After a dismal first 3 weeks of May, the Bags traveled on the long flight from the Great Northwest to Regina after being swept by the Seattle Pikes. The Bags (minus closer Daniel Morris) lost 2 games in the 9th inning and dropped Jersey to 6-14 for the month. Bad pitching, bad hitting, bad fielding, bad everything led to this. The Bags needed a spark, needed something. If not their season might be over before June. Something happened on that flight. Maybe it was the lone player over the age of 30, Dan Macias standing up to the group of overly young players. Maybe it was Mike Bryant the young up and coming superstar with words of wisdom. No one will talk, but something happened.
After an off-day given by manager Kevin Davis, the team showed up fresh to face Regina, who boasted the 2nd best record in the CL. The struggling Jerry Paige on the mound, who seemed to have lost his confidence as well as control as the season had carried on, pitched brilliantly. It only took him 118 pitches to dominate the powerful Regina lineup. He scattered 5 hits, walked 2 and struck out a season high 9 in his first career complete game and shutout. Mike Bryant had his 4th multi hit game in a row, and drove in all 5 runs in a 5-0 victory in front of the hostile crowd of over 39000 people. 1 win.
Sometimes it only takes 1 thing to turn it around. The next night after a shaky first inning Kenny Stanford settled in threw 8 strong innings as the offense took advantage of 2 Regina errors and 7 walks to power the Bags to a 6-3 victory. Rob Goodship took the ball in the series finale and tried to do his best Jerry Paige impression. A 3 run 3rd inning would be enough as Goodship allowed 2 hits and 2 ER in going a strong 8 innings in a 3-2 victory. A sweep, 3 wins.
The Bags took the red eye flight home as St. Charles came to town the very next day. Macias took the ball and continued the streak of great performances turned in by Jersey starting pitchers. A solo HR in the 3rd inning was one of the only 2 hits he would surrender, as he struck out 9 and the team welcomed back Daniel Morris who picked up his 9th save. Every Bag had a hit except Antonio Ruiz and used small ball to win 2-1. Jose Reyes took the ball the night of game 5 and continued the streak. Though he gave up 8 hits, he only allowed 1 R, being unearned and struck out 8 through 7 1/3 before giving the ball to the pen. But it was a night for the offense. 14 hits, 13 runs, 3 HR, 3 SB and 4 St. Charles errors led to a 13-2 romp and ran the win streak to 5. Jerry Paige took the ball for the series finale and finished what he had started 5 nights ago. He didn't quite match his shutout effort, but only allowed a lone sac fly in going 8 strong pitching the D-Bags to their 2nd second series sweep in a row, a 4-1 victory. Back-to-back sweeps, 6 wins.
In a story there always needs to be some heroics. This one has good performances, but no heroics. Well welcome the Madison Bombers to town. Division rivals. Kenny Stanford took the ball and looked good through 2 innings when the Bombers said "what's up?" Tommy Green capped a 5 run 3rd inning with a 3 run HR, which almost doubled the runs the Bags had given up in the 6 game win streak. We forget the Bags do have a formidable bullpen. Down 5-1, Brian White took the ball for the Bags. 2 walks, a FC and a passed ball made it 5-2 in the 4th. Jose Gomes took the mound for Jersey in the 6th. A single and a 2 run HR by Al Ryan in the 6th made it a 5-4 game. Gomes handed the ball to Tapia mid way through the 7th. The Bags strand 5 combined runners in the 7th and 8th. Mungo comes in to get the last 2 outs in the 8th. Back to back doubles by Romero and Doyle tie the game in the 9th. An intentional walk to Al Ryan, a FC, a fly out and a game winning single by Manuel Vasquez. The comeback. The heroics. 7 wins.
GO D-BAGS
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