April 25th Series: Flamingos Sweep Miners

Enrique Hernandez:  The New Bill Mazeroski ??

Series song:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=there+will+be+days+like+this

The Joplin Miners' philosophy since taking over the franchise was to do whatever it takes to get to the World Series.  In the first two seasons, the end result was a trip to the 2018 World Series and another trip to the 2019 Ozzie League Championship.  The cost included trading away top prospects for a one year rental in Justin Verlander in 2018 and a half year in 2019 of Hyun-Jin Ryu and swallowing a 10M contract for injured Gio Gonzalez, a contract that could not be unloaded via trade or contract fine over the winter.

As a result, the Miners retooled in the off season and jettisoned Charlie Morton and Freddie Freeman for one year of Charlie Blackmon and the addition of two top 100 prospects, i.e. Royce Lewis and Ian Anderson.   It also meant the Miners were forced to add a number of 100k pitchers which usually means providing cannon fodder for opposing hitters to pad their hitting stats when they face the Miners.  This series made me think of Van Morrison's song There will be Days like this...

Game 1:   Flamingos 6  Miners  5

W:  Kela (1-1)
L:  Gio Gonzalez (0-1)

HRs: Ro. Rodriguez, Lindor, En. Hernandez

Enrique Hernandez hit 3 HRs in this series and hit the first one in this game.  Tommy Milone ( Joplin) and Jake Odorizzi both gave up 5 runs and turned the game over to the respective bullpens.  Gio Gonzalez took the mound in the 9th and gave up the winning run. 


Game 2:  Flamingos 7  Joplin 3

W: Lucchesi:  6-3-1-1-3-6 (1-2)
L:  Sampson: 4-5-4-4-1-3  (0-1)

HRs:  Dixon, Kipnis, En. Hernandez

Adrian Sampson is the first of the 100k cannon fodder pitchers the Joplin Miners sent out for the Las Vegas feast.  The Flamingos said thank you very much and launched 3 moonshots for the win. 


Game 3:  Flamingos 13  Miners 4

W: Ch. Anderson:  6-4-4-4-1-2  (2-0)
L:  Jorge Lopez:  4-11-9-9-1-3   (0-1)

HRs:  Betts, Jo. Lopez, Bradley (2), Mancini  (3)  Kipnis

Trey Mancini went 5 for 5 and hit 2 doubles and 3 homeruns as Jorge Lopez failed to make it pass 4 innings.  Mr. Lopez did hit a home run, the first for a Miner pitcher in a long time.   Cannon fodder pitchers should be able to last at least 5 innings.


Game 4:  Flamingos 4  Miners  3

W:  Miley  6-6-2-2-1-7 (2-0)
L:  Brooks  2-4-3-3-0-1 (0-1)

HRs:  Santana, Pinder, Kipnis, En. Hernandez


Brooks left the game in the 2nd with a sore shoulder and the Miner's pen actually did a respectable job under the circumstances. Nevertheless, Joplin lost and dropped the series 4-0. 

Enrique Hernandez was the star of this series, launching 3 home runs in the 4 game series and instilling alot of confidence in the Vegas clubhouse. 

At press time, the Miners were 6-6 on the season.