Report by the Armada’s Josh Feldman

The Long Beach Armada are back on the road after a lackluster opening home stand as the team will face the Chico Outlaws in a three-game series at Nettleton Stadium in Chico, Calif.  The Fleet (9-10) won one of six games at Blair Field after beginning the season 8-5 with 13 road games to start the year.  Hideki Irabu made his third start of the season in Chico against the Outlaws (12-10).  Irabu (2-0) has pitched well in two starts, both against the Yuma Scorpions, and has totaled 15 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched with a 2.25 ERA.  This is the first meeting between the Armada and Outlaws in 2009.

Long Beach went 7-3 against Chico in 2008, but the Outlaws hold the all-time edge in the series, 26-33.  The Armada is not the only team having a tough go of it recenty.  The Outlaws dropped two of three games to the Tucson Toros at Nettleton Stadium in the team’s last series.  The Armada and Outlaws met up in the 2007 GBL Championship Series, the first-half champion Outlaws defeated the second-half champion Armada, 3-1, in the best-of-five championship series.  

PITCHING PREVIEW:

ARMADA (9-10) vs. CHICO OUTLAWS (12-10)

Friday, June 19, 2009 – Nettleton Stadium – 7:05pm PT

RHP Hideki Irabu (2-0, 2.25) vs. LHP Donald Brandt (2-0, 1.08)

Saturday, June 20, 2009 – Nettleton Stadium – 7:05pm PT

LHP Ben Fox (1-0, 4.37) vs. RHP Michael Martin (2-1, 7.08)

Sunday, June 21, 2009 – Nettleton Stadium – 7:05pm PT

RHP Scott Lonergan (2-2, 7.23) vs. RHP Evan White (3-1, 4.50)