Streaky Champs Continue Trend

The Chicago Champions were pitted against the Kentucky Kernels in May.  Chicago sleepwalked through the first three games, losing all three by a combined score of 14 to 3.  After dropping the first two contests, the Champions decided to shake things up by playing their kids versus Hiroki Kuroda.  Kuroda threw a three hit shutout and it was time for the regulars to step back in.

Madison Bumgarner returned the favor by firing a six hit shutout at the Kernels, while striking out ten against no walks.  Then Kosuke Fukudome’s two run blast provided some 9^th inning heroics off of previously unscathed closer Sergio Romo, who stayed in the game to work three innings and pick up the win when Buckeye Nick Swisher took rookie reliever Greg Holland yard in the 11^th.  The Freak, Tim Lincecum bested Jered Weaver 5-3, with some help from relievers Papa Grande & Sergio Romo.  Kuroda didn’t fare as well in Crackerjack Park as he had in Kentucky versus the Champs.  Matt “Raisin” Cain was the winner 4-2.

Unfortunately the Twin K’s bats came to life in the last two games, the Kernels winning 6-1 & 7-3.

Dexter “Flyer” Fowler was the hitting star for the Chicago Champions.  All he did was go 11 for 26, for a .423 batting average, with eight extra basehits, 4 doubles, 3 triples, and a homer.  He also drew three bases on balls and was hit by a pitch.  Flyer scored eleven runs, not bad for seven games, and he also drove in two, for good measure.

Manager Mallasch was quoted as saying, “Without Dex we would’ve really been in trouble.  We only hit four homers to their ten and were outscored 35-23, and to think DF scored 11 times himself.  He had an amazing series”.

So far this year Chicago has already had a nine game winning streak & a nine game losing streak and a four game winning streak & a four game losing streak.  The team will be looking for more consistency in June when we travel to Champaign for 30 games against the IAL western foes.