MEL - 11 RED - 0 F
W - Garcia (1-3) L - Ortiz (1-2)
MEL: Garcia: CG (1), 0 ER, QS (1)
RED: Ortiz: 2/3 IP, 8 ER
MEL: Kennedy: 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI (11)
MEL: Olivo: 4-4, RBI (5), 2 SB (6)
RED: Myers: 4 IP, 0 ER
The showdown world was stunned to see Dr. Vindaloo's last place Marauders just absolutely manhandle the first place Aces. Red Clay starter Ramon Ortiz didn't even survive the first inning, and was booed off the field after fans witnessed him surrender eight runs. The Marauders walked and singled up and down the lineup until second baseman / coach Adam Kennedy stepped to the plate and whacked a bases loaded double off of Aces reliever Travis Harper. Harper was able to eat up another four innings, but surrendered another three runs in the form of a Scott Rolen single, a Fred McGriff solo shot, and another Adam Kennedy double. After him, Aces reliever Mike Myers was admirably able to do another four innings without giving up a run and allowing the rest of the already beleaguered bullpen to get some much needed rest. As for the other side of things, the Marauders had their most dominant pitching performance of the year as well; in his first quality start of the year, Freddy Garcia went the full distance, completing the game without surrendering a single run against the normally powerful Aces offense. In the bottom of the ninth, the Aces were able to load the bases, but Garcia worked out of that jam too. "We f******* sucked," Ishmael Von Corrin said in a press conference after the game. "I'm sorry to use that kind of language, but this is just a disaster. I've never been so embarrassed as a GM. This is a game that we really needed to have as a win." Should the Bombers beat the Cardinals, that will set up an incredible season finale for both teams next week. The Marauders will try to play spoiler again against the Green Sox.
-------------------------------------
MMD - 8 ZSY - 6 F
W - Gregg (1-0) L - Myers (0-1) S - Foulke (4)
MMD: Ortiz: 6 IP, 5 ER
ZSY: D'Amico, 6 IP, 4 ER
MMD: Chavez: 3-4, HR (8), GS (1), 4 RBI (18)
MMD: Williams: 2-4, 2 RBI (5)
ZSY: Pujols: 1-3, HR (9), 3 RBI (25)
The Z-Slayers attacked early in this one, with Albert Pujols smacking a three run shot in the bottom of the first. By the end of the second inning, the score was 5-0 Z-Slayers. But credit must be given to the MMD offense that did not roll over and die; on the contrary they diligently chipped away at the lead with a run here and another there. Big hits came from Bernie Williams (2 RBI singles), Ryan Freel (RBI triple) and Miguel Tejada (RBI double). MMD starter Russ Ortiz also settled down after the shaky early innings and managed to pitch decently through six. Both teams went to the bullpen in the seventh, but that backfired big time for the Z-Slayers. Mike Myers quickly got two outs, but then loaded the bases. This brought big bat Eric Chavez to the plate, who creamed his eighth homer of the year and his first career grandslam. Chavez, who is definitely All-Star material, now finds himself tied for second in the league in homeruns and tied for third in RBIs. The Z-Slayers fought back, managing to manufacture a run off of MMD reliever Kevin Gregg thanks to good baserunning from Juan Pierre and a clutch single from Jack Wilson. Gregg ran into trouble again in the eighth but closer Keith Foulke pitched 1 and 1/3 innings to get the save and secure the win. With this result, the JELLY QUEEN DREAM TEAM are officially eliminated from playoff contention. If the Spartans win their next game, they will clinch the Division Championship and complete the Division 1 Playoff picture.
------------------------------
AXN - 5 QEY - 4 F
W - Kolb (1-2) L - Wickman (2-1) Blown Save - Kolb (1)
AXN: Maroth: 6 IP, ER, QS (3)
QEY: Haynes: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (2)
AXN: Griffey Jr.: 3-4, 2 2B, HR (3), RBI (9)
QEY: Barrett: 3-3, 2 RBI (6)
AXN: Rivas: 2-3, BB, RBI (4), 2 SB (3)
With both teams out of the playoffs, this is our first more or less meaningless game of the year. The Darkpaws kicked things off with a three run rally in the third inning, with clutch hits coming from Luis Rivas, Hank Blalock, and Omar Vizquel, who tripled. In his third start of the year, Mike Maroth was solid and actually only gave up one hit through four innings. He worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth, and then surrendered a run in the sixth when Queynos catcher Michael Barrett smacked an RBI double in the sixth to put the Warriors on the board. While the Darkpaws added another run in the top of the eighth, the Warriors went to work in the bottom of the inning by putting the two leadoff men on. This prompted the Darkpaws to turn to closer Danny Kolb, the league leader in saves. However this one was not meant to be, as he couldn't prevent the bottom of the Queynos order kicking off a three run rally to tie the game at 4-4. Both teams then geared up for extra innings, but that very quickly did not become necessary. In the top of the ninth, former MVP Ken Griffey Jr. awoke from his slumber and hit a solo homerun to give the Darkpaws the lead and eventually the win. Although Griffey has had 14 homeruns each of the last two seasons, this is only his third so far this year. The Darkpaws have now won four of their last five games and move into a tie with the Warriors for fifth place. I suppose all these teams have left to play for is not ending up in last place. The Warriors play their last series against the JELLY QUEEN while the Darkpaws finish things up against playoff bound Meow Meow Dui.
No comments:
Post a Comment