Weekly Report: August 24, 1931

The Northsouth Guardians and the Platte Bears faced off at Craterview Park in Platte in a 3-game series this week with the UA West lead hanging in the balance.

Meanwhile, the top Wild Card contenders, the Delle Stars and the Roland Stags went head-to-head in a crucial 3-game series in Roland.

The Stars followed their big series against Roland with a tough test over the weekend against baseball’s top team, the Deerborn White Sox.

In the NPL, top home run hitters Bob Jones (CAR) and Lee Gutierrekaz (TRI) both entered the week with 12-game hitting streaks. Joe Laughlin (LP) had an 11-game streak of his own going coming into this week’s games.

Tiny Sea Metros DH Jose Tokorres became the first NPL player to hit 3 home runs in a game.

The Spiders and Canaries began a 3-game series in Wight yesterday to determine the NPL leader with the season winding down.

(Jump to UA Standings & League Leaders)

(Jump to NPL Standings & League Leaders)

UA News:

8/17:

• The Stars add a second lefty to their starting rotation. Delle acquires LHP Jeffrey Irvin from Railey. The Rivals receive 24-year old RHP prospect Erick Simon as part of their ongoing rebuilding effort.

8/18:

• LHP Jeffrey Irvin pitches well in his Delle debut, allowing 1 run in 6 innings in the Stars’ 3-1 win over Roland. CL David Rogers earns his 16th straight save. To add insult to injury, the Stags lose RHP Jose Verdier to an elbow injury sustained in a collision on the base paths. To make matters even worse, RH SP Edward Mercier comes on in relief and leaves the game in the 6th with what doctors are calling “moderate elbow inflammation.” Mercier could miss around 2 weeks, while Verdier awaits word on a diagnosis on his throwing elbow. With the win, the Stars pull within 4 games of the Stags in the Wild Card race. They will play twice more in this series.
• White Sox RHP Isaac Lee strikes out 8 and hits a home run, which proves to be the difference in Deerborn’s 4-3 over Cherricaw.
• Starters James Beach (NOR) and Travis Voelker (PLA) trade similar 6-inning, 3 run, 8 strikeout performances in game 1 of 3 between the top UA West contenders. The Guardians win the game, 4-3, on a Cal Oluoch RBI single in the top of the 12th inning. Northsouth is now 1 game behind Platte with the win.

8/19:

• White Sox SS Gilberto Hernankez goes 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and a long ball, but Deerborn drops the game to Cherricaw, 9-7. Herders 1B Ralph August is walked 4 times to tie the UA single-game record. RF Holth lass has a double and solo HR in the win.
• Stars RHP Ron Rivera throws 8 1-run innings and 1B Yassine Joseph hits 2 homers for 4 RBI as Delle knocks of Roland, 8-1. The Stars now trail the Stags by 3 games in the Wild Card race with under a month games now remaining.
• Guardians 1B Cal Oluoch hits his 24th and 25th HRs, but the Bears win, 8-6. Platte LH SP Craig Ogg leaves with a “dead arm.” He could miss around a week while he recovers. The Bears and Guardians will play the rubber match tomorrow with the Bears leading the division by 2 games.

8/20:

• Stags SP Jose Verdier will be day-to-day over the next 2 weeks with an elbow sprain. With Mercier out for the next 2 weeks and Kefentse out for the year, the Stags could be in trouble.
• White Sox star hurler Mathew Huertata leaves after 70 pitches. He reportedly complains of upper body discomfort. We await word on the nature and severity of the injury. Herders CF Ed Dement also leaves today’s game, with apparent elbow pain. He is also awaiting a diagnosis. The White Sox claim their 55th win of the season, beating the Herders, 4-1. The White Sox will need to go 16-11 over the remainder of the season to break the Bears’ 70-win record.
• Brothers outfielders Curt Lawson and Andy Thompson both homer in back-to-back games. Salvation takes 2 of 3 in the series with an 8-4 win in 11 innings today.
• Stars LF Carlos Teakowa goes 3 for 4 with a HR and 3 RBI; teammate Antonio Teakowa hits his 26th HR of the year. LHP Kevin Leroux is now 8-0 after pitching 7 innings and striking out 8 today. The Stars beat the Stags, 12-3. Delle sweeps the Stags in Roland and now trail them by just 2 games in the Wild Card standings. More bad news for the Stags: CF Ramon Zuniga appears to twist an ankle in the outfield and has to leave the game. We await word on his injury.
• RHP Adam Evans shows up in the big-time spot for Platte. He hurls a complete-game shutout with just 4 hits and 7 Ks as the Bears take the rubber match at home against the Guardians, 9-0. The Bears now lead the UA West by 3 games.
• Owls RF Jorge Akil hits his 4th dinger in 5 games as the Owls down the Chargers, 7-6. Akil is reportedly upset with his and the team’s performance this season, but lately he appears to be taking out that frustration on opposing pitchers.

8/21:

• Prissley SP James Evans has torn the flexor tendon in his elbow and will miss the rest of the year.
• Herders CF Ed DeMent’s banged-up elbow will keep him day-to-day for at least the next 2 weeks.
• X-rays on Stags CF Ramon Zuniga’s ankle are negative. He should be at full strength in about 3 days.
• The Rivals and Trail Blazers begin their final series of the season on the way to wrapping up this year’s River Rivalry. The Rivals have won 4 of 6 so far. Neither team has a playoff future this season, but with a sweep, the Trail Blazers could earn bragging rights over their nemeses for 1931. The two teams come into the series with identical 29-44 records. Prissley takes game 1 today at home, 3-2.
• The Stars extend their hot streak to 4 games with an 8-3 victory at home against Deerborn. RHP Stanley Quinn goes 7 innings with 5 hits and earned runs, while Stars CF Jesus Vazquiza has a double and a HR for 4 RBI in the win.
• The Stags rally for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th, winning on a walk-off base on balls from Miners RP Tim Farmer to Stags CF Ramon Zuniga. Roland remains 2 games in front of Delle.
• Northsouth LF Rogne Sem goes 3 for 3 with a long ball as the Guardians beat the Chargers, 8-2.
• Bears RH SP Julio Martinezto will be day-to-day for the next week with shoulder inflammation. He leaves after just 17 pitches today. Martinezto returned on August 10 from an acute elbow soreness that had kept him out all season up until then. The Bears win at Salvation, 7-3. They lead the Guardians by 3 games in the UA West.

8/22:

• Herders CF Ed DeMent’s sore elbow can’t stop him from hitting a walk-off solo HR in the 10th inning to beat the Owls, 6-5.
• Stags LHP Rich Smith notches 11 Ks in 7.2 IP as Roland beats Lia Kompos, 10-5. In addition to his sore ankle, Stags CF Ramon Zuniga strains an abductor today, which may limit his mobility over the next 5-7 days. Zuniga managed a double for an RBI in today’s game despite the pain.
• Prissley LF Juan Tumaini blasts his 25th HR of the season, but the Trail Blazers fall to the Rivals, 6-5. With the win, Railey secures their status as the winners of 1931’s River Rivalry, regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game between the teams.
• Guardians 1B Cal Oluoch hits his 26th homer as Northsouth downs Taawa, 8-7.
• RF Gil Larcher hits his first home run as a White Sock as Deerborn snaps the Stars’ 4-game win streak with a 5-1 victory in Delle.
• Bears lefty reliever Louis Clay gets a spot start at Salvation. He leaves with a mild oblique strain and will be day-to-day for the next 4 days. The Bears manage to beat the Brothers, 1-0, to maintain their 3-game lead over Northsouth.

8/23:

• The White Sox receive word that SP Mathew Huertata’s injury is a strained oblique that will leave him as a day-to-day decision for the next 2 weeks.
• Stags 1B Kevin Smith and CF Ramon Zuniga each crush 2 long balls as Roland sweeps Lia Kompos with a 10-3 win today.
• The Chargers avoid a sweep with a 1-0 win at Northsouth.
• Stars CL David Rogers gets his 17th straight save and his 20th of the year as the Stars take the rubber match against Deerborn, 5-3. It’s just the White Sox’ 4th series loss this season, but 3 have come at the hands of the Delle Stars. Delle takes the season series from Deerborn, 6-3. This could add some tension to a potential playoff series between the Stars and the Sox.
• Salvation avoids being swept at home by the Bears with a 7-0 romp. Brothers 1B Curt Lawson hits his 19th and 20th home runs in the win. The Bears remain 3 games ahead of the Guardians in the UA West. Bears 36-year old RP Orlando Nunez suffers an apparently severe elbow injury after just 4 pitches. We await an update from team doctors. Even more bad news for Platte amidst their pennant chase: CF Stan Davis will be day-to-day for the next 3-4 weeks with a sprained wrist after diving for a ball today. The injury is likely to affect him well into a potential Bears playoff run.

Current UA Standings:

Current UA League Leaders:

NPL Watch:

8/17:

• Trimble 1B Lee Gutierrekaz goes deep twice to take the lead in the NPL HR race with 18 HRs. He extends his hit streak t o 13 games. Toppers RHP Carlos Lia Kutando sets the NPL single-game strikeout record with 13 Ks over 6 innings of work. Wight RHP Noa Dutertre gives up just 2 hits and 1 run in 7 innings, but the Toppers rally for 3 in the 9th to win, 4-3.
• Fiery Carp CF T.J. Harrison is ejected in the 7th inning after being struck out looking. Rather than arguing with the umpire, Harrison stood still and silent in the batter’s box after the call, glaring daggers at the home plate ump, refusing to acknowledge orders to clear the box so the game could continue. After being ejected, he whispered something to the umpire and immediately walked off the field. The Reapers beat the Carp, 9-6.
• Carver DH Raul Sotio hits his 16th home run of the year in the Canaries’ 6-2 win over Tiny Sea. Canaries 1B Bob Jones sees his hit streak end at 12 games with an 0 for 4 performance today. With today’s win, the Canaries move into a tie for first place with the Wight Spiders.

8/18:

• Spiders LHP Fabio Mora goes 8 innings with 1 run and 4 hits as Wight beats Trimble, 8-1.
• 1930 Golden Bat winner for the Carp, RF Jose Gomez injures his elbow on a throw in Petchon’s 5-2 loss to Plains City. He awaits word from team doctors. Plains City starter Bruce Brown leaves the game with shoulder pain and will be day-to-day for about the next week.
• Canaries LHP Wiley Ellysian strikes out 11 batters as Carver beats Tiny Sea again, 6-0. The Canaries keep pace with the Spiders with the win.

8/19:

• Carp RF Jose Gomez has a sprained elbow and will miss the remainder of the 1931 season.
• Kings LF Joe Laughlin extends his hit streak to 13 games with a 3 for 4 day as Lia Puedris beats Carver, 2-1. The Canaries now trail the Spiders by 1 game.
• Toppers 1B Lee Gutierrekaz sees his hitting streak end at 14 games, 2 away from Jimmy Hamm’s NPL record of 16, set earlier this year. The Carp beat the Toppers, 6-5.

8/20:

• Reapers SP Greg Greenhaw will miss 2-3 weeks with tendinitis in his elbow.
• Metros DH Jose Tokorres has a record-setting day. He goes 4 for 4 with 3 home runs, becoming the first player in the NPL to record a home run hat trick. He ties the NPL record for runs scored with 4, as well as the NPL single-game RBI record with 7. The Metros stomp the Spiders, 9-1. They’ll play the rubber match in Tiny Sea tomorrow.
• Toppers 1B Lee Gutierrekaz hits his league-leading 19th HR of the year, but the Toppers fall to the Carp in 10 innings, 2-1.
• Canaries LHP Morgan Burnett throws his 3 complete game of 1931, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits as Carver beats the Kings, 6-2. Lia Puedris LF Joe Laughlin’s hit streak ends at 13 games. With the win, the Canaries are once again tied with the Spiders for first place.

8/21:

• The Carp send talented veteran RH RP Javier Lia Undun to the Reapers, along with young SS Rick Pierce, in exchange for 20-year old infield prospect Aymeric Salaun. The Reapers trail by 5 games in the NPL standings and are hoping to make a push for the National Cup in the last three weeks of the year.
• Metros 1B Chuck Parker will be day-to-day over the net week after sustaining a hip strain while running the bases today. They will also deal with a day-to-day elbow injury to CF Carlos Takato. The Metros drop today’s game to Wight, 9-7.
• Canaries DH Raul Sotio hits his 17th homer, but Carver falls to Lia Puedris, 7-6. The Kings take 2 of 3 in the series. Carver now trails Wight by 1 game.

8/23:

• Spiders DH Lier Semb goes 3 for 4 with a home run, but the Canaries take game 1 of the big series between the premier NPL teams, 9-4. Carver 1B Bob Jones hits his 18th HR in the win. Wight and Carver are currently tied for first place in the NPL.
• Lakers Choice Fielder-winning LF Allen Hendrix will miss the rest of the year with rotator cuff tendinitis. Elderwood loses to Trimble, 6-5.

Current NPL Standings:

Current NPL League Leaders:

UA: Latest stats, scores and standings…

NPL: Latest stats, scores and standings…