June 12, 2011 Portland Rockets take 3 out of 4 on Mich. City road trip

Good morning baseball fans, it’s a beautiful day in Portland.  Portland rockets road trip to

The region resulted in a resounding success—rockets win 3 games, lose one.  Sat. 18 rockets made the trip to Michigan city and swept the lakers, 6-0 and 3-2.  Sunday in whiting Indiana, the team split games with the northwest patriots losing 5-4, then rebounding with a big 10-1 win.  Mich. city , one  time a home for minor leaguers turned major leaguers, juan marichal, and many,matty,jesus alou and others.  For the weekend we had more players, more fans, and

More runs, we outscored our foes 23-8 in the weekend. 

Sat. big dan bollenbacher rocket ace, went the distance with a 6 hit shutout rockets win 6-0.  55* and blustery, foggy strange day but the rockets went on to sweep as craig martin from marion kept pace, with relief help from new pitcher ethan daggett from Huntington, martin 6 inn. 7 hits and some strong defense including a catch by heath Williams that had everyone looking for a replay.  Martin defeated a pitcher just released from AA Milwaukee, we had 3 hits in game 2.  key, scoring first-williams  the straw that stirs the drink got the party started, a bunt single, stole second, scored on geoff bowers single. 

Sunday the rockets traveled past merriville, past Hammond, past east Chicago to  starndard oil park, a new $5million dollar complex in whiting and a beautiful ballpark indeed. With oil refineries on the perimeter, rockets got off to a big bang, a big ben smith (maria stein) blast over the right field wall, Portland had a 4-1 lead over the northwest patriots thru  4 inn.  But the home team scrapped back and tied the game off lefthander tyler Reynolds in the 6^th . reynold, 97 pitches his family reports, a yeomen’s effort gave way to brad bendow (delta) in the last inning and after an obvious blown call on an out at third, took the loss 5-4.  again we need that replay board---portland represented themselves well in all phases on the trip, personally proud of their conduct, but several umpire discretions tested our mettle---

Rockets rebound in game 2 with a big 10-1 win to make a statement.  Tyler Holloway went all the way scattering 4 hits, 93 pitches, many knuckleballs.

Thomas mcowan, chris tillery and Dalton tinsely (kokomo) had 2 hits each.

On the weekend, tinsely, bowers, and mccowan led the offense with 5 hits.  Williams had 4 .  special thanks to coach Kevin mccowan for the extra bp.  But really the starting pitching was key in this 4 game set.  Bollenbacher, martin, Reynolds, and Holloway all going deep into games, complete games, bollenbacher and Holloway.

Rockets now have won 4 out of thelast 5, and record overall 5-4, 4-1 in heartland league play.  Check the league website www.league/lineupheartland  (google) for updates and maps.

Rockets the road warriors, took some chinks in their armour, injuries to nate clem, severe bruise right hand-day to day, likewise heath Williams turned ankle preparing for his 5^th stolen base of the weekend, also chandler sidwell still 2 weeks on hamstring.

Rockets return to a tues matchup with league foe and rival ,  Decatur dirty birds.  Rockets will send ball state lefthander devin wilburn to the hill, and hopefully tues will mark the return of lefthander eric van matre,. Also of ball state.

Check your rocket website for upcoming games and news

www.ballcharts.com/portlandrockets2010

rockets tues 7pm bring your lawn chairs-----should be a big game atmosphere