N.L. DIVISION SERIES #2
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| PREVIEW – Valdosta (85-77) vs. Manhattan (94-68) Valdosta took the Central division Crown by 11 games, while Manhattan cleared their rivals by 8. The teams are similar in the fact that their rotations are inning eaters, but not world beaters and they both rely on their offenses to win games.Valdosta hit .277 and scored 996 runs as a team and slugged 240 homers. Manhattan hit .296 and scored 1039 runs, but only 152 homers. Gas Hornets like to run, 152 SBs (to 93 for the Bombers). However, when it comes to pitching the team eras were rather high: Manhattan with the slight edge, 5.04 to 5.25 for Valdosta. Whew, that’s a lot of runs to counter. Bullpens – Manhattan blew 21 saves, won 30, and sported a 4.47 era. Valdosta won 31, blew 20, and had a 4.83 era.Manny Ramirez leads the Bombers with 45 homers and a .354 batting average. He drove in 134 runs. Right behind him, Bobby Abreu, .353, 34 homers and 106 RBIs. Steve Finley also cracked the 100 rbi barrier with 102 and he was one of 4 other Bombers to hit 20 or more homers. Gas Hornets had no shortage of batting heroes: Derek Jeter, 383, 152 runs scored, 15 homers, 70 RBIs. Jason Kendall, .355, 123 runs; and then Garrett Anders who hit .326, 114 runs, 37 homers and 176 RBIs!Should be an explosive series – the season series was split 6-6, so can expect anything! |
| GAME #1 – Pat Hentgen 10-13 (6.29) vs. Rick Reed 18-4 (3.02)
Bombers waste no time getting off to a 3-0 lead in the 1st when Steve Finley follows a lead-off single by Bobby Abreu with a massive homer pulled to RF. And then Manny Ramirez dingers right behind him! Rick Reed is digging a massive hole on the mound for the Gas Hornets. It gets worse, in the 2nd after Manhattan gets a sweet DP to supposedly end the Valdosta threat, Orlando Cabrera doubles, Abreu gets walks and Finley drops one in no-man’s land in RF driving in Cabrera, 4-0 Bombers. In the bottom of the 2nd, Manhattan gets 1 back on an rbi triple from Luis Alicea. In the 4th, the Gas Hornets chip away again when Alicea hits ANOTHER triple – this time driving in 2 runs and suddenly Manhattan is back in it down 4-3. In the 6th, Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson leads off with a homer. Then Adrian Brown and Dave Martinez draw walks and Pat Hentgen leaves and the Bombers bullpen is being asked a lot. Mark Petkovsek gets the call. He faces 5 batters, gets 1 of them and turns it over to Danny Patterson. Who is first batter – Luis Alicea. But he doesn’t triple, but he does double driving in 1 and Manhattan has their first lead, 5-4. And then lead foot Tino Martinez triples (Gas Hornets favorite hit today) driving in 2 more and it’s a 7-4 Manhattan lead. Matt Stairs follows with a single giving the home crowd a 5 run inning and an 8-4 lead. One batter into the 7th and Rick Reed leaves and the Manhattan bullpen takes over. No runs in the 7th, but Matt Morris can’t keep it totally contained and Abreu leads off the 8th with a single – his 3rd hit of the game. Mike Fyhrie in and Abreu steals. Then with 2 outs and Abreu now on 3rd, Richie Sexson doubles making it 8-5 Manhattan. Then the Gas Hornets bring in a host of pitchers to hopefully limit the damage – and it works. Jeff Shaw and Donne Wall (S 1) get the job done and Manhattan takes game 1, 8-5! Final Score: Manhattan 8 – Valdosta 5 Win: Rick Reed 1-0 (6.00) |
| GAME #2 – Jamie Moyer 9-9 (5.74) vs. Brian Anderson 12-11 (4.48)
Brian Anderson was picked up mid-season to somewhat bolster the Manhattan rotation and be there for the postseason. Now is his chance to shine. Well a 1 out homer to Steve Finley in the 1st isn’t the best way to get started, but that was all the Bombers damage in the opening frame. Derek Jeter, hitless in 5 at-bats in game one, immediately ties the game with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the 1st and it’s 1-1 after 1 and Jamie Moyer knew he let one get away, his 1st pitch of the game! Moyer must have still been contemplating that errant pitch in the 1st when the 2nd started. Lead-off single to Adrian Brown, steals 2nd, Luis Alicea (still on a tear) singles him home, 2-1 Manhattan. 2 outs later, Moyer loses the lefty vs. lefty match to Matt Stairs who lifts one down the RF line that just clears the fence for a 2 run homer and a 4-1 Gas Hornets lead after 2. Excitement over? Not a chance as we dial to the 4th inning. Manny Ramirez hits a 1 out solo homer (2). Richie Sexson whiffs and gets tossed! Eric Karros walks and moves to 3rd on a Matt Willams double. They both score on a Mark Grudzielanek triple that ties the game. Then Orlando Cabrera doubles and Valdosta grabs a 5-4 lead. And Anderson stays in the game? But he does get the 3rd out. How do the Gas Hornets respond. Brown leads off the bottom half with a double. Alicea walks. Tino Martinez then singles plating Brown to tie the game and sending Alicea to 3rd. Gary Bennett grounds into a DP, but a run scores and then Stairs hits his 2nd homer of the game and the inning ends with Manhattan back on top 7-5. Bottom of the 6th, Stairs gets a 1 out single and leaves for a pinch runner, Damian Jackson. Sterling Hitchcock, now pitching for Valdosta, then hits Derek Jeter – Hitchcock gets tossed, Danny Patterson comes in. Ray Durham up – double steal and it works. But Durham whiffs. But not Jason Kendall, he doubles in the two runners for a 9-5 Manhattan lead. Final Score: Manhattan 11 – Valdosta 7 Win: Brian Anderson 1-0 (7.71) |
| GAME #3 – Rob Bell 10-10 (6.53) vs. Gil Heredia 13-9 (4.65)
Series shifts to Valdosta and the Bombers are not happy with things so they will send Gil Heredia out and the Bombers batters will try to beat up on Gas Hornets starter Rob Bell. Excitement starts in the 2nd when Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson, leads off with a solo homer (2). Then with the bases loaded, Matt Stairs draws a walk to make it 2-0. It got worse for the home fans as Manhattan’s Derek Jeter tagged one deep to straightaway CF that was gone from the moment it left the bat – a grand salami – and a 6 run inning and 6 run Gas Hornets lead! But the Valdosta faithful are still going strong – these are the Bombers after all. So with 2 outs in the bottom half, Mark Grudzielanek crashes a monster homer and the hopeful march back into the game starts. 6-1 Manhattan after 2. That gap disappears in the 6th when Flaherty doubles and Cabrera doubles home Julio Lugo (in to PR) and the game is tied! The tie lasts exactly 2 innings because in the 8th, Steve Finley hits his 2nd 3 run homer (4) and suddenly the home team is up 9-6! Valdosta fans are ecstatic! Top of the 9th, Sterling Hitchcock (facing his former team) has been on the mound since he came in in the 2nd. Blanking Manhattan, Valdosta is primed for him to finish the game. Ray Durham leads off – the whiff, 1 down. Kendall grounds one to Hitchcock, it slips out of his glove, E1, runner on 1st. With Mr. Manhattan due up, the Gas Hornets elect to PH (??) with Hector Ortiz – lofts one deep to CF, but Finley brings it in, 2 down. Adrian Brown says the game isn’t over yet however as he doubles to put runners on 2nd and 3rd and the tying run coming up. Greg Swindell comes in to replace Hitchcock and Wil Cordero comes in to PH. He bloops one that drops, the runners were going and both score, Cordero ends up on 2nd, 9-8 Valdosta! Fans are getting a bit nervy. Alicea up and he drops on into RF that Abreu plays on the long bounce and Cordero is safe at home – TIE GAME! Then Tino Martinez steps in – BLAM – 2 run homer and the Gas Hornets have grabbed the lead with 5 runs in the 9th. 11-9! Now it’s the Manhattan bullpen’s turn to stem the tide. John Halama – on the mound since the 3rd starts the bottom of the 9th but gives up a lead-off single to Chavez and Mike Fyhrie comes in – 2 whiffs, 1st to Matt Williams, then to Mark Grudzielanek. Warren Morris then steps in, pinchhitting for Jeff Reed – oh, he lifts one high and to deep CF – and there is Damian Jackson to catch it and end the game with Manhattan grabbing the 11-9 win and building a 3-0 series lead! Final Score: Manhattan 11 – Valdosta 9 Win: John Halama 1-0 (6.75) |
| GAME #4 – Rick Reed 18-4 (3.02) vs. Brian Meadows 1-2 (7.52)
Gas Hornets knocking on the door with brooms in hand, Bombers looking for new strategies that will keep their runs high but the Gas Hornets totals low. We have Rick Reed coming back after game 1 to face righty Brian Meadows. What we get are two long duration outings from the started, limited hits and limited runs! Gas Hornets scrape together some small ball in the 2nd that capitalizes on a walk to Matt Stairs, Ray Durham getting plunked and rbi singles from Garrett Anderson (Mr. Manhattan) an Luis Alicea. This gives Manhattan the 2-0 lead in the 3rd. That leads lasts until the bottom of the 4th. Then Warren Morris an Bobby Abreu each touch off Reed for 2 run homers and flip the score to a 4-2 Valdosta lead! Reed didn’t give up much, 5 hits (and 5 walks) but too many of them were in the 4th. However, home starter Meadows goes into the 9th giving up no more runs after the 3rd. He gets the 1st batter, but then DH Hector Ortiz steps in and singles (his 3rd hit of the game). So Jim Farmer reaches out to the bullpen (a lump in his throat as the season depends on this call) and brings in Greg Swindell! Wil Cordero up, the pitch is low, but Cordero goes after it – strike 3, 2 outs! Adrian Brown, in to PH for Matt Stairs and Swindell ties him up, too. 2 Ks – SAVE – Game over, Bombers stay alive winning 4-2 and bringing the series to 4-2. Final Score: Valdosta 4 – Manhattan 2 Win: Brian Meadows 1-0 (2.16) |
| GAME #5 – Brian Anderson 12-11 (4.48) vs. Pat Hentgen 10-13 (6.29)
Brian Anderson out to face Pat Hentgen – both sporting high eras, each with different goals. For Anderson, it’s to close out the series, for Hentgen – we want another game in the series (or two). Each team strikes for 1 in the 2nd. Manhattan gets one on an rbi single from Luis Alicea, he’s done everything a manager could want. Valdosta gets it back after Richie Sexson draws the leadoff walk and Eric Karros follows with the rbi double. In the 4th the Gas Hornets attack again. Adrian Brown leads off with a single. Dave Martinez singles him to 2nd. Hentgen pitches too well to Alicea and walks him to load the bases. Tino Martinez follows with a fly ball to deep RF – but it stays in the park and he’s out, but Brown scores, Dave Martinez to 3rd. Matt Stairs grounds into the hole, Julio Lugo dives, but the only play is to 1st and another run scores, Alicea to 2nd. Then the Captain comes up and Derek Jeter delivers with an rbi single and Gas Hornets take a 4-1 lead in the 4th! Valdosta however hasn’t given up and in the 6t the Bombers cut into the lead but in dramatic fashion. 2 outs and Steve Finley unloads for his 5th homer (in 5 games) and it’s 4-2 Manhattan. And then Manny Ramirez follows it up with a shot that curves around the foul pole, 4-3. Ramirez’s 3rd of the series. Still Anderson stays in and gets the 3rd out. But it’s a ballgame! Gas Hornets get things going in the 7th when Kendall reaches on a Julio Lugo error. He steals 2nd and then Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson rifles one into RF for a single, but Kendall stops at 3rd. Brown then walks to load the bases – 1 down and that’s it for Hentgen. Greg Swindell is coming in (whew, bases loaded, 1 out and guy at the plate hitting over .400 in the series, Dave Martinez). Lefty on lefty. 2 strike count, the pitch – STRIKE THREE – Martinez going for it all, Swindell wins and there are 2 down, bases still loaded. And up to the plate, Luis Alicea – can they get him out? Yes, Swindell gets him on an easy fly to center. Threat averted, home team still tries by just 1, 4-3. Bottom half the home boys catch a break on a Tino Martinez error at 1st and Matt Williams reaches. That’s it for Anderson and Wil Cunnane comes in. Alex Ochoa in to PR for Williams, and the alphabet, Mark Grudzielanek, is up. Oh, Ochoa takes off, Grudz ropes it hard to RF into the corner, Ochoa isn’t stopping and he scores as Grudzielanek comes into 2nd with a standup double and the game is tied! Cunnane then gets the next two batters and it’s onto the 8th knotted at 4-4. Tino Martinez leads off against Swindell in the 8th and singles. Matt Stairs follows with a base hit to RF. Swindell to leave, Bill Simas to enter to face Jeter. He pops him up. Then he gets Ray Durham to ground into a 1-6-3 DP and Simas gets the Bombers out of a big jam! Then the Bombers get the break they’re looking for. Bobby Abreu leads off with a single to RF but it glances off Stairs glove and when all is said and done, Abrey, the go ahead run, is smiling on 3rd. Steve Finley follows with an rbi single and Valdosta has come all the way back for the 5-4 lead. Cunnane then somehow gets the rest of the Bombers! So it’s on to the 9t and Simas did so well in the 8th, they leave him out there. Kendall leads off and tags one – but it’s headed to deep center and Finley takes it on the track, 1 down. Mr. Manhattan up – bounces out to short, 2 down. Brown – rips one to the left center gap, but here comes a racing Finley – he dives, he’s got it, 3 down and the Bombers are right back in it with a 5-4 win and the series will go back to Manhattan with the Bombers now trailing by only a 3-2 deficit. Still facing elimination, but STILL facing elimination. Final Score: Valdosta 5 – Manhattan 4 Win: Bill Simas 1-0 (0.00) |
| GAME #6 – Jamie Moyer 9-9 (5.74) vs. Rob Bell 10-10 (6.53)
Back in Manhattan, Jamie Moyer will try to keep Valdosta’s season alive, Rob Bell will work to get the Gas Hornets to the NL LCS. Action is tentative in the opening 2 innings as the pitchers are going full force. Go 110% for as long as we can – then let the bullpen take over (and hope for offense). First blood comes in the bottom of the 3rd when Matt Stairs leads off with single. Derek Jeter then gets plunked (3rd time by the Bombers!). Ray Durham singles to load the bases and Jason Kendall then singles scoring two runs with Durham holding at 2nd. Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson, then bloops one down the RF line and Durham scores from 2nd, Kendall stops at 3rd and Anderson winds up with a double. Still NO outs. Then Moyer gets his act together and gets Adrian Brown to pop out, Luis Alicea to pop out and Tino Martinez to ground out. So 3-0 Manhattan after 3. We’ve been saying this all series however, here come the Bombers! And Manny Ramirez unloads on a Bell meat ball for his 4th homer of the series and it’s 3-1 Gas Hornets. Bell then settles back down and the Bombers quiet. In fact both team are quiet for a bit (just a bit). We move ahead to the 6th still at 3-1 Manhattan. Tino Martinez leads off the bottom half with a walk and that’s it for Moyer. Danny Patterson is called on – 4th appearance, 0.00 era in 1 1/3 innings. He gets Ortiz first and pops him up. Then Matt Stairs and he grounds to Julio Lugo – bobbled, safe, E6 after a terrible throw and Tino makes it to 3rd. Captain Jeter up, he flies out to Abreu in RF who gets rid of it quickly and lead foot Tino hangs on to 3rd. No, wait, he’s tagging, the throw, it’s cut off because Stairs breaks for 2nd. Martinez safe at home, Stairs out at 2nd, inning over but Manhattan grabs a 4-1 lead. Insurance sometimes pays?! Top of the 7th, Donne Wall, in since the 5th, gives up an infield single to Eric Karros. But Warren Morris grounds into a DP and Lugo ends the inning with a 6-3 groundout. Except, Jeter drops it and Lugo is safe. So Mark Grudzielanek comes into PH but pops it up and this time Jeter hangs on, inning over. Bottom of the 7th Ray Durham leads off with a double. Kendall walks and Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson, hooks lone down the RF line that falls in for a double scoring 1 and Kendall stops at 3rd. That’s it for Simas (he came in to start the inning) with the score 5-1 and runners on 2nd and 3rd, no outs in the 8th. Kris Wilson comes in and he gets Adrian Brown to pop out. He fans Alicea, 2 down but Tino Martinez grounds one back to Wilson who skips the throw past Richie Sexson at 1st and another Manhattan run scores. Score now is 6-1 after 7, things are looking good for the Gas Hornets. For the 8th, Manhattan brings in Mike Fyhrie and he’ll face Bobby Abreu. Abreu laces one deep into the RF gap for a double (his 3rd of the series). But Fyhrie fans Steve Finley, but then he faces Manny Ramirez. The pitch, it’s creamed and it goes to the wall for a stand up rbi double and it’s 6-2 as the Bombers cut into the lead. Fyhrie then rights the ship and fans Sexson and gets Eric Chavez to fly out to CF. Nothing for the Gas Hornets in the 8th so we go to the 9th with the score still 6-2. Bombers up, 3 outs from seeing their season end, Gas Hornets 3 outs from a trip to the NL LCS! Eric Karros leads off the 9th with bloops single over 2nd. Exit Fyhrie, enter Matt Mantei. Warren Morris up – and he draws a walk. Oh boy!! Julio Lugo then chops one out over the mound, Derek Jeter grabs – only play is to 1st, throw is off the bag, safe all around – Jeter’s 2nd error of the game (and series) – bases loaded!! Abreu up, hero on the mind and he lofts one down the LF line, Brown racing after it, and he gets there but the runners hold. Bases juiced, 1 out, tying run at the plate! Steve Finley! The pitch – he fists one to RF that falls in front of Stairs, Karros scores but that’s all as the runners were checking up in case it didn’t drop. So, 2 outs, bases still loaded and the score is now 6-3. Go ahead run at the plate and it’s Manny Ramirez! 2-2 count, the pitch, he checks his swings, Kendall points to the ump at 1st – STRIKE, that’s 3, that’s an out, game over, series over, Manhattan Gas Hornets win the Division Series 4 games to 2 with the 6-3 victory! Final Score: Manhattan 6 – Valdosta 3 Win: Donne Wall 1-0 (0.00) |
| SUMMARY – First off – Congratulations to Jim Farmer on guiding the Bombers to a great season, especially when you do it with little depth in pitching (Manhattan understands that all too well). They play tough and hard and are NEVER out of any game. They hit .272 in the 6 games and scored 33 runs and slugged 13 homers. They are just plain hard to stop. Steve Finley hits .360, 5 homers, 13 RBIs and an OPS of 1.345! That’s barely better than Manny Ramirez at .333, 4 homers, 5 RBIs, OPS 1.343! Great offensive performances.
For the Gas Hornets, it seemed like it was Luis Alicea’s show. He hits .478, on base .538 and gets a hit in every game. He scored 8, drove in 9, had 2 triples and a double and 11 hits. But, Mr. Manhattan, Garrett Anderson did top it. He had 12 hits, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, batted .500 with an OPS of 1.372. And three other starters topped .300 for the series. And both teams knew they’d have to hit to keep pace with the scoring from the other side. Manhattan managed to hit .344 as a team and scored 42 runs (even with only slightly more than half the homers the Bombers launched, 7 to their 13). Well enough of the celebrating, it’s going to get tougher still in the games ahead! |