May Recap

H'ville, Tn (AP) - The Hitmen followed up a BSA best 21-6 April with a BSA best 22-6 in May.  The home/road splits slightly favored the road as the Hitmen played 16 (12-4) road games and 12 (10-2) home games.
The month of May was the start of inter league play as H'ville took 2 of 3 from 1st place Pittsburgh at home and then swept Reno in 3 gms in Reno.

The middle of the month featured 3 home series vs the National League Western Division as El Paso, Maui and Sacramento all came to town.  Hville lost game 1 of the 9 game homestead to El Paso then ripped of 8 straight wins beating El Paso in the next 2 games then sweeping Maui and 1st place Sacramento and outscoring the western teams 48-17 during the 8 game win streak.

The usual divisional series took place as H'ville travel to all 3 divisional foes in May.  They split games 2 and 3 to wild card leading Orlando to start the month (took the series 2 out 3) then took 2 of 3 vs Jacksonville and finished off with a 3 game sweep of New Orleans.  Through the first two months of the season the Hitmen have been able to handle their business vs the division going 4-2 vs Orlando, 5-3 vs Jacksonville and 9-1 vs New Orleans.

May Players of the Month

Hasewaga

3B Masanobu Hasegawa is having a monster year so far in his first year with the club.  He lead all Hitmen with a .407 avg (44-108), .463 OBP, 1.055 OPS, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 11 2Bs and a 4.6 WAR.

Copriviza

1B/DH Manny Copriviza bounced back from a .224 avg and only 4 HRs in April with a .304 avg, .371 OBP, .919 OPS, 13 2Bs a 3.2 WAR and only 5 HRs but 31 RBIs in 28 games.

Padilla

2nd year CF Luis Padilla continued his hot season as he was tied with C Jesús "Dirty: Hernández for the team lead in HRs in May with 7.  Padilla's May slash line was an impressive .324/.395/.960 as he lead BSA in avg for most of the month.

All in all the Hitmen had 4 starters and 2 backups who filled in for injured guys hit over .300 in May.  The offense finished May leading the National League in most offensive stats.

Hill

Scott Hill won his 2nd straight pitcher of the month award going 5-0, 1.93 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 43 Ks and 2 BBs with 11.8 K/9, 21.5 K/BB and a 4.6 WAR.  Hill ended May with a 9-1 record and a 1.27 ERA and 89 Ks.

SP Walter Bamber and Jerry Burgess both went 4-0 in May while SP Art Ellis and Bamber both got hurt late in the month missing 2 starts each.

The bullpen continued to be dominate as MR Ghidewon Hassan has yet to give up a run in the first 2 months, extended his shutout streak to 13.2 innings and 10 appearances. MR Alfredo González pitched in 15 games, 15.0 innings, 1.80 ERA, 21 Ks, 12.6 K/9.

"Flash"

MR Tommy "Flash" Smith pitched in 13 games, 14.2 innings, 0.61 ERA, 28 Ks, and an amazing 17.2 K/9.  His strong stats is what promted the move from SU to CL after Griffin was traded.


So far all phases of the team are hitting, so here's to keeping it up all year.

June PR1