2002 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #15
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| RODRIGUEZ,Ivan | FWP AL | .348 | .870 | 6 | 23 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| PETTITTE,Andy | CRH AL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.80 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| CEDENO,Roger | DMH NL | .429 | .476 | 5 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| LOWE,Derek | DMH NL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.53 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Winnipeg Goldeyes @ Flora-Bama Mullets |
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| Series Preview: | Winnipeg visits Flora-Bama for six games. Will they avoid the sweep? |
| Game #1: | Goldeyes had an early 2-0 lead on a Ventura homer. Berkman, Vaughn and Simon back to back to back homers in 4th made it 3-2. Bell’s two run homer in 5th made it 5-2. Ventura’s second two run homer made it close again, but Hunter’s two run homer in 6th put it away. Flora-Bama 7-5 |
| Game #2: | Lopez’s rbi single in 2nd gave the Goldeyes another early lead. Simon and Hunter back to back homers in bottom second eliminated the brief lead. Hunter added a rbi single in the 3rd. Mullets loaded the bases in the 7th and added one more. Everett’s solo in 8th only cut the lead to two. Flora-Bama 4-2 |
| Game #3: | Young’s solo homer was matched by Kennedy’s rbi single in the 2nd. Lopez’s rbi single broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the 7th and gave Winnipeg another brief lead. Flora-Bama rallied for four in the bottom of the 7th on a Grace pinch hit two run homer and Vizquel solo homer. Flora-Bama 5-2 |
| Game #4: | Goldeyes scored first for the fourth game in a row with two in the 5th. Piazza put the Mullets on the board with a solo in the 6th. A rare Mullet’s error allowed a run in the 7th, but Kennedy’s two run homer tied it in the bottom half and game went to extra innings. Lofton tripled in the 10th with one out, but Matheny couldn’t get the squeeze down and fouled out. Carter then go the out. In the bottom of the 11th, Hunter walked and Grace executed a successfull hit and run to put runners on the corners with no outs. Kennedy’s sac fly to left got Hunter in. Flora-Bama 4-3 11th. |
| Game #5: | Glavine walked two in the 1st and Hunter drove in one with a single. Three straight singles off Lawrence in the second made it 1-1. Glavine walked the first three batters in the 2nd and the Mullets capitalized with four runs on just one hit. Simon added a solo in 3rd and the Mullets added a run in the 7th for 7-1 lead. Goldeyes mounted a rally with 2 in the 8th and two more in the 9th on a Ventura homer. They then put two on with two outs, but Politte got Ward swinging. Flora-Bama 7-5 |
| Game #6: | A passed ball on Piazza allowed a run for Winnipeg in the 2nd. Mullets threatened twice during the middle innings but Saarloos worked out of each jam. In the 8th, Karros’s rbi single made it 2-0. Saarloos worked a perfect 8th and 9th to complete the shutout and out duel Schilling. Winnipeg 2-0 |
| Series Summary: | The Saarloos masterpiece in game six prevented the Flora-Bama sweep. Winnipeg were never blown out in the series and it was actually quite a competitive series even though Flora-Bama took 5 of 6. Goldeyes head to the all-star break with a 22-65 record while the Mullets come in at 61-26. |
Michigan Marauders @ Hampton Huskies |
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| Series Preview: | Michigan visits the Horrorshow for six games in a battle of last-place teams. |
| Game #1: | Livan Hernandez strikes out 11 in a complete game 5-1 win for Michigan. Aaron Boone smoked his 13th home run and drove in two runs and Jim Edmonds was 3/3. |
| Game #2: | Rafael Palmeiro homered and drove in five runs in a messy 10-9 win for Michigan. |
| Game #3: | Ty Wigginton had three hits including in homer in an easy 9-2 Hampton win. |
| Game #4: | The Hampton bullpen held the visiting team scoreless for over four innings, but unfortunately starter Jeff Suppan was pure crap and gave up a ton of runs as Michigan ran riot over the Huskies in a 10-3 win. Bret Boone homered and drove in four runs. |
| Game #5: | Scott Hatteberg had four hits and led the Huskies to a 3-1 win for Hampton with Rafael Soriano providing a solid seven innings of one-run ball. |
| Game #6: | The Huskies smacked three solo home runs, but it was Andy Sheets who came through with a bunt single with Robert Fick on 3rd to give Hampton a 4-3 win in 10 innings. |
| Series Summary: | A gosh-darned split. Go figure. The two teams sucked equally. |
Harper Woods Expos @ Castle Rock Hounds |
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| Series Preview: | We have a good series on our hands as the Expos (47-33) come into Castle Rock to face off against the Hounds (57-24). Solid pitching and lineups all around. The Hounds are dealing with some fatigue to start the series, but nothing that can’t be covered. |
| Game #1: | Wood vs. Pettitte in a good pitching matchup. The teams exchange solo homers in the 4th (Walker for Harper Woods and Polanco for Castle Rock). Grissom delivers an RBI double in the 6th to make it 2-1, but Blanco gets a rare HR in the bottom of the 7th to make it 2-2. Wilkerson hits a solo shot in the bottom of the 8th to give Castle Rock its first lead at 3-2. Benitez closes it out with a 1-2-3 ninth to give the Hounds the 3-2 series opening victory. Wood gets a no decision but strikes out 11 in 7 IP.
WP: Pettitte (11-1) |
| Game #2: | Another good pitching matchup as Mussina takes on Pineiro. Castle Rock gets on the board first with a 2-out RBI double from JT Snow to take the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 4th. But Julio Franco responds right away with a lead-off HR to start the 5th. Alex Gonzalez, who is batting all of .178 on the season provides a big hit with a 2-out 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th to make it 3-1, Castle Rock. Dye does the same in the bottom of the 8th, but a 3-run HR this time and it is a safer 6-1 lead. And that would be the final as the Hounds are off to a solid start.
WP: Pineiro (11-5) |
| Game #3: | The Expos bats wake up right away, plating 3 runs in the top of the 1st off of Kenny Rogers, matching their run total in the first two games in just one inning. Things went quiet from there, as neither team scored a run until a solo HR from Alex Gonzalez made it 3-1 in the bottom of the 7th. But, Harper Woods pick up two unearned runs in the top of the 8th to extend their lead to 5-1. Castle Rock threatens in the bottom of the 9th, but Gagne comes on to close things out and 5-1 is the final, as Harper Woods gets the victory.
WP: Zambrano (3-9) |
| Game #4: | Wilkerson gets Castle Rock on the board with a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the 1st off of Harang. Bellhorn extends it to 4-0 with a 2-run homer in the 3rd. Harang is pulled later that inning after surrending another run. Meanwhile, grade 5 Doug Davis is dealing for the Hounds, as he goes the complete game and does not give up a run. The final is 6-0, Castle Rock.
WP: Davis (7-7) |
| Game #5: | Washburn, the ace for Harper Woods, takes the mound against Lohse. Harper Woods jumps on Lohse early, plating 3 runs in the first, keyed by a Walker 2-run HR. The Hounds can’t solve Washburn, as it is still 3-0 when he is pulled to start the 8th. They also can’t figure out Gagne and the score will stay at 3-0.
WP: Washburn (9-3) |
| Game #6: | Wood vs. Pettitte in a rematch of Game 1. Bellhorn gets Castle Rock on the board with a solo HR in the bottom of the 1st. The Hounds add an unearned run in the 2nd and two more on a Dye double in the 3rd to take an early 4-0 lead. Harper Woods gets one on a sac fly in the 4th, but Luis Gonzalez gets it back with a solo shot in the bottom half. Harper Woods gets one in the top of the 8th to make it interesting. But Benitez closes it out for his 3rd save of the series and Castle Rock takes it by a 5-2 final.
WP: Pettitte (12-1) |
| Series Summary: | Castle Rock wins the series 4-2 in a tight one. Could have been a tie series or even 4-2 the other way. Andy Pettitte making his case for pitcher of the week, as he gets two victories, going 15 innings and just surrending 3 runs to move his record to 12-1 on the season. |
Fort Worth Panthers @ Iowa Giants |
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| Series Preview: | Fort Worth Panthers come to Iowa both teams bottom of their divisions. |
| Series Summary: | Forth Worth takes four of the six game series. |
Southlake Stealers @ DeWitt Tigers |
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| Series Preview: | Dewitt returns home to take on Southlake in the final series of the first half. |
| Game #1: | Dewitt scores 4 in the bottom of the 9th to walk off South Lake 7-6. Adrian Beltre with a 3 run homer to tie. |
| Game #2: | Dewitt wins game 2 9-1. Cameron with 2 homers for Dewitt. |
| Game #3: | Dewitt 10 South Lake 1. 5 Homers for Dewitt. Cameron with 1 Sosa with 2 Speizio with 1 and Long with 1. |
| Game #4: | Dewitt wins game 4 6-3. Payton and Encarnacion with homers for South Lake. Sosa with a homer for DeWitt. |
| Game #5: | Dewitt 8-6. Long walks off South Lake in the 10th after Dewitt tied the game with 3 in the 9th. |
| Game #6: | Dewitt 5-2. Dewitt scores 5 in the 8th to take the game 5-2. Sosa with a homer. |
| Series Summary: | Dewitt sweeps South Lake and heads in to the break at 50-37 with a 9 game winning streak. |
Dondero Oaks @ Monroeville Maulers |
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| Series Preview: | Dondero Oaks neck and neck with 3 other teams for the draft lotteries best shot at the #1 pick in 2003, and the Maulers doing their best to make good of a bad situation riding out the season in hopes of a better run next year. |
| Game #1: | Jason Jennings 2-7 vs Jon Lieber 5-6
The Oaks and Maulers pound out double digit hits as Dondero takes game one. Jason Jennings scatters 10 hits but keeps the MVM runners from crossing home plate more often than his team mates that provided plenty of run support. DDO 7-14-0 – MVM 4-12-0 DDO MVM |
| Game #2: | Michael Tejera 2-6 vs Jorge Sosa 0-3
The Mauler Hammering Time Bats pound out 8 runs on an efficient 10 hits due to a “Grand Salami” by Jacque Jones! and bounce back from the game 1 loss, taking advantage of 2 DDO errors for 4 unearned runs overall plating 3 in the 7th, which was the deciding factor as the Oaks chipped away in an effort to keep up but fall short due to the defensive miscues. Maulers allow 2 unearned runs as well. Jorge Sosa gets his first W of the season going 8IP scattering 7 hits. DDO 4-7-2 – MVM 8-10-2and DDO MVM |
| Game #3: | Jason Johnson 2-5 vs Pedro Astacio 4-7
What’s got into the Mauler pitching staff of late? Pedro Astacio continues the magic and shuts down the not-so-mighty Oaks hurling a 3-hit 1-run CG gem. Plenty of Hammering-Time offensive run support. Maulers from start to finish. DDO 1-3-0 – MVM 7-11-1 MVM DDO |
| Game #4: | Jon Lackey 4-5 vs Julian Tavarez 4-6
The hits keep on coming as the Maulers continue to pound’em out and the Dondero bats finally awaken after a game 3 slump although they don’t plate as many runs as MVM crosses the plate 11 times on 11 hits 100% efficient including two 3-run Homeruns! Todd Hollandsworth and Deivi Cruz have a 3 hit game. DDO 6-16-2 – MVM 11-11-0 W- Ramiro Mendoza 4-3 DDO MVM |
| Game #5: | Kazuhisa Ishii 3-7 vs Jason Schmidt 8-5
Jason Schmit follow’s-up his No-No with a 3 hit gem, and 10-Ks, although the long ball keeps it close but to no avail for the Oaks as the Maulers continue to smack the ball around and out of the park as the MVM bull pen shuts the door for the win. W- Jason Schmidt 9-5 DDO MVM |
| Game #6: | Jason Jennings 2-8 vs Jon Leiber 5-7
A back and forth thriller as the Oaks match MVM run for run and snatch victory from defeat in the top of the 9th on a 2-run homerun by Reggie Sanders, Mariano Rivera on for a perfect 2 innings and the win. Dondero takes the night cap but loses the series 2-4. W- Mariano Riveria 2-1 DDO MVM |
| Series Summary: | Series summary: DDO 27-50-6 vs MVM 41-63-6So much for collecting draft lottery ping-pong balls as the Mauler Hammerin-Time bats continue to pound out victories over the past few weeks although in this week taking advantage of bottom feeder Dondero. Plenty of action in this series mainly for MVM although the Oaks had their moments. |
Chicago Demolition @ Corktown Bootleggers |
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| Series Summary: | Chicago continues to get the better of Corktown. 4-2. They win the first 4 games, but Corktown salvages the series by taking the final 2. |
California Quakes @ Houghton Penguins |
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| Series Summary: | Houghton and California split series 3-3. |
Long Beach Titans @ Baltimore Blue Crabs |
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| Series Preview: | Baltimore enters the series reeling, struggling to hold on to fading playoff hopes. |
| Game #1: | Dmitry Young collects 4 hits, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBIs, and Preston Wilson hits his 8th homerun of the season to lead the Crabs to an 11-8 victory in game 1. Jose Vidro had a single, double, and triple for the Titans, and Damon Minor‘s 3 run homerun in the 7th made the game close.
TITANS 8 / 11 / 1 |
| Game #2: | Woody Williams tosses 7 innings of 2-hit, shut-out ball, and Tony Batista hits a 2-run homerun as the Crabs take game 2, 5-3. Jose Vidro‘s 3-run, 9th inning homerun brought the Titans within two, but Tim Worrell would shut Long Beach down to earn his 20th save.
TITANS 3 / 5 / 1 |
| Game #3: | Tight pitcher’s duel as Long Beach’s Ryan Franklin and Baltimore’s Vincente Padilla each pitch 9 innings of shut-out ball. Padilla would go out for the 10th, and Trot Nixon would hit a 2-out solo homerun which proves to be the game winner.
TITANS 1 / 4 / 1 |
| Game #4: | Brett Myers shuts out Long Beach on 3 hits, over 7 innings and Baltimore cruises to a 9-0 win. Randy Winn led the offense with 2 hits and 3 RBIs.
TITANS 0 / 3 / 0 |
| Game #5: | Tim Hudson continued the Baltimore starting pitching dominance as he goes 6 and a third allowing only a run on 4 hits. Andy Fox and Eric Byrnes go deep for the Crabs. Once again, the Titans would rally in the 9th to make the game close, this time an Alberto Castillo 3-run homerun, but Baltimore holds on to win.
TITANS 4 / 5 / 1 |
| Game #6: | Little drama in this one, as Baltimore scores 17 on 23 hits and Barry Zito pitches 7 strong innings, allowing only a run on 3 hits. Preston Wilson had 3 hits and scored 5 times for the Crabs.
TITANS 4 / 5 / 1 |
| Series Summary: | Baltimore heads into the All Star Break with a 51-36 record, well off the pace in the NL East, but still holding on to playoff hopes. |
Gladstone Gladiators @ Blarney Drive Bandits |
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| Series Preview: | Gladiators v Bandits for 6 up against the break. |
| Game #1: | Bandits score 2 in the 8th to take a 6-1 lead as Burkett goes 6.1 solid innings. Groom shuts down the 7th and 8th but Embree is roasted for 3 in the 9th to make it a nail-biter.
GG 4 BDB 6 W: Burkett (2-4) |
| Game #2: | Gladstone up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th with Vazquez dealing. Tiring, he left a fastball up and Klesko deposited a 2-run shot to tie it up. Weathers and Rodriguez hold line in the 8th and 9th as Glads Vazquez goes for the CG. He did make the CG but not before Green would walk it off with a solo shot.
GG 3 BDB 2 W: Rodriguez (1-0) |
| Game #3: | Schoneweiss as cruising into the 6th allowing just a couple hits. Blarney worked a couple guys on and Butler delivered a Baltimore special to give the homies a 3-2 lead. Teams would each score late but Blarney holds on. 3 games in and it’s been tooth an nail.
GG 3 BDB 4 W: Reitsma (3-1) |
| Game #4: | Blarney has been in an offensive funk for a few series but bring the O this game scoring 3-5-3-1 to build a huge 12-0 lead. Wells did not let the big lead change his game plan as he allows just 2 hits over 8+.
GG 0 BDB 12 W: Wells (10-4) |
| Game #5: | Gladstone would suffer a total of 36 days of injury as 2 separate times they had players collide. Johnson continued where Wells left off allowing just 3 hits over 8 full. Maroth was ambushed in the 3rd for 5 and 4th for 4.
GG 1 BDB 10 W: Johnson (11-1) |
| Game #6: | Up 3-1 heading into the 9th, Gladstone was looking to avoid a sweep. Silva on the bump could not lock it down and gives up 2 to knot it after regulation. Embree gets the call and again lays an egg allowing a couple hits, one being a GW homer, as Gladstone had his number all series.
GG 6 BDB 3 W: Silva (4-4) |
| Series Summary: | Blarney was fortunate to take 5-6 against a good Gladstone squad. |
Hollywood Vampires @ Valdosta Bombers |
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| Series Preview: | A battle of 1st place team as Hollywood visits Valdosta. The Bombers are in 1st place with a .500 record. Hollywood is actually good. Teams split 6 games. |
| Series Summary: | The teams split a 6 game series. |
Danbury Mad Hatters @ Manhattan Gas Hornets |
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| Series Preview: | Danbury comes to town and the series produces a potential Pitcher of the Week! And he’s probably not wearing a Manhattan uniform. After somehow fending off Barry Zito of Baltimore last week, we have the treat of hosting Derek Lowe (twice) – can we be lucky 4 times (Zito twice last week, Lowe twice this week). Stay tuned….. |
| Game #1: | Manhattan hosts Lowe and produces things in 4s. 4 ERRORS – which result in 3 unearned runs. 4 hits, which only produce 1 run. Derek Lowe is masterful, going 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 run (yes, he gives up 4 walks – but….). And the Mad Hatters pick on Brian Anderson early and often. Scoring 2 in the 1st and 2 in the 2nd, then in the 4th and 5th it’s 2 and 2 again. And they tack on 2 more in the 9th. All told it’s 10-1 when the dust settles. And yes, there is an offensive hero – actually a machine – in Roger Cedeno. He goes 4 for 6 with 2 runs and 6 big RBIS! And he did it with only 1 EBH, a double.
DMH 10-14-0 WP Lowe (11-4) |
| Game #2: | But let’s not forget, this is Manhattan on home turf and can they turn it around? Starting Denny Neagle in game 2 (2nd spot start) and he goes 6 innings – but gives up 10 hits. But those hits are scattered, and aided by a couple of DP, so after 6 he’s given up only 2 runs including a solo homer by Chris Truby (3). Big nemesis in the game – a guy named Griffey as he goes 4 for 5 (but he drove in none and scored none and was a big part of the team LOB of 11!. Manhattan for their part scored 3 in the 3rd making it 3-1 and then another in the 4th – and Matt Stairs homered (8) as part of that. So, with Neagle holding steady and some good bullpen finishers, the Gas Hornets evened the series.
DMH 2-12-0 LP Figueroa (5-8) |
| Game #3: | Putting together some hits nets 2 runs for Danbury in the 3rd. Manhattan responds with 1 in their half and then 5 bigs ones in the 4th sending starter Jimmy Haynes to the showers. The teams swap runs in the 5th and it’s 7-3 going into the 8th. Catcher Tom Wilson makes it closer hitting a 2 run homer (5) in the 8th, but a Tino Martinez homer (10) gets the lead back to 3 runs where it finishes. Garrett Anderson has a big game, 3 for 4, 3 runs/rbis and a homer (22) and Matt Stairs cracks a 3 run homer (9).
DMH 5-10-0 LP Haynes (6-9) |
| Game #4: | Up 2 games to 1, the Gas Hornets look to go further but Steve Cox homers (8) for Danbury in the 2nd for a 1-0 lead. Manhattan counters with 2 in the bottom half. But then Danbury opens up for 2 in the 6th on a Tony Womack triple, Jim Thome SF and a Moises Alou solo homer (13). Then they add another in the 7th for a 4-2 lead. But we are in magic land and in the bottom of the 8th the Gas Hornets look for some special sauce. And with 2 on Josh Phelps gets a 1 out single to load the bases. Zach Day is brought on to pitch and Lenny Harris is called on to PH for light hitting Tony Graffanino. It pays off when Harris hits one deep to right field gap – 2 runs in but Harris is out at 2nd trying to stretch it. So the game is tied and Manhattan’s chances to go ahead were snuffed out by the play at 2nd (Tino followed with a fly ball that ended the innings, but would have been a SF).
The game is still tied 4-4 after 9 to off to free baseball land. Womack draws a 1 out walk and steals 2nd. Womack has a tough time on the basepaths – he steals this critical base in the 10th – but only after being nailed not once, not twice, but THREE times earlier in the game. Kendall was going nuts! Anyway, Womack is on 2nd and Kim is on the mound and he fans Biggio for the 2nd out. But then Jim Thome gaps his 2nd double for an rbi and the Mad Hatters take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the 10th. And that means Mike Remlinger (19*)! Anderson, bloop out, Cordero, ground out. Phelps – WALK! Lenny Harris up, pulls it hard to RF for a base hit and with Taylor running after it, Phelps (all of speed 5) says, I’m going for it and he heads around 3rd for home. Harris keeps running, the play at the plate – SAFE! Oh it was close and Harris ends up on 3rd – TIE GAME again. But that was it for the 10th – and the 11th as Jim Nelson and Kim keep it scoreless. In his 4th inning of relief, Kim again blanks Danbury in the 12th. Nelson in his 2nd inning is not so fortunate. He gets Harris (only time Harris fails to get a hit), and he gets Tino Martinez for the 2nd out. But then Wendell MaGee singles to keep things alive. Ray Durham then lines one hard over 1st, Taylor races for it into the corner, MaGee keeps running as he should – the throw, the play at the plate – he scores easily on the walk off double! Manhattan pulls out another one. DMH 5-10-2 LP Nelson (1-2) BS Remlinger (1) |
| Game #5: | Will the magic continue? This is a very strange game. The score is 5-2 Danbury going into the bottom of the 8th. The Mad Hatters have scored single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th – 3 of them on solo homers. Steve Cox (9) leading off the 2nd. Reggie Taylor (4) leading off the 6th. Both dingles off Rick Reed (23 so far this year!). And Jim Thome (21) with 1 out in the 8th.
So things look bleak for the home team – right? Wrong! Bottom of the 8th Zach Day opening up (he’s 1.1 ip into his stint and Quinton McCracken leads off with a single and Mark Wohlers comes in. Wohlers does not finish the inning – Mike Remlinger does (coming in with 2 on). But what really matters is that during this inning the Gas Hornets score 4 runs – but it’s the how that shows magic. Cordero gets a 1 out single to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Lenny Harris into PH and he grounds to Truby at 3rd only play is to 1st but he throws it away and a run scores, 5-3. Runners at 1st and 2nd, Durham up, he grounds to Truby, again, only play is to 1st and again he throws it right by Cox and another run scores!! and runners are still on 1st and 2nd. Jeter then grounds out to the right side moving the runners up a base. Kendall walks to load them up for Garrett Anderson. He hits a deep singles scoring 2 giving the Gas Hornets the 6-5 lead!! 4 UNEARNED RUNS!! But Remlinger comes in and ends the inning. Gas Hornets now up 6-5 heading into the 9th and feeling somewhere between good and hopeful and Victor Nunez is still on the mound having finished the 8th. Leading off the top of the 9th, Ken Griffey, Jr – homerun!! (4). Really, yes. Game tied. But that was it. Remlinger pitches the bottom half and no score, so we are off to the extra game time. |
| Game #6: | So we head to the finale with Manhattan holding a 3-2 lead in the series and we have a game 1 rematch (won by Danbury 10-1) of Derek Lowe (19) vs. Brian Anderson (4). This time Anderson is on his game – 6 hits and 2 runs over 5.1 innings and that is followed by scoreless relief from 4 Manhattan relievers! Craig Biggio hits a solo homer (7) and Tony Womack has an rbi single for those two runs. Meanwhile, Lowe is having a bit of control issue – 4 walks. One of them comes in the 8th after Quinton McCracken reaches 2nd on a dropped pop up by Tom Wilson. Graffanino walks, putting runners on 1st and 2nd with NO OUTS! Now at this point in the game, bottom of the 8th, the score is 2-0 Danbury and well, let’s just say we won’t talk about the number of Gas Hornet hits at the moment so as not to jinx anyone. But remember in the opening, I mentioned the probably Pitcher of the Week. So Lowe gets Cordero to fly out, Machado to line out and Tino to strike out (that’s a lot of OHS!).So on to the 9th and Derek is still on tap to get a no-no (whoops I said it). Manhattan’s top of the order – Durham – hit’s it deep, it’s going, going, but won’t make it, out #1. Jeter up – walks! Kendall up, he grounds to Womack for the out at 1st. Garrett Anderson, tying run at the plate, Jeter on 2nd, Lowe on the hill, fly ball to RF, Griffey looks skyward – and camps in his tracks and takes it in and it’s a NO-HITTER for Derek Lowe as Danbury takes the game!DMH 2-7-1 WP Lowe (12-4) MGH 0-0-1 LP Anderson (5-6) |
| Series Summary: | Lowe has 2 great outings – 1 run in 17 innings and NO-NO to cap it off. Danbury comes back to split the series 3-3 and out hit the Gas Hornets in 4 of 6 games! We rested a couple of guys – maybe that backfired. But as we head into the 2nd half, we will be nursing the starting pitching and juggling a few of the spot players as well. Hopefully the smoke and mirrors can remain, but that loss in game 5 was tough – although it would have been a gift! It was a fun series and in one game we actually had the Danbury catcher drop a 3rd strike and the batter reach 1st safely – TWICE!!!! |