2001 NATIONAL LEAGUE WILD CARD ROUND

Prediction:
If the Gas Hornets bats are not tamed, it should be an easy time for Manhattan – but it the Bombers can keep the Manhattan bats relatively tamed, it could be anyone’s series, especially since they can control the basepaths. Gas Hornets in 3??

1st inning Derek Jeter error, a Matt Morris WP and some shutdown pitching by Jamie Moyer leads to a 4-3 Valdosta win in the opening game. Bobby Abreu gets on 3 times (single and 2 walks, steal a couple of bases, and teams up with Eric Chavev for 2 run. Every time Abreau reached, it might have been a double. 2 outs in the 1st, Richie Sexson grounds to Jeter to end the inning, except he throws it away, 1-0.

Manhattan responded in the 2nd with a Chris Singleton homer (1), but the Abreu/Chavev combo strikes again in the 3rd with a walk, SB, and a Chavev rbi double. Manhattan counters with their 2nd hit in the bottom half when Jeter homers (1) to tie it up. But in the top of the 5th with 1 out, Abreu draws another walk. He takes off and Chavev hits his 2nd double to score him. Manny Ramirez moves Chavev to 3rd on a groundout and then Richie Sexson singles him home making it 4-2 in Valdosta in the 5th. Gas Hornets draw close in the 6th when Tino Martinez homers (1) – 3 of Moyer’s 4 hits given up were homers! But after that, no more scoring. Valdosta takes the opener 4-3 behind Moyer’s 4 hit pitching and the Abreu/Chavev connection.

Final Score: Valdosta 4 – Manhattan 3
Series Valdosta 1-0 

Win: Jamie Moyer 1-0 (3.00)
Loss: Matt Morris 0-1 (4.26)

Gas Hornets fans are pleading for the hometown squad to get in gear yet the game starts out in a familiar fashion with Valdosta scoring in the 1st, this time Bobby Abreu (walk, SB) and a Manny Ramirez rbi double. However, this time the Gas Hornets are able to continually fight back from deficits to gain a 5-4 win and square the series. But for much of the game, it didn’t look like it would happen.

Valdosta made it 2-0 in the 3rd when Abreu led off and popped out – yes, he made an out. So Eric Chavev followed with a blast to RF that was the proverbial no-doubter (1) and the Gas Hornets were down by 2. Manhattan got one back in the 3rd when Ray Durham gets a 1 out single (3 hits in the game). He moved to 2nd on a groundout and then scored on a Tino Martinez single, 2-1 Bombers. A 2 run homer (1) by Dave Martinez in the 4th gave the Gas Hornets their 1st lead in any game, and it was 3-2 after 4.

Gas Hornets hoping they can hold off the Bombers but the 7th Russ Johnson opens with a single. Moves up on a groundout. Duckworth leaves, Tom Gordon comes in fans pinch hitter Orlando Merced. But Abreu follows with and rbi triple and the score is tied 3-3. Abreu then scores on the next pitch when he’s caught way off the bag, but the throw by Jason Kendall flies into the outfield and Abreu trots home and Valdosta grabs the 4-3 lead! Crowd is hushed!

But in the bottom half, Derek Jeter works a 1 out walk. Lyon leaves and Josias Manzanillo comes on. Jeter takes off, Durham singles to RF through the open hole and the Gas Hornets have runners on the corners for Kendall. Kendall looking to atone for his throwing error loops one to RF, it drops in, Jeter scores, Durham heads to 3rd, the throw goes to 3rd, Kendall goes to 2nd, all the runners are safe, tied up at 4-4. Tino Martinez up, infield in, and he takes the Manzanillo pitch to the wall, 2 outs, and both runners tag and are safe all around, 5-4 Gas Hornets.

Then the improbable – Gordon fans the Bombers in the 8th and Byung-Hyun Kim fans the side in the 9th for the save and Manhattan ties up the series!

Final Score: Manhattan 5 – Valdosta 4
Series tied  1-1

Win: Tom Gordon 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Josias Manzanillo 0-1 (9.00)
Save: Byung-Hyun Kim #1

The decisive game and the Gas Hornets came out like they were going to take it, and kept pushing it but with a 4-2 lead and 1 out in the 9th and their big closer on the mound, things went south! The whole season was about to end, but the 9th inning Bomber rally ended at 2 runs and the game went into free baseball land. A fitting end to a gritty series – both previous games were 1 run affairs, what will this one be? Both teams relied on the big closers, Danys Baez for Valdosta and Byung-Hyun Kim for Manhattan – it was do or die.

Gas Hornets strike 1st with an rbi double by Jason Kendall scoring Ray Durham from 1st. Manhattan adds another in the 3rd when Derek Jeter leads off an reaches on E3. He moves to 3rd on a Durham single. Valdosta gets one back in the 4th on a Manny Ramirez homer (1) and Sparks leaves the game and Tim Wakefield comes in.

In the 6th, the Bombers tie the game at 1-1 when Eric Chavez leads off with a single. Adrian Hernandez comes in. Vance Wilson comes in to catch – maybe he can stop the rampant Bombers base running! Ramirez grounds Chavev to 2nd, 1 out. Richie Sexson grounds him to 3rd and then Steve Finley singles him home and it’s 2-2. But the Gas Hornets look possessed as Tino Martinez leads off with a single. One out and a WP moves him to 2nd. Garrett Anderson then hits a slow one up the middle and lead-foot Martinez comes around and scores and Anderson takes 2nd on the play. Good move as he then scores on a Dave Martinez single to RF. 4-2 Gas Hornets after 6. Manhattan bullpen continues its mastery of the Bombers in the 7th and 8th and we move to the 9th and Byung-Hyun Kim comes in. Danys Baez came in to start the 7th for Valdosta and he’s been near perfect for 2 innings through the 8th.

Sexson leads off and he doubles off the wall. Orlando Cabrera then lines a 1 out pitch to center and Garrett Anderson’s throw is way offline and Sexson scores, Cabrera ends up on 2nd. Orlando Merced then flies out, 2 down! 1 out away! Russ Johnson in to PH – he swings, he smashes it deep to left center, extra bases – double and rbi and the game is tied! He is stranded, but the damage was done. Kim then gets the 3rd out.

Baez and Kim stay on the mounds for their teams, nothing in the 10th. Top of the 10th, with 2 outs, Cabrera pops up in front of home, Vance Wilson muffs it, runner on 1st, but Merced lines out. Chris Singleton then leads off with a walk off Baez. Garrett Anderson reaches on a FC, 1 out. Ricky Henderson up and with Anderson running, he parachutes one to RF and Anderson ends up on 3rd. Baez leaves, Josias Manzanillo comes in. Infield is in, runners on corners, Mike Kinkade up, the pitch – he lines it to left center (his 1st hit of the series) and it’s ALL OVER!! Gas Hornets win and win the Wild Card Series.

Final Score: Manhattan 5 – Valdosta 4 11 innings
Series Win 2-1 Manhattan

Win: Byung-Hyun Kim 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Danys Baez 0-1 (1.80)

Congratulations to Jim on a great year and a fun and exciting Wild Card Series!