Division 
 
Team          W  L  PCT GB 
Pittsburgh   55 26 .679  - 
Rochester    50 31 .617  5 
Harrisburg   43 38 .531 12 
Buffalo      37 44 .457 18 
Hartford     30 51 .370 25 
New Jersey   30 51 .370 25 
 
American League Standings 
 
Southeast Division 
 
Team          W  L  PCT GB 
Miami        53 28 .654  - 
Washington   48 33 .593  5 
Knoxville    44 37 .543  9 
Nashville    33 48 .407 20 
Atlanta      32 49 .395 21 
Charlotte    32 49 .395 21 
 
Central Division 
 
Team          W  L  PCT GB 
Tucson       46 35 .568  - 
Memphis      45 36 .556  1 
Grand Rapids 43 38 .531  3 
Denver       42 39 .519  4 
Kansas City  42 39 .519  4 
Green Bay    26 55 .321 20

So it looks like Denver's division is the most wide open and competitive division this year. Should make for an interesting second half...


(Of course, I suspect that the reason it is so competitive is because the top 5 teams all get to beat on Green Bay, who simply sucks.)

[jamus23]

Denver's mid-season batting stats:

Name        G  AB   H 2B 3B HR RBI  R BB  K  AVG  OBP  SLG SB CS
A. Fuentez 75 319 119 23  6  7  36 75 22 12 .373 .411 .549 17  6
T. Sato    75 297 106 17  6 12  61 53 20 10 .357 .407 .576  0  3
M. Bakke   66 255  83 15  1 15  49 41  7 17 .325 .349 .569  5  3
R. Thomas  76 331 107 16  4  6  46 63 30 27 .323 .381 .450 14  4
L. Chappel 71 284  88 29  6 18  78 60 42 21 .310 .400 .644  2  0
J. Rumfelt  4  10   3  1  0  0   1  0  1  1 .300 .364 .400  1  0
E. Bolling 77 310  91 32  7 20  78 70 41 47 .294 .373 .635  3  0
P. Chason  35  96  27  7  0  2  15 11  4  8 .281 .317 .417  0  0
A. Vasquez 77 293  82 10  0 14  50 48 24 50 .280 .334 .457 10  2
E. Fudge   51 147  38  8  3  4  19 29 21 22 .259 .349 .435  2  2
B. Romero  36 133  32 10  1  3  15 20  8 41 .241 .282 .398  2  2
J. Swayze  70 275  66 12  1 15  47 42 12 42 .240 .270 .455  0  0
M. Stennis 18  50  11  6  1  2  10  6  7 12 .220 .316 .500  0  0
A. Navarro 20  29   5  1  0  0   0  4  5  2 .172 .294 .207  4  1
J. Cordero 26  73  12  4  0  1   6  7  4 20 .164 .228 .260  0  0

There's a couple of players who had quite a month- Russell Thomas and Mark Bakke are two.

[jamus23]

And the pitching stats:

Name          G GS  W L SV  ERA    IP  HA  R ER BB  K 
C. Kirk      18 18 10 6  0 4.70 132.0 153 74 69 26 77 
R. Mcnett    19 18  8 6  0 5.26 119.2 141 76 70 21 81 
K. Pillsbury 18 18  7 7  0 4.44 140.0 145 75 69 37 95 
J. Virgen    21  0  5 1  5 3.00  42.0  46 16 14  9 25 
T. Rivera    15 12  4 4  0 5.98  81.1  93 59 54 29 38 
S. Andrade   35  0  2 2  3 4.06  44.1  49 27 20 15 21 
A. Hawthorn  15 11  2 4  0 9.00  67.0 125 70 67 23 35 
L. Salguero  17  0  2 1  0 5.11  24.2  31 14 14  5 17 
F. Lemire    14  0  1 1  0 8.58  28.1  35 30 27 10 32 
R. Gomez     22  0  1 6  5 6.94  23.1  35 19 18  3 23 
V. Mcgurk     3  3  1 1  0 7.07  14.0  20 16 11 11  4 
L. Waltz      8  1  0 1  0 4.11  15.1  16  9  7  7  7

The pitching is still a little erratic, but the way the bats have been swinging lately, it hasn't mattered much.

[jamus23]

There are several Broncos among the league leaders.

Asbel Fuentez leads the league in batting average and is first in runs scored.

Tomas Sato is third in the league in batting average.

Lee Chappel is second in the league in OPS

Ellis Bolling is third in the league in OPS and second in the league in runs scored.

Chappel and Bolling are currently tied for first in the league in RBI.

[jamus23]

It's time to meet the All-Stars. Denver will send four players to the 2081 All Star Game: Catcher Lee Chappel, 1B Ellis Bolling, LF Asbel Fuentez, and CF Russell Thomas. For Chappel and Bolling, it is their 5th All Star Game appearance. Fuentez and Thomas are both making their second appearance.

In an attempt to bring the rest of the league to life, I am also going to talk about the rest of the All Star teams, starting with the American League.

Catcher

Joining Chappel at catcher for the AL squad will be Miami backstop, Jake Foss. The 32 year old is making his first appearance in the All Star Game. So far this season, Foss leads the league in OPS (1.072) and is second in the AL in AVG (.360). Foss has 14 homers this year, and has posted OBP and SLG of .435 and .637, respectively. Foss has 204 career HR.

First Base

Bolling will share 1B duties with Tucson's Israel Kutz. Kutz is 35 and making his first AS appearance. He has .311/.391/.586 this year, with 20 HR and 67 RBI. Kutz has hit 345 homers in his career.

Second Base

There will be only one 2B on the AL side and that is Washington's Cristian Zarzuela. The 35 year old second baseman makes his 4th appearance in the mid-season classic. Zarzuela has hit .292/.357/.545 this season, with 18 homers and 60 RBI. Zarzuela has 320 career HR.

Shortstop

Two SS will assist in Zarzuela in turning double plays. The first is his own teammate, Ralph Jennings; the other is Memphis' Roy Chouinard. The 26 year old Jennings, making his 3rd AS team, has hit .310/.372/.602 with 19 homers this season. Jennings has 152 HR in his young career.

Chouinard is 29 years old and this is his 2nd AS appearance. He is tied for second in the AL this season with 22 homers, and is second in the league in RBI with 76. For the year, he has hit .300/.339/.581. Chouinard was the 2079 AL Silver Slugger winner. He smashed 56 homers and drove in 159 runs that year. He has 196 career homers.

Third Base

Manning the hot corner are Chouinard's teammate, Eric Jameson, and Grand Rapids' Andres Garcia. Jameson, nicknamed "Black Hole" for his fielding prowess, is also a dangerous power hitter. 32 years old and making his 4th AS appearance, Jameson leads the American League with 23 homers. He has also hit .308/.353/.603 this year, with 59 RBI. Jameson has 274 career home runs.

Garcia is 30 years old and this will be his first appearance in an All Star game. He has hit .297/.425/.550 this season, with 15 homers, 50 walks, and 65 RBI. Garcia has 114 career homers.

Left Field

There are two left fielders besides Fuentez: Miami's Roy Springs and Washington's Leon Pino. Springs is making his 5th AS appearance, at the age of 31. A year ago, Springs was named the AL Silver Slugger, as he hit .307 with 51 homers and 158 RBI. This year, Springs has hit .308/.368/.560 and has 21 homers and 62 RBI. Springs has 270 career longballs.

Pino is also making his 5th AS appearance. In his case, though, he is 34 years old. Also like Springs, Pino is a former Silver Slugger winner. Pino was the 2078 winner, with a .340 AVG, 55 homers, and 149 RBI. This year, Pino has hit .306/.387/.533, with 16 home runs. For his career, Pino is a .306 hitter with 511 career home runs.


Center Field

Nashville's Carlo Romero will join Thomas in patrolling centerfield for the AS team. The 29 year old is making his 6th appearance in the All Star game. This season, Romero has hit .304/.373/.582, with 19 HR, 70 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. Romero is a lifetime .311/.401/.554 hitter, with 311 home runs.


Right Field

Grand Rapids' Lamont Ferro rounds out the position players for the AL squad, and will handle RF. The 31 year old is making his 2nd AS appearance. Ferro has hit .337/.413/.549 this season, with 11 homers. He has hit 201 career home runs.


Starting Pitchers

The expected starter for the AL squad is Tucson's Peter Boughner. Just 25 years old, and in his first AS game, Boughner leads the American League with 13 wins, and is second with a 2.42 ERA. Boughner, in only his second season, has a record of 13-1 and has tossed 10 complete games and 4 shutouts.

In contrast with the bright-eyed Boughner is the grizzled left-hander from Miami, Jim Miller. 39 years old and in his 3rd AS game, Miller has gone 11-5 with a 3.02 ERA. Miller is a two time 20 game winner, and has 148 career wins to go with a 3.92 career ERA.

Memphis' Edgar Molina, making his 3rd AS team at the age of 33. Molina is tied for second in the league in wins with 12. He has gone 12-3 with a 3.51 ERA, and is third in the league with 107 strikeouts. Molina is a 2 time 20 game winner, and a 2 time 19 game winner. He has 148 career wins, a 3.47 ERA, and compiles over 200 K's every year since 2074.

Grand Rapids' Dennis Kenzo. Kenzo is 37 years old and this will be his 5th AS appearance. He is tied for second in the league in wins, with 12, and has gone 12-3 with a 3.16 ERA. Kenzo is a 3 time 20 game winner, and has compiled 224 wins in his career, with a 3.80 ERA. He is also the 2069 Cy Young Award winner. He went 23-9 that year, with a 3.20 ERA, and tossed 17 complete games.

Washington duo, Kenneth Thurman and Robert Penney. The 30 year old Thurman makes his first AS appearance this year. He has gone 12-5 with a 4.47 ERA. Penney is 35 and this will be his 2nd All Star appearance. He has gone 10-3 with a 3.36 ERA.

Kansas City's Ross Otis. Otis is 34 years old and this is his 3rd AS game. He has gone 10-4 with a 2.89 ERA this year. For his career, he has 153 wins and a 3.61 ERA.


Relief Pitchers

Lenard Massa is Washington's 6th representative, the most of any AL team. The 35 year old is making his first appearance in an All Star game. Massa has posted a 1.63 ERA in 16 relief appearance this season. For his career, he has pitched in 659 games and has a 4.22 ERA.

Kansas City's Tim Bushman is 38 years old and making his first AS team. He is tied for the league lead in saves, with 18, and has a 3.53 ERA in 30 games. For his career, he has pitched in 846 games, posting a 4.38 ERA, and compiling 61 saves.

Knoxville's Jordan Odle is making his first AS appearance at the age of 33. Odle is tied for second in the league with 17 saves, and has a 2.35 ERA in 26 games. In his career, Odle has notched 243 saves in 620 games, with a 3.65 ERA.

[jamus23]

The National League All Stars:

Catcher

Wearing the tools of ignorance for this game are Pittsburgh's Aaron Quijada and San Jose's Charles Seaver. The 33 year old Quijada is making his 5th All Star appearance. He has hit .318/.435/.629 this year, with 21 homers, 61 RBI, and is tied for the league lead with 74 runs scored. Quijada is a career .314/.424/.503 hitter, with 179 homers.

Seaver is 32 and is making his 4th AS team. Seaver has hit .312/.411/.564 with 19 homers. He has hit 260 home runs in his career.


First Base

Manning 1B will be San Jose's Ugo Momoru and Hartford's John Rachal. The 31 year old Momoru is making his 4th All Star team. Arguably the league's most dangerous slugger, Momoru currently leads all of baseball with 32 home runs. He is also second in the NL with 77 RBI. For the year, he has hit .306/.376/.654. Momoru has 348 career home runs.

Rachal is 28 years old and is making his 3rd AS appearance. He is currently 2nd in the league in OPS (1.148), 2nd in HR (29), 1st in RBI (92), and tied for third in runs (72). He has hit .347/.418/.730 this season. For his career, he has hit .302/.362/.584 with 218 home runs.


Second Base

Handling 2B will be Rochester's Louis Guerriero, San Diego's Andrew Burdick, and New Jersey's Douglas Vogl. The 27 year old Guerriero is making his 4th All Star appearance. This year, he is 3rd in AVG (.368), 1st in OPS (1.166), and 3rd in HR (23). He is a .323 career hitter, with 184 HR.

Burdick is regarded in some circles as the best all around hitter in the game, though certainly there is much competition for that distinction. The 33 year old makes his 8th appearance in the mid-summer classic. He is batting .352/.437/.608 this season, with 18 homers and 14 stolen bases. He is tied for the league lead in runs scored, with 74. In his illustrious career, Burdick has hit .329/.417/.562, with 448 homers and 291 stolen bases. He is a two time Silver Slugger Award winner. Back in 2074, he hit .378 with 46 homers, 122 RBI, and 151 runs scored to capture the honor for the first time. Last year, he won it for the second time, hitting .391 with 30 homers, 120 RBI, 124 runs scored, and 51 stolen bases.

Vogl is 36 years old. This will be his second All Star appearance. Vogl has hit .345/.386/.560 this season, with 17 longballs. He is a career .300/.344/.447 hitter, with 197 homers.


Shortstop

At SS will be Vogl's teammate, William Wilmer. The 37 year old makes just his second appearance in the All Star game. This season, he has hit .312/.405/.548 with 17 homers and 72 RBI. For his career, he is a .312/.407/.498 hitter, with 313 home runs.


Third Base

At the hot corner will be Pittsburgh's Javier Rael. The 27 year old makes his first All Star appearance in what is also his first full major league season. He is third in the league in RBI this year, with 74. Rael has hit .268/.334/.511 with 17 homers.

Left Field

LF will be manned by one slugger and two speedsters: San Diego's Gregorio Ruiz, San Jose's William Natali, and Hartford's John Gans. The 30 year old Ruiz makes his third All-Star game. He is currently 3rd in the league in OPS. This season, he has hit .356/.468/.678 with 20 homers and 67 RBI. He has 289 career home runs.

Natali makes his 3rd AS game at the age of 36. He is second in the NL with a .370 AVG, and is tied for first with 23 stolen bases. He is also tied for third with 72 runs scored. Natali has also managed to poke out 14 home runs this year. For his career, he is a .336/.376/.494 hitter, with 86 homers and 354 stolen bases.

The 32 year old Gans is making his second appearance in an All Star game. This season, he has hit .357/.383/.480, with 6 homers and 20 stolen bases. For his career, Gans is a .346/.381/.494 hitter, with 97 home runs, and 292 stolen bases.


Center Field

There are two NL centerfielders: Los Angeles's Urbano Belmonte and Pittsburgh's Augustine Oatman. Belmonte is 34 years old and making his first AS appearance. He has hit .330/.366/.531 this season, with 11 HR. For his career, he has hit 146 homers, and stolen 218 bases.

The 34 year old Oatman will be playing in his 4th All Star game. This season, Oatman has hit .359/.445/.645 with 16 homers. For his career, he is a .293/.354/.479 hitter, with 201 home runs.


Right Field

Sacramento's Matthew Milewski will be the only RF on the roster. The 24 year old is making his first appearance in the AS game. He has hit .318/.383/.512 this season, with 11 homers.

Starting Pitchers

I suggested that the distinction of who is the best hitter in the league is up for debate. The same cannot be said for who the best pitcher in the league is. There is no question.

Rochester's Segundo Narbaiza makes his 11th All Star appearance at the age of 36. Narbaiza currently leads the league in ERA and is tied for first in wins. This year, he is 11-4, with a 2.02 ERA, 111 strikeouts, 10 complete games, and 4 shutouts. Narbaiza is a six time Cy Young Award winner, including each of the last 4 seasons. For his career, he has 280 victories, a 2.46 ERA, and 3140 strikeouts. He is truly a living legend.

Narbaiza's teammate, Brian Sebastien, makes his first AS appearance at the age of 36. Sebastien has gone 10-3 with a 3.50 ERA this season.

Pittsburgh also puts a pair of starting pitchers into the mid-summer classic: Geronimo Otero and Eric Shoaf. The 37 year old Otero is making his 6th appearance in the All Star game. He is 9-1 this season with a 4.27 ERA and 123 strikeouts. Otero is a 4 time 20 game winner, and has 192 career victories with a 3.00 ERA. He was also the 2073 Cy Young Award winner, going 21-4 with a 1.45 ERA and 214 K's.

Shoaf, meanwhile, is making his 3rd appearance in the AS game, at the age of 37. He is currently tied for the league lead in wins with 11. Shoaf has an 11-1 record and 4.02 ERA. He is a two time 20 game winner with a 3.10 career ERA.

San Diego's Eusebio Nieves has been a master of inconsistency this season. Despite pitching a league leading five shutouts, the 26 year old first time All-Star has an ERA of just 4.38. He is tied for the league lead in wins, though, with a record of 11-6.

Edward Carbonell represents Portland in the All Star game. Carbonell is making his first appearance in the AS game at the age of 33. He is 10-5 this season, with an ERA of 3.28, and is second in the league with 128 strikeouts.

Phoenix's representative is Vicente Caruso. The 35 year old Caruso is making his second All Star appearance. He is 10-4 this season with a 3.30 ERA, and is third in the league with 126 K's.


The Relief Pitchers

Pittsburgh's Christopher Reardon makes his first AS appearance at the age of 32. He has posted a 1.63 ERA in 21 appearances this year. For his career, he has an ERA of 2.66 in 97 games.

Buffalo's Asdrubal Rodrigues is 34 years old and making his 2nd All Star game. He is tied for second in the league with 16 saves, and has posted a 3.63 ERA in 38 relief appearances. He has pitched in 675 games in his career, notching 174 saves, with a 3.04 ERA.

Harrisburg's closer, James Smith, completes the National League All Star team. Smith is 31 years old and making his 3rd All Star appearance. He leads the NL in saves with 19, and has posted a 2.88 ERA in 40 games. For his career, he has 198 saves and a 4.19 ERA in 559 games.

[jamus23]

7/1/2081

The All-Star Game

The 2081 All Star Game was competitive affair in which the National League prevailed 8-6. Denver's Ellis Bolling got things started with a two run single in the 2nd inning, but the American League's lead didn't last long. The following inning, Pittsburgh's Aaron Quijada tied the game up with a two run homer.

The National League would take the lead, and eventually led 6-4 going into the 8th inning. Denver's Lee Chappel smacked a two run homer to tie the game up, but in the ninth, Quijada came through again for the NL, hitting his second home run of the game, a solo shot to give the National League a 7-6 lead. They would add another run to secure the victory.

This is how Denver's representatives fared:
Russell Thomas was 0 for 5.
Lee Chappel was 2 for 4, with a HR, 2 RBI, and 1 R.
Asbel Fuentez was 0 for 1 in a pinch hit appearance.
Ellis Bolling was 1 for 4, with 2 RBI



******



Thus concludes the first half of the season. Denver came into the break on a fairly strong note. They got themselves over .500, and are well within striking distance of either first or second place. They will open the second half of the season with 9 games against Charlotte and Atlanta, two of the AL bottom feeders. It will be important to win a strong majority of those 9 games- I would like at least 7 wins- because the rest of the month will be much more difficult. After the first 9 games, they will face pretty much every team in the league with a winning record, except for Tucson, I believe. Beating up on the dregs will give them a bit of cushion if they slump against some of the stronger opponents.

Of course, as July progresses, the looming trading deadline may become a factor. I can't say that there aren't areas of the team that need improvement. The bullpen remains unreliable, and another steady starting pitcher would be very valuable. Problem is, there aren't many such players that are available. I have a few in mind, but they won't be easy to acquire, and right now Denver doesn't really have a lot of trading pieces. I'd also prefer to wait and see where Denver is at the end of the month. If they can move into one of the top two spots in the division, I may feel comfortable standing pat. If not....