1999 A.L. DIVISION SERIES #2

The Number 9 hitter for Bootleggers Brad Ausmus has the first RBI of the game in the 3rd inning (also went 3/4 in the game). Corktown lead 1-0 until the 5th where Chicago tied it with a Hanley Frias sac fly. Pedro Martinez was a little off tonight giving up 7 walks to only 2 BB. However, did a great job of keeping runners from scoring. Alex Rodriguez vs Pedro Martinez in the bottom of the 7th. Corktown drives 2 from one of their big bats to take a 3-1 lead headed to the 8th inning.
TOP 8- Ugueth Urbina loads the bases while only recording 1 out. In comes Corktown closer Rich Garces who was no help to Urbina and ended up scoring all 3 of Urbina’s stranded runners giving Chicago a huge comeback and a 4-3 lead headed to the 9th. Billy Wagner and Jeff Zimmerman combined to shut down Corktown in the 9th and steal home field.

Final Score: CHI 4 – CRK 3
Series 1-0 CHI

Win: Pedro Martinez 1-0 (3.38)
Loss: Ugueth Urbina 0-1  (40.50)
Save: Jeff Zimmerman #1

Edgar Renteria starts things off for Chicago in the 2nd with an RBI single. A wild throw from the outfield gets Renteria to 2nd. Chicago 1-0, With nobody on and 2 outs in the bottom of the 4th and Demolition pitcher Kevin Milwood absolutely cruising Jason Giambi takes one deep to tie the game at 1.
5th- to the top 5. It’s Edgar Renteria who will prove to be a thorn in the side of Corktown through out this series leading things off with a double. After the next batter Bobby Higginson walks, Chicago plays some small ball. Bunting Renteria and Higginson over on a SAC bunt from Glen Barker, but it doesn’t stop there. Shannon Stewart lays down a beauty which scores Renteria on a suicide Squeeze. Chicago leads 2-1 after 5.
8th- Carlos Delgado hits a 2 out solo home run for Chicago to give them a 3-1 lead. The exact same lead Corktown held and blew in the 8th during game 1. Jeff Zimmerman pitching for the Demolition. He gets Brad Ausmas for the 1st out. Walks Eric Young. Then we have a change in pitching with the big bats coming up for the Bootleggers. Doug Brocail enters with 1 out and 1 on. Scott Rolen is up first and he walks. Now, Corktown has the tying run at 1st base with 1 out for Ray Lankford. “A blast to right … no doubt about this one … it’s gone! … way over the fence home run for LANKFORD … LANKFORD will touch all the bases … and he’s sure taking his time he’s greeted at home plate … congratulations all around!” Corktown takes a 4-3 lead. There would be no more base runners and Corktown has flipped the script just as Chicago did in game 1.

Final Score: CRK 4 – CHI 3
Series Tied 1-1

Win: Roberto Hernandez 1-0 (9.00)
Loss: Doug Brocail 0-1 (27.00)
Save: Rich Garces #1

We head to the windy city for the next 3 games.
Bottom of the 2nd is where the action begins. Tony Clark blasts a solo shot off Corktown starter Joe Mays to jump out in front 1-0. Next 2 batters Jeff Cirillo , and Charles Johnson both single to give the Demolition runners on the corners. After retiring Tony Womack Mays faces Edgar Renteria and walks him to load the bases with 1 out. Bobby Higginson pops out and the Bootleggers may escape a disaster after all. Shannon Stewart walks scoring a run. 2-0 Chicago. Tony Phillips walks. 3-0 Chicago. Carlos Delgado……walks. 4-0 Chicago and Joe Mays day is over. Edgar Renteria gets 2 out 3 run home run in the 5th. Corktown would crawl back several times in this game but the Chicago offense was just too much in game 3

Final Score: CHI 10- CRK 6
Series 2-1 CHI

Win: Pete Harnish 1-0 (6.35)
Loss: Joe Mays 0-1 (21.60)
Save: Jeff Zimmerman #2

2nd inning- Corktown trailing 1-0. Albert Belle leads off the Bootleggers with a single (His first hit of the series!) After Ellis Burks walks, Brad Ausmus has a clutch RBI hit to tie the game at 1. Corktown was not done in the 2nd. Mike Lansing up next drives in 2 with a ball to the gap. Ray Lankford will drive in another with a base hit. He was thrown out at 2nd trying to stretch the single, but the damage was done. Corktown lead 4-1 and never looked back. A superb bounce back outing from their ace Omar Daal who goes 7 innings giving up 2 runs and striking out 7 and walking 0. Jason Giambi and Scott Rolen would both homer in game 2 for Corktown and Carlos Delgado again for Chicago.

Final Score: CRK 9 – CHI 2
Series Tied 2-2

Win: Omar Daal 1-0 (2.31)
Loss: Roger Clemens 0-1 (10.80)

2nd- Edgar Renteria gets a 1 out base hit and promptly steals 2nd. Tony Womack then drives him in with a base hit of his own. Womack steals 2nd also. Eli Marrero then drives him in during his first AB of the series. 2-0 Chicago after 2.
3rd-With 1 out and Brian Jordan standing on 1st, Mike Lansing crushes a double that scores Jordan. Chicago’s lead is cut in half 2-1. Alex Rodriguez strikes out for out number 2. Ray Lankford steps up for the Bootleggers and takes Pedro Martinez deep giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. We talked about the battle of the Demolition pitching vs the Bootlegger bats. Pedro with 3 earned runs through 3. This game is far from over
Bot 3- Chicago watched their 2-0 lead vapor ate in the top of the 3rd and now trail 3-2. With 2 down and a runner at 1st Jeff Cirilo is faces Heidi Irabu. He hits one deep, its near the foul line but nobody is there. It lands 1 foot inside the foul line. Burks plays it and fires home where Carlos Delgado will score all the way from 1st base be several feet. The Chicago bench erupts as they tie the game at 3 during this pivotal game 5. Edgar Renteria is now up for Chicago and has already been a major thorn in the side of Corktown. With first base open and 2 outs they pitch to him anyway, and Renteria makes them pay with an RBI basehit. Chicago regains the lead after 3. 3-2
Top 5- Corktown ties the game again on a fielding error by Carlos Degado. 1 Thorn in the side for Delgado who is having a monster series. Tie game 4-4 after 5.
7th-Bottom of the inning and Delgado reaches with a base hit. Already 1 out and facing the meat of the lineup Corktown goes to their closer Rich Garces in the 7th. Tony Clark swings on the first pitch Garces throws and sends it into the seats! Monster hit gives Chicago a 6-4 lead! Corktown would eventually escape the 7th with a double play, but it may have been too late for the Bootleggers.
Top 8- Corktown needs some magic or they will be going home for game 6 with their backs against the wall. Albert Belle leads it off with a base on balls. Jason Giambi follows it up with a walk of his own. Pedro Martinez shakes his head in disgusted in himself. 2 on and nobody out Ellis Burks pops up and the Pedro sees the light at the end of the tunnel in the 8th. Murderers row is not over yet. Scott Rolen is up next and gets a line drive into the outfield for a hit scoring Albert Belle. Chicago now leads by 1 6-5. Only 1 out and that will do it for Pedro Martinez. It doesn’t get easier for the Bootleggers going from Pedro to Billy Wagner. Brad Ausmas makes out #2 on a shallow fly ball. But Brian Jordan finds a hole in the outfield and ties the game up with a base hit! This closes the day on Pedro Martinez who gives up 5 earned, striking out 9 and walking 5.
9th- The game is tied 6-6. T9- Big bats A-Rod, Lankford and Belle go down back to back to back setting up a walk off opportunity for the home team. Delgado leads it of with a walk against Garces who is still out there. Corktown manager goes and gets him and brings in righty Troy Percival. a runner on 1st and nobody out. Tony Clark walks. Runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out for Jeff Cirillo. Cirillo lays one down and the Bootleggers were not ready for it. Delgado and Clark move up and the sacrifice is played out beautifully. With Edgar Renteria up Corktown does what everybody watching would do and gives him the empty base at first thus loading the bases and setting up the double play with 1 out. Tony Womack hits a soft ground ball to Mike Lansing at 2nd base..flips it over to A-Rod at short for the out….He riffles it over to first where Womack beats out the throw by a quarter of a second to win the game for Chicago in an absolute classic.

Final Score: CHI 7- CRK 6
Series 3-2 CHI

Win: Billy Wagner 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Rich Garces 0-1 (4.50)

A good pitching matchup for game 6 as Kevin Milwood faces Steve Parris.
3rd-Eli Marrero leads things off with a double off the wall for Chicago. Shannon Stewart pops it up to catcher Brad Ausmas for the 1st out. Tony Phillips has a hard base hit, but Marrero has to hold at 3rd base. Runners at the corners with 1 out for Carlos Delgado. He is walked and now the bases are juiced. Tony Clark hits a line drive off Parris scoring Marrero with ease, Phillips rounding thrid but gets gunned down by Ray Lankford for the 2nd out. Corktown would escape with very minimal damage. Chicago leads 1-0 after 3.
5th- Bobby Higginson drove in a run in the 4th, so the visitors now stand with a 2-0 lead. Scott Rolen gets one back on a solo HR and the Bootleggers are on the board during this must win game. 2-1 Chicago. Scott Rolen has reached base in all 6 games.
Top 6-Edgar Renteria does it again scoring Tony Clark from 1st base with an RBI double. He would eventually score himself on a wild pitch while occupying 3rd. 4-1 Chicago after 7 and the Demolition are starting to feel it.
9th- Chicago would extend their lead with a (You guessed it) Carlos Delgado solo home run so its 5-1 Chicago. Billy Wagner up 4, nothing should go wrong, right? Ray Lankford starts it off with a double. Brad Ausmas follows up with an RBI base hit. Nobody out, runner on 1st 5-2 Chicago. Brian Jordan facing Wagner and gets a hold of one sending it into the stands! The crowd goes bananas as Corktown is within 1 run. 5-4 Chicago and nobody out. Wagner stays in the game and gets Eric Young to line out. Strikes out Rolen and gets Ellis Burks to ground out for the final out thus ending the series. Chicago pours out onto the Corktown field and begins the celebration. The Demolition are going to the ALCS for the first time in a possibly 1990 when they won the pennant. These 2 teams continued to be even through out the series.

Final Score: CHI 5 – CRK 4
Series 4-2 CHI

Win: Kevin Milwood 1-0 (1.29)
Loss: Steve Parris 0-1 (2.77)
Save: Billy Wagner #1