Weekly Report: September 7, 1931

The week started with an up-for-grabs Uplantic Association Wild Card race.

The Northsouth Guardians started the week with a big series against the Roland Stags, who Northsouth came into the week trailing by 2 games for the Wild Card. After that, Northsouth faced another tough test with 3 games against the Deerborn White Sox, who have held baseball’s top record all season long.

The Stags came into this week having lost 5 of their last 6, tied with the Delle Stars for the Wild Card lead, of which Roland had been in sole possession for almost the entire season.

The UA West race was tight to start the week as well, with the Platte Bears holding a 2-game lead over the Guardians.

The Salvation Brothers are hanging in there, but running out of time. They started the week 6 games back in both the West and the Wild Card standings, but had the toughest remaining schedule of anyone in the running.

In the NPL, the Canaries and Spiders came into the week neck-and-neck for the number one spot with 13 games left in the season. The Reapers and the Lakers were still in the running, but would need to be nearly perfect and would also need the league’s top teams to stumble during the last 2 weeks of the year.

(Jump to UA Standings & League Leaders)

(Jump to NPL Standings & League Leaders)

UA News:

8/31:

• Trail Blazers LF Juan Tumaini hits his 4th homer in the last 3 games as the Trail Blazers beat the Herders in Cherricaw, 5-4.
• The Stags and Guardians play game 1 of 3, with big playoff implications. Injured Stags starter Jose Verdier pitches well in 2.2 innings of relief despite playing with a moderate elbow sprain. However, he could not overcome LHP Rich Smith’s 6-run start and the Guardians top the Stags, 7-1.
• Rivals RHP Sonny Hernankez strikes out 11 in 7.2 innings in Railey’s 8-2 win over the Chargers. Rivals CF Tim Ramirekaz goes 3 for 4 with 3 doubles in the win.
• Stars 3B Mario Olivo stays red-hot with his 29th and 30th HRs of the year, but the Brothers beat Delle, 6-4. Delle remains tied with Roland for the Wild Card lead, with the Guardians just 1 game back.
• Bears 3B Juan Tokorres hits his league-leading 35th home run in Platte’s 9-3 win at Lia Kompos. The Bears remain 2 games ahead of Northsouth in the UA West. Tokorres is 8 away from his own UA HR record (43 HR) with 17 games left in the season.
• White Sox RF Curt Sawyer hits his 31st home run in Deerborn’s 4-2 win over the Owls. Deerborn has the top spot in the league by 12 games with 17 to go, almost assuredly locked in for a bye to the Windsor Cup Finals. Owls LF Ambroise Forestier homers for the 3rd straight game in the loss.

9/1:

• Delle 3B Mario Olivo is the UA’s Batter of the Month for August 1931. Over the month, he had a .333 average with 13 HRs, 25 RBI, 25 runs scored. He had a .418 on-base percentage during the month.
• White Sox CL Carlos Garcika is the UA’s Pitcher of the Month. He was a perfect 12 for 12 in save opportunities in August. He allowed zero runs during the month, striking out 24 batters over 14 innings of work.
• Herders 1B John Bunce hits a triple and home run for 4 RBI as Cherricaw downs Prissley, 10-5.
• Stags 1B Francisco Kosgei’s hit streak is at 15 games after a 1-for-4 performance with a run driven in today. Roland bounces back to beat the Guardians in 11 innings, 5-2. The Stags now lead the Guardians in the Wild Card race by 2 games. They’ll play the rubber match of this series tomorrow. Stags All-Star C Felix Kordero leaves with a mild hamstring strain, but should be back to 100% within a day or two.
• Stars RHP Stanley Quinn allows just 1 run on 2 hits over 8 innings as Delle tops Salvation, 4-1. The Stars remain tied with the Stags atop the Wild Card standings.
• Platte 3B Juan Tokorres goes deep again for his 36th of the year. The Bears beat the Miners, 9-2. Platte extends their UA West lead over Northsouth to 3 games.
• The White Sox force extra innings and explode for 6 runs in the 11th to beat the Owls, 10-4. Deerborn is now 7 wins away from Platte’s record of 70 wins in a season.

9/2:

• Stars LHP Jeffrey Irvin shines, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits over 8.1 innings as Delle takes the rubber match at Salvation, 8-1. Delle stays at the top of the Wild Card standings with the win.
• Trail Blazers RF Vage Lek hits a triple and a homer in a 3-for-4 day, but the Herders beat Prissley, 11-10.
• The Guardians tee off on Roland LH SP Victor Silva for 7 runs in just over an inning of work. Stags 4-time All-Star CF Ramon Zuniga leaves the game with a “dead arm.” Doctors say it could be an issue for the rest of the season and into a potential Stags playoff run. Zuniga has not been added to injured list. Roland drops out of first in the Wild Card standings with the loss, and the Guardians still trail the Stars by 2 games. Francisco Kosgei strikes out in a pinch hit appearance for the Stags and sees his hit streak come to an end at 15 games.
• Bears 3B Juan Tokorres has an incredible day at the plate. He goes 4 for 4 with a double and 3 home runs for a record 10 RBI! Tokorrres’s 39 HR lead the UA and he is now 4 away from his own record of 43 HR in a season. He hits 5 home runs in the series as Platte sweeps Lia Kompos with a 13-6 win. Miners 3B Hichem Colle leaves the game with an undiagnosed right leg injury. The Bears keep a 3-game lead over Northsouth in the UA West.
• The White Sox sweep the Owls in Redwood with a 7-4 win today. They are 6 wins from tying Platte’s all-time record of 70 wins in a season.

9/3:

• Miners C Roger Jenkins sees a disappointing end to his season. He learns today that he is out for the year with torn meniscus in his knee.
• Deerborn CF Jimmy Lia Morro is done for the year after fracturing his tibia in a slide during today’s game. OF Gil Larcher will likely see more playing time as the White Sox chase their 2nd Windsor Cup. White Sox SP Roberto Tokorres allows just 1 earned run over 6.2 innings, but a costly error by 3B Rygh Ogg leads to extra innings and 3-2 Guardians win on Cal Oluoch’s 31st homer in the 11th. Deerborn LF Curt Sawyer hits a double and his 32nd home run in the loss.
• Delle RHP Gurr Gurr allows just 1 run on 5 hits over 8 innings. The Stars beat the Trail Blazers, 5-2, to retain their lead in the Wild Card standings.
• SP Travis Voelker gives the Bears 7 innings, but Platte’s lineup can’t overcome the Chargers’ 2 runs. Final TAA 2, PLA 0. Platte lead Northsouth by 2 games in the UA West.
• Miners 19-year old C Gabriel Pentakaz hits a pair of home runs in his UA debut. Lia Kompos beats Redwood in a slugfest, 15-13. The game features 8 HR between the two teams. Lia Kompos 3B B.J. Horton goes 3 for 4 with a triple and a home run for 4 RBI.
• Stags RHP Edward Mercier spins a 1-hitter against the Brothers. Roland 2B Albert Pentana hits a double and home run for 5 RBI in the 9-0 win. Roland remains 1 game behind Delle in the Wild Card race.

9/4:

• Lia Kompos All-Star 3B Hichem Colle is done for the year after he learns that his hamstring is torn. He hit .284 with 17 HRs this year for the Miners.
• Chargers 23-year old LF Colt Lia Yoro hits a double for 2 RBI in his 2nd UA game. Taawa shocks Platte again 3-2, to win their 4th in a row.
• Brothers LF Mike Wilson goes deep twice to help Salvation even the series with Roland. They’ll play the rubber match tomorrow at Gateway Park.
• Miners CF Steve Kiteoko goes 4 for 4 with a grand slam and 4 runs scored as Lia Kompos explodes for a 14-7 win in Redwood.
• Pitcher of the Year candidate Mathew Huertata hurls a 4-hit shutout for the White Sox as they dominate the Guardians, 10-0. They are now 5 wins from tying Platte’s all-time record, and their magic number to clinch both the UA East and the Davis Trophy is now 3. White Sox RF Curt Sawyer will be day-to-day with knee tendinitis.
• Rivals C Pedro Romanota hits a pair of dingers for 3 RBI, but the Herders top Railey, 10-5.
• Delle RF Antonio Teakowa hits his 32nd and 33rd home runs. His 2 RBI are the difference as the Stars beat the Blazers, 5-3. Delle extends their Wild Card lead to 2 games over Roland, and 3 games over Northsouth.

9/5:

• Stags LHP Rich Smith nearly goes the distance, shutting out the Brothers over 8.2 innings of 5-hit ball. Roland beats Salvation in the series rubber match, 4-1.
• Owls RHP Evan Francis strikes out 9 in 5 innings while allowing just 1 ER on 1 hit. 2B Ernesto Terawaa hits 2 doubles and a triple for 4 RBI as Redwood beats Lia Kompos, 9-1.
• White Sox 1B Jorge Oko hits his 29th HR of the year, but the Guardians utilize an opening pitcher strategy to get the win, 7-5. Northsouth avoids a sweep at the hands of baseball’s top team and keeps their playoff hopes alive with the victory.
• Rivals RHP Sonny Hernankez strikes out 9 over 5 innings and gets the W as Railey beats Cherricaw, 3-2.
• Stars 3B Mario Olivo hits 2 HR for 5 RBI as Delle smashes Prissley, 10-2. The Stars retain a 2-game lead over the Stags and a 3-game lead over the Guardians for the UA Wild Card.
• Bears RF Gurr Gurr could be questionable for the remainder of the year and the playoffs as he is now dealing with shoulder inflammation on top of a strained back. The Chargers edge the Bears, 5-4, for the stunning underdog sweep and their 5th straight win. Platte’s lead over Northsouth in the UA West is down to a single game with 12 games to go.

9/6:

• Platte LF Adam Sullivan hits a pair of doubles for 2 RBI. The Bears rebound from a sweep in their last series to shut out the Herders in Cherricaw, 5-0. Platte finishes the week in first place in the UA West.
• White Sox RHP Isaac Lee notches 10 strikeouts over 6 innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits. LF Jorge Oko homers in his 3rd straight game for his 30th of the year. RF Curt Sawyer overcomes his knee pain to hits his 33rd. Deerborn beats Salvation, 4-1. With the win, the White Sox are the first team in 1931 to officially clinch a playoff spot. They are now 4 games away from tying Platte’s 70-win record and are heavily favored to become the first team to win a 2nd Windsor Cup.
• Stags LF Jose Lia Tinta’s 29th homer is a solo shot to give Roland a 6-5 win in 10 innings over Prissley.
• Northsouth beats up on Redwood, 8-1, in front of 25,927 rowdy fans at Trefellen Field. The Guardians remain a game behind the Bears in the UA West.
• Stars 3B Mario Olivo hits 2 HRs for the 2nd straight game to bring his season total to 34. He also has a double as part of a 3-for-3, 4-RBI performance. Delle knocks off the Rivals, 5-3, to sweep the series. Delle leads Roland by 2 games and Northsouth by 3 games for Wild Card with 11 games remaining. The Stars have won 6 straight games.
• Chargers 1B Eric Jackson is 3 for 6 with a double and a homer for 4 RBI. Taawa wins in Lia Kompos, 10-2, for their 6th straight victory.

Current UA Standings:

Current UA League Leaders:

NPL Watch:

8/31:

• The first-place Canaries avoid a sweep in Elderwood and snap a 4-game losing streak. LHP Morgan Burnett allows 2 runs on 4 hits over 8 innings in Carver’s 3-2 win. Canaries SS Peter Feliz comes off the bench, hitting a solo homer to the tie game in the 9th and becoming the winning run in the 11th, scoring from 3rd base on passed-ball strikeout. Lakers OF Wallace Veka comes off the bench to go 0 for 1 and sees his 10-game hit streak come to an end.
• Carp 1B Pedro Bausi goes 4 for 4 with a double and a home run for 3 RBI as Petchon beats Wight 5-3. The Spiders fall 2 games behind Carver with the loss.
• Reapers CF Jimmy Hamm returns a day after leaving the game with back stiffness and hits a 2-run home run in the 8th to put Plains City over Tiny Sea, 3-1. Metros 1B Chuck Parker extends his hit streak to 11 games with a single, but his RBI streak ends at 9 games.

9/1:

• The Reapers spend $1.06 million on 29-year old reliever David Isa for the rest of this season as they go all-in down the final stretch. Isa has only pitched in 7 games in each of the last 2 NPL seasons, but he has pitched well. Plains City’s front office seems to think he can help them catch the Canaries and the Spiders in the standings.
• Both starting pitchers leave with yet-to-be-diagnosed injuries in the Reapers’ 5-4 win over the Canaries. Carver RHP Brian Bullock leaves with an apparently serious elbow injury, while Plains City RHP Ed Austin leaves with an unclear injury, but in some pain. We await word on both players.
• Lakers CF Wallace Veka goes 3 for 5 with a pair of solo home runs, but the Spiders prevail, 9-4. Spiders LF Theron Landry hits a double and his 15th HR in the win. Wight gains a game on Carver in the standings. They now trail by 1 game.
• Metros 3B Juan Korrea hits a grand slam in Tiny Sea’s 10-1 romp at Trimble.

9/2:

• Lakers RHP Manny Vazquiza allows just 1 run on 3 hits over 5.1 IP as the Lakers take game 2 in Wight, 8-1.
• Plains City LF Bob Guerreroko drives in SS Wally Jensen with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 12th, as the Reapers beat the Canaries again, 3-2. The Canaries remain 1 game ahead of the Spiders, with the Reapers creeping up, now 4 games back of the NPL lead with 10 games to go in the season.
• Trimble starter Carlos Lia Kutando allows just 2 runs in 6.1 scoreless innings and racks up 7 Ks. The Toppers walk-off in the 12th on an RBI single from SS Clifton Johnson to break the stalemate with Tiny Sea, 1-0. Metros 1B chuck Parkers extends his hit streak to 12 games in the win.

9/3:

• Elderwood 3B David Little hits a double and a 2-run homer, but the Spiders take the rubber match in Wight, 7-5.
• Canaries DH Raul Sotio hits a grand slam in the 1st inning for his 19th HR of the year, and Carver goes on to beat Plains City, 5-3. The Canaries still lead Wight by a game, and the Reapers are on the ropes, trailing Carver by 5 games with just 9 to go.
• Metros 1B Chuck Parker goes off for 2 doubles and HR for 3 RBI, extending his hit streak to 13 games. Trimble 3B Rayad Renaud goes deep twice, but Tiny Sea wins it, 7-4.

9/5:

• The Canaries learn that starter Brian Bullock is out for the rest of the year with elbow tendinitis.
• The Canaries spend $1.08 million to pay lefty reliever Fred Wilson to be available for the last 9 games of the year in their bid to repeat as NPL champs. Wilson has appeared in 11 games for the Metros this year with 10 Ks and a 0.77 ERA over 11.2 innings.
• Reapers RH SP Ed Austin learns that his oblique strain will not keep him out any longer. He will be good to go for his next start.
• The Canaries tie their record of 40 wins with a 9-3 victory at home over the Toppers. Carver retains the top spot in the NPL. Starter Morgan Burnett leaves with a left leg injury. Burnett limps off the field under his own power. It’s possible that he’s re-aggravated his ankle sprain from a couple of weeks ago, but we await official word. Another injury in the game for 1st-place Carver: 2B Barney Lowery leaves with an unknown injury to his right leg, in addition to ongoing pain from a quad strain in his left leg. The injury doesn’t appear serious, but we await word from team doctors. The Canaries could be in trouble, with a tenuous lead, and already dealing with the absence of starter Brian Bullock.
• Despite a bruised knee, Metros LF Bobby O’Bryan goes 4 for 5 with a pair of long balls for 6 RBI. Metros 1B Chuck Parker hits in his 14th straight game, and Metros DH Jose Tokorres is 4 for 5 with a double and a solo HR, as Tiny Sea beats the Kings, 11-6.
• Spiders DH Lier Semb goes deep for the 19th time this season, but a 4-run 8th inning puts the Reapers over the top for a 5-4 win. The Canaries now lead the Spiders by 2 games and the Reapers by 5. 8 games remain in the 1931 NPL season.

9/6:

• Carver LH SP Morgan Burnett’s leg injury is a mild calf strain. He will be fine to make his next start as the Canaries defend their 1930 championship.
• Tiny Sea 1B Chuck Parker goes 0 for 3 to snap his hit streak after 14 games. 3B Juan Korrea has a double and a HR for 3 RBI as the Metros beat the Kings, 6-2.
• Canaries RHP Tim Coffman goes 7.1 innings, but it takes them 15 innings to win the game against Trimble, walking off on Emeric Metivier’s solo home run off of Manuel Davilaka. Final: CAR 5, TRI 4 (15 inn). Carver 1B Bob Jones hits his league-leading 22nd HR in the win. The Canaries break their own record with their 41st victory of 1931.
• Elderwood DH Juan Adili hits his 16th and 17th homers as the Lakers trounce the Carp, 13-2. RF Pancho Retoyes also has a pair of long balls in the win.
• Wight DH Lier Semb hits his 20th home run in the Spiders’ 5-3 win at Plains City, but SS Daniel Lia Yorino suffers an oblique strain that could keep him out of action for the last week of the season. The injury comes amidst a 10-game hitting streak for Lia Yorino. The Spiders trail the defending champs by 2 games with 7 games to go. Plains City is now all but defeated, currently trailing Carver by 6 games.

Current NPL Standings:

Current NPL League Leaders:

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