In a week that saw division leading Havana mow through its schedule like a Toro lawn tractor in a field of crabgrass, Scotland’s engine kept clogging with goo and sputtering to a stop.
The result: a 2-3 week for the Claymores vs. a 5-1 week for the Leones and further slippage in the Trans Atlantic Division standings.
Particularly galling were two close losses to Havana at Campos Peloteros, one partly due to a relief meltdown by Terry Dumont (3 runs and 5 hits in 2.1 IP) and the other a 15-inning heartbreaker loss on a walk-off homer yielded by Mauro Rocha.
The Scottish bounced back to take two of three from Hartford on the road, but the damage had been done and the Claymores were on the way to dropping 5 games behind Havana.
Not that the week was without bright spots, though. SS Naomi Honma flashed his new power stroke, mashing 5 homers (3 in one game against Hartford); 2B José Escobido continued to climb back towards respectable batting numbers; and veteran SP Francisco Robles won his sixth game without a loss (more on that in "News and Notes").
Still, Scotland clearly needs to tune up its engine, sharpen its blades, and get back to mowing through its competition if it expects to challenge for the division title this season.
Top Hitter
Naomi Honma, SS: .450/.538/1.350, 5 HRs, 9 RBIs, 1 2B, 1 3B, 9 R, 1.7 WAR
Top Pitcher
Carlos Perez, SP: 1-0, 1.59 ERA, 1 G, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 4 Ks, 0.2 WAR
Top Game
The May 30 contest at Havana was a losing effort, but an extraordinary game. For 14-plus innings, the Claymores and Leones battled each other to a 2-2 standoff with strong pitching from starters Soichiro Ogawa and Kenny Ashley and shutdown relief work by the two bullpens. Until, that is, the bottom of the 15th. With middle reliever Manuel Hernández on the mound for Scotland, LF Bill Jones lashed a full-count cutter into deep right field for a lead-off double. The Claymores called in Mauro Rocha, who retired RF Claudio Hernández and 1B Ira Murdoch. For a moment, it seemed like the Scottish would escape the inning. But only for a moment. Rocha tried to burn a fastball past 3B Vern Duncan, but missed his spot high. Duncan crushed it 417 feet into the right field stands for a walk-off, 2-run homer. Havana had a thrilling win, and Scotland a crushing loss.
News and Notes
3B Bob Swift finished his rehab stint at AAA Aberdeen and was recalled to the major league squad. Peter Casey, who’s been scuffling with inconsistent playing time, was sent to the minors to see if he could work out of his funk at the plate, and get more at-bats … Francisco Robles, rebounding from a shoulder injury that shelved him for most of last season, is making a bid for come-back player of the year: a win last week against Hartford raised his season record to 6-0 with a 3.10 ERA, 24 Ks and 10 BBs. He’s averaging just over 5 innings a game in 10 starts. The team continues to keep him on a pitch count and use a six-man rotation, in part to keep Robles fresh … Attendance continues to trend upward: the Claymores are drawing an average of 38,221 fans per game, an increase of just over 14 percent from last season. Season ticket sales have played a role in that: the Claymores boosted the number of season ticket holders by 44.3 percent over last year, according to front office sources.
IL Trans Atlantic Division Standings
As of the morning of June 4, 2029
|Team...........|W | L | W % |GB |RD |
|Havana|.......|38|18|.679| -- |+61|
|San Juan......|34|22|.607| 4.0|+17|
|Scotland|.....|32|22|.593| 5.0|+52|
|Amsterdam..|27|29|.482|11.0|-07|
|London........|24|31|.436|13.5|-40|
Fresh From the Farm
AAA Aberdeen played .500 ball last week, which was good enough to keep the Golden Sands atop the AML Europe and Islands Division. Aberdeen is now 30-27, 2.5 games up on second place Santo Domingo … OF Will Nelson has been swinging a hot bat. He’s 14 of 43 over his last 13 games, good for a .326 BA with 4 HRs and 9 RBIs … AA Inverness had a strong week, going 4-2 to bring its season record to 33-23. The Highlanders are in third place in the competitive ATAL Euro-Caribbean Division, 4.5 games behind leader Port-au-Prince … SP Jorge Garcia has been throwing well. Over his last 7 starts, he’s 3-2 with a 1.04 ERA and 35 Ks in 43.1 IP … Govan seems to have righted the Ship(builders) a bit. The A-level squad went 5-1 last week to improve its overall record to 19-26, although the Shipbuilders are still in 5th place in the AWL Intercontinental Division, 13.5 games in back of first place Utrecht … 3B Derrek Groves has caught fire in the past couple of weeks, going 9 for 23 over his last 7 games, which translates to a .391 BA with 1 HR and 7 RBIs.
