PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #19

·         Montana Cutthroats @ Mexico City Chihuahuas

Series Summary *

Montana takes 4 of 5 at Mexico City.

·         Detroit Stars @ Cedar Park Bears

Series Preview

AL West matchup between two long time division rivals.

Game #1:

The Stars put 2 on the board in the 2d and again in the 3d to support Guidry (6-3, 5.05). Clark (23d) smacked a 2-run HR in the 9th to make it close at the end but Ballard closed it out for “Gator”.
Detroit 4 Cedar Park 3

Game #2:

Rich Dotson (9-8, 4.24) was able to go the distance making a 5 run 2d by the Bears stand up. The Star’s Dave Parker (21) hit a solo HR for their only run.
Cedar Park 6 Detroit 1

Game #3:

Mark Gubicza (6-8, 5.80) held the Bears without a hit until Blausers single with two out in the 7th. That was the Bears’ only hit. A 3-run 3d was all the runs the Stars needed.
Detroit 3 Cedar Park 0

Game #4:

Jim Rice (8) HRd, doubled, went 3 for 3 and scored all 3 Stars’ runs to lead the visitors from a 2-run deficit to a tie game after 9. John Moses singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th of Bobby Thigpen (3-5, 2.09) Al Pena (3-0, 2.03) got the WIR. The series even a 2 games each.
Cedar Park 4 Detroit 3 (10)

Game #5:

George Bell (33) led off with a HR for Detroit, but the Bears tied it on the bottom half when Clark singled home Polonia who had singled and stole 2d. The teams matched runs again in the 3d, but Puckett’s (16) HR in the 4th put the Bears up for good as Mike Boddicker (10-7, 4.54) and the Bears’ bullpen closed the door over the final 6 innings.
Cedar Park 4 Detroit 2

Game #6:

Detroit knocked Bears’ starter, Mark Portugal out of the game in the 3d, George Bell (34) with a 3-run HR. The Bears came back again with 3 of their own in the bottom half. Kirby Puckett (17) hit a 2-run HR and Clark (24) made it back2back to tie the game. The Bears scored 2 more in the 5th, and after Detroit scored 2 in the top of the 6th, the Bears matched that again, Pasqua (13) contributed a HR. Detroit got another run in the 8th but the Bears’ bullpen held up, Crim (19) earning the save.
Cedar Park 7 Detroit 6

Game #7:

George Bell (35), Dave Parker (22), and Jim Rice (9) all HRd, Rice drove in 3 runs to back a complete game, 2-hit shutout for Jose Deleon (10-7, 3.74). It was 2-0 after 7, the Stars scored 4 off the Bears Wally Ritchie in the 9th after adding 2 insurance runs in the 8th.
Detroit 8 Cedar Park 0

Series Summary *

Despite being shutout twice in the series, Cedar Park scored enough in the other 5 games to take 4 of them and win the series 4-3.

·         Manhattan Gas Hornets @ Valdosta Bombers

Series Preview

The Bombers host Manhattan Gas and try and make up some ground on the 1st place Hornets.

Game #1:

Manhattan 7-3. Doyle Alexander (9-4) pitched 8 strong innings and Paul O’Neil knocked in 3 as the Hornets win.

Game #2:

Valdosta 3-2. Mike LaCoss (8-4, 2.29) wins and Franco saves # 22.

Game #3:

Manhattan 9-8 (10 innings). Bombers took an 8-1 lead into the 9th but the bullpen implodes and allows the Hornets to tie it with a 7 spot. Hornets add one in the 10th to defeat the shell shocked Bombers crew. Andre Dawson knocked in 5 along the way.

Game #4:

Manhattan 5-3 (10 Innings). Another day, another extra inning loss. Ho hum.

Game #5:

Valdosta 10-5. Jimmy Key (18-4) was pounded for 7 runs in 4 2/3 IP. This time the Bombers hang on for the win. Charlie Hough improves to 13-7.

Game #6:

Valdosta 4-3. The Bombers blow a 2 run 9th inning lead but Marty Barrett‘s RBI 1B in the bottom of the 9th gives the home team a much needed win.

Game #7:

Manhattan 5-3 (10 Innings). The Bombers mounted a bit of a comeback but lose for the 3rd time in extra innings.

Series Summary *

Bombers blow a great chance to make up some ground against the Hornets but 3 extra inning losses did them in.

·         Winnipeg Goldeyes @ Clovis Cougars

Series Preview

4th place Winnipeg heads to sunny California for a long 7 gamer with 5th place Clovis.

Game #1:

WGE 5 CLC 0
All Mark Knudson who tosses a 3 hit shutout for the Goldeyes. Knudson moves to 3-7 on the year.

Game #2:

CLC 5 WGE 4
Rickey Henderson comes into the game in an 8th inning double switch, walks, steals second, and Wasinger drives him home for the margin of victory. Lee Smith shuts the door for his 8th save.

Game #3:

WGE 13 CLC 4
Glenn Wilson and Dave Valle led a 19 hit attack with 2 homers apiece. Valle drove home 6 in the rout to make an easy winner of Moyer.

Game #4:

CLC 2 WGE 1 (12 innings)
Burleson drives a ball down the line for a double in the bottom of the 12th and Jack Howell blasts one of the wall to drive him in with the game winner.

Game #5:

CLC 7 WGE 5
Jack Howell‘s three run blast off of Chris Bosio gave Clovis a comfortable 3 run lead that they rode until the 8th when the Goldeye loaded the bases and pushed one across before the Cougar bullpen managed to shut the door. Smith picked up his 9th save of the season.

Game #6:

WGE 4 CLC 3
Ivan Calderon blasts a 3 run homer in the 3rd, his 15th of the year, to make a winner of Knudson who tosses 7 strong innings for the win. Havens picks up the save, his 5th.

Game #7:

CLC 4 WGE 2
David Wells gets an emergency start and steps up to the challenge with 8 strong innings and 12 strikeouts for his first win of the season, Smith throws a scoreless ninth for his 10th save.

Series Summary *

In a tight, back and forth series, Clovis comes out on top 4 games to three.

·         Sugar Land Skeeters @ Long Beach Titans

Series Summary *

Long Beach takes 3 of 5 from Sugarland.

·         Old Mill Legends @ East Pointe Marlins

Series Summary *

Eastpointe takes the series 4-3

·         Missouri Black Bears @ Michigan Marauders

Series Preview

Michigan, #2 in the N.L. East, hosts Missouri #4 in the N.L. East.

Game #1:

Bruce Ruffin, Missouri, goes against Frank Tanana, Michigan.
The Black Bears get off to a good start with 2 runs in the first. Candy Maldonado, fresh off the D.L., hits a 2 run homer for Michigan to tie the game in the first.
There was some good pitching for the rest of the way, and the game is still tied at 2 until the bottom of the 10th. Maldonado, hits his 2nd homer of the year in walk off and style and Michigan wins.
Michigan 4 Missouri 2 (10)

Game #2:

Jack Morris goes for Missouri against Teddy Higuera and Michigan.
Missouri starts off with 2 unearned runs in the first. Michigan gets 1 back in the first on a SAC fly. In the bottom of the 4th, Ripken triples in 3, Michigan goes ahead, 4-2. Matt Nokes adds a homer in the 6th for the Marauders. Then, Gaetti hits a 2 run homer and Michigan is up 7-2. Michigan goes on to win with Higuera getting the win.
Michigan 8 Missouri 2

Game #3:

Bill Long starts for Missouri against Jim Deshaies.
In the 1st, Samuel scores on a Nokes double and Michigan goes up 1-0. Michigan adds 3 in the inning and its an early 4-0 lead for the Marauders.
Missouri scores 4 unanswered runs, but Michigan hangs on for the win.
Michigan 6 Missouri 4

Game #4:

Neal Heaton goes for Missouri against Mark Langston and the Marauders.
Sierra doubles in a run for Missouri and they get the early lead in the 1st.
Its a close game and Michigan leads by 1 going into the 9th. Mike Greenwell ties the game for Missouri. Then, in the top of the 13th, Oddibe McDowell hits a 3 run homer. The lead holds up and Missouri wins their first game of the series.
Missouri 6 Michigan 3 (13)

Game #5:

Dennis Rasmussen goes for Missouri against Walt Terrell.
Missouri gets on the board again early with 2 runs. Maldonado and Gaetti each hit solo homers to tie the game. In the 4th inning, Michigan explodes for 8 runs and goes on to easily win the game.
Michigan 11 Missouri 3

Game #6:

Charlie Liebrandt and Frank Tanana square off against each other in a battle of leftys.
In the 6th inning, Missouri scores 3 runs, which end up being huge. Missouri wins its 2nd game of the series.
Missouri 3 Michigan 2

Game #7:

Once again, both teams use leftys and its Ruffin against Higeura.
Higuera throws a 2 hit shutout in the finale and Michigan wins.
Michigan 4 Missouri 0

Series Summary *

Michigan wins 5 of 7 from Missouri.

·         Chicago Demolition @ California Quakes

Series Preview

Division battle it out, again.

Game #1:

CHI 1 — CAL 3

Game #2:

CHI 7 — CAL 2

Game #3:

CHI 3 — CAL 6

Game #4:

CHI 1 — CAL 7

Game #5:

CHI 7 — CAL 1

Game #6:

CHI 4 — CAL 1

Game #7:

CHI 3 — CAL 6

Series Summary *

California squeaks by Chicago with a 4-3 series win, extending Sacramento’s division lead to 2 games.

·         Steel City Sluggers @ Germantown Grays

Series Summary *

Steel City takes 4 of 7 from Germantown

·         Stockton Wings @ Fort Worth Panthers

Series Summary *

Panthers won 4 of 7