QEY - 0 STL - 1 F/11
W - Isringhausen 04 (2-0) L - Lopez (0-2)
QEY: Morris: 6 IP, 0 ER, QS (4)
STL: Morris: 6 IP, 0 ER, QS (3)
STL: Lankford: 1-3, 2 BB, GW 2B, RBI (7)
QEY: Spooneybarger, 3 IP, 0 ER
STL: Isringhausen 04: 3 IP, 0 ER
With the Warriors facing playoff elimination, they certainly did not bring their A-game in this one. Both teams sent Matt Morris to the mound and both had more or less the same result: six innings of each team's offense shooting itself in the foot and stranding an untold number of runners in scoring position. Twice in the middle innings did the Warriors have runners on second and third with nobody out, and both times they failed to score a single run. The Cardinals were not much better, and consistently ran out of gas just when opportunities arose. They also were snakebit several times from double plays. After six innings, both teams went to the bullpen. Coach Kalaby Jaby went with his best reliever, Tim Spooneybarger, who went three solid innings to finish off regulation. The Cardinals brought in the usually reliable Dave Veres, who in his eighth appearance of the year pitched two scoreless innings. Closer Jason Isringhausen then entered the game and went three innings to bring the game to the 11th. That's when Warriors reliever Javier Lopez made the fatal step that ended his team's season, surrendering an RBI double to Cardinal Ray Lankford. After the game, Queynos GM had the following to say: "We definitely deserved to lose this game, I won't argue that. But it's just a real shame that this team of ours isn't going to the playoffs. We played very well this season, we just didn't seem to get the lucky breaks that we needed. It's just heartbreaking that we're going to be at home while three Pee Wee League teams are going to have a shot at the championship." Next week the Warriors play a mostly meaningless game against the Darkpaws while the stakes are very high for the Cardinals as they take on the determined Maxion Bombers.
------------------------------------------------------
TYC - 1 LIN - 0 F
W - Hoffman (1-0) L - Karsay (2-4) S - Kolb (4)
TYC: Penny: 7 IP, 0 ER, QS (4)
LIN: Loaiza: 7 IP, 0 ER, QS (5)
TYC: McGriff: 1-5, 2B, RBI (15)
TYC: Kolb: IP, H, S (4)
LIN: Roberts: 2-4, SB (3)
Once again, we have two teams in the midst of a playoff push and neither looking particularly good. Not to take away from the performance of either starter in this one, but both got big boosts from the incompetency of their opponents. That being said, Brad Penny had one of his better starts of the year, which is certainly encouraging for the Tycoons. Lindsyan Esteban Loaiza finishes the year with his fifth consecutive quality start, but miraculously sports a record of 0-0. Heading into the eighth with a tie game, the JELLY QUEEN opted for reliever Steve Karsay, who leads the league in relief appearances and relief innings pitched. He started off the season amazing, but he's been shakier and shakier as the season went on. Well the shakes continued in this one, as he surrendered the only run of the game in the top of the eighth, when Tycoon Fred McGriff ripped an RBI double. The Tycoons bullpen took over from there, with one run being more than enough: Trevor Hoffman and Danny Kolb pitched the next two innings to complete the game and earn the Tycoon's ninth win of the year. A good result for the Tycoons as they push to keep place in Division 2. As for the JELLY QUEEN, this loss puts them right at the edge of elimination. They will be eliminated next week either if they lose to the Bobians or if Meow Meow Dui beats the Z-Slayers.
-------------------------------------------------------
TEN - 11 AXN - 5
W - Foulke (1-2) L - Komiyama (0-2)
TEN: Morris: 6 IP, 5 ER
AXN: Wood 02: 6 IP, 5 ER
TEN: Martinez Jr.: 2-3, BB, HR (2), GS (1), 4 RBI (9)
TEN: Vizquel: 2-4, 3B (5), 3 RBI (8)
TEN: Ortiz: 2-4, HR (9), 2 RBI (21)
This game got ugly right away, with the Darkpaws taking their former teammate Matt Morris to task, rocking him for five runs in the first inning thanks to a seemingly endless series of singles and walks. Morris however seemed to settle down after that, and despite certainly not looking good, did not give up another run through six. In what was likely to be his last start as a Darkpaw, Kerry Wood 02 got off to a good start but gave back most of the lead after a wretched third inning in which the Green Sox rallied for four runs, thanks largely to a bases loaded triple from Omar Vizquel. The tying run came in the top of the fifth thanks to a solo homerun from catcher Jorge Posada. The late innings were quiet, with both bullpens being effective, Satoru Komiyama for the Darkpaws and Paul Shuey for the Green Sox. But a storm was brewing in the top of the ninth. After Komiyama walked the leadoff batter, the Alyxians opted for another call to the bullpen and brought in Rich Garces. But things spiraled out of control from there. With only one out, the Green Sox loaded the bases and brought on base fifteen Edgar Martinez Jr. to the place. With not very good speed on the base pads, the infield was set up for the double play ball. The call from John Kruk "Garces deals...swung on and hit high and far to left center field...this one's back, it's got a chance...to the wall...SEEYA! A grandslam for Edgar Martinez Jr.!" To add a little more salt in the wound, two batters later David Ortiz crushed his ninth homer of the year to extend the lead to six. That was more than enough for former Darkpaw Keith Foulke to close out the game and secure the win. While this win officially eliminated the Marauders from playoff contention, this sets the stage next week for a dramatic showdown between the Green Sox and Mao's Tycoons.
No comments:
Post a Comment