Tribune-Herald
Veteran pitcher Dallas Mahan has seen bad luck before as a member of the Hawaii Stars, usually because of a lack of run support.
The bats, particularly the one wielded by Matt Hibbert, were OK this time. The fielding … not so much.
The Stars committed five errors Friday night and Na Koa Ikaika Maui took advantage by scoring seven unearned runs in a 9-5 victory at Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku, Maui.
Felix Brown’s error in the fourth opened the door to a three-run rally as Maui took the lead for good.
With one meeting left at 5:30 p.m. today in the five-game series, Hawaii (21-28) has lost three in a row.
Hibbert was 4 for 4 with a two-run double and Katsuaki Furuki finished 2 for 5 with a triple.
Na Koa Ikaika belted five extra-base hits, including a double and a triple by Waylen Sing-Chow, who was 3 for 4.
Mahan, who failed to win a game last year despite several quality starts, fell to 3-2. He pitched six innings and allowed 10 hits and six runs – two earned – with a walk and a strikeout. In four of his nine starts this season, Mahan has allowed 10 hits or more.
Starter Josh Larson (5-0) pitched into the seventh to beat the Stars for the third time this season, though the first two were in relief. He left with two outs in the seventh, just ahead a Furuki single that scored two runs to cut Maui’s lead to 6-5.
However, Hawaii’s fielding let it down again in the eighth as Maui tacked on three runs against reliever Tony York. Jose Chema Sanchez reached on Brown’s second error to lead off the inning and scored on Sing-Chow’s triple, and Brandon Gregorich and Jeremy Williams produced back-to-back run-scoring doubles.
Gregorich, Williams and Charlie Mirabal each had two hits.
Dustin Smith saw his eight-game hitting streak end for Hawaii.
Hawaii 020 010 200 – 5 9 5
Maui 011 301 03x – 9 13 2