NEWSLETTER
The Boise Hawks gave up seven unearned runs as they lost Game Three of the Northwest League Championship Series 12-9. Vancouver won the series and the title two games to one.
Every time Vancouver put runs on the board in the top of an inning, Boise responded in the bottom. The first inning ended with the Hawks leading 4-2. Each team scored three times in the fifth leaving the score at 7-5 Boise heading into the eighth inning. Two walks, a wild pitch, and an error allowed Vancouver to load the bases with one out. With two outs, after the inning should have been over, those runs started to score. A hit batter brought home the first one, but that was only the beginning. Another error allowed the inning to continue, and before it was over seven runs had crossed the plate. Not one of those runs were earned.
Boise is last of the Cubs’ minor league teams to wrap up their season. The Hawks had a tough time of it in the first half of the summer, but after some additional talent arrived from the Arizona Rookie League roster Boise won the second half divisional title easily. In the playoffs, Boise essentially beat themselves. The Hawks gave up way too many unearned runs in both of Vancouver’s wins in the Championship Series.
Still, even with the disappointing finish to the year, there is plenty to be happy about in the Northwest. To start with, the Hawks’ infield might just be the most talented in the minor leagues. All four infield starters are legitimate prospects who are candidates for the Cubs’ Top 20 Prospects lists this winter. Albert Almora and Rock Shoulders both put up some pretty good numbers in the outfield as well. Stephen Bruno played all over the diamond, and he hit no matter where he played. On the mound, several Boise pitchers looked good this year. Tayler Scott, his last performance notwithstanding, had a solid season, as did Jose Arias, Felix Pena, and Michael Heesch. Eduardo Orozco, Bryce Shafer, and Nathan Dorris all had some success as a closer for this team, and all will likely be used in that capacity as they start to move up the farm system next year.
The future looks bright for Boise, or whatever city the Cubs’ Short-Season A affiliate plays for. There was plenty of talent in Arizona that will head to Short-Season ball next summer, and with the Cubs’ new commitment to both the draft and the international free agent market, the talent pipeline is unlikely to run dry anytime soon. It may be some time before Boise fans see a team as ridiculously loaded as this squad was, but their loss is the gain of Cubs’ farm team fans across the country.
