PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #10

Bottom of the 2nd, Pete O’Brien leads off with a double, the next play, slow Pete O’Brien tests Tony Armas’s arm on a base hit by Joe Carter — O’Brien is safe just under the tag. Carter advances to 2nd on a ground out by Jesse Barfield, and then tags up on a Ron Hassey fly to right. Runners on 1st & 3rd, and Swindell throws the ball over the catcher Mike Fitzgerald’s head, Carter scores from 3rd. Tigers lead 2-0 after 2.

Mookie Wilson adds to the lead in the 3rd with a deep solo shot to dead center.

Top of the 4th, the Bears get their first hit by Ron Gant with two outs, the next play Kirby Puckett reaches first on a fielder’s choice error by Johnny Ray, as he tosses the ball past shortstop Felix Fermin to second. But that’s all the Bears could do that inning, as they failed to score.

John Candelaria strikes out the side in the top of the 5th, and he would make it through 5 2/3, allowing only 2 hits (both to Gant), with 6 K’s & no runs allowed.

Bottom of the 6th – After a walk to Dave Winfield, Pete O’Brien singles to right (runners on 1st & 2nd), Joe Carter singles in Winfield, as O’Brien advances to 3rd. Bears make a change for Chuck Crim, Swindell didn’t have his best stuff today (6 hits, 5 ER’s & 3 walks allowed) through 5 innings. Ron Hassey adds insult to injury, with a RBI single.

With Traverse City leading 5-0, reliever Brian Holton would strike out the Cedar Park side during the top of the 7th.

The Bears would finally get on the board during the top of the 8th, with a solo HR by Rick Schu off of Holton. The Bears go to the bench to have pinch-hit specialist Randy Bush come in for Andres Thomas, Tigers decide to make a switch as well and have lefty vs. lefty in Juan Agosto vs. Bush. What appeared to be a routine fly, Winfield just flat-out drops Bush’s fly to left, with Bush making it to 2nd (no outs). Agosto would momentarily recover from the error in left, with back-to-back K’s to John Moses & Ron Gant. Dwight Evans would trim the lead to 5-2, with an RBI double. Agosto would intentionally walk Kirby Puckett. Tigers would follow that up by bringing in righty Doug Jones to get Mike Fitzgerald to fly to center. Top of the 9th, lefty Ernie Whitt pinch-hitting for Tony Armas, would give the ball a long ride to deep center, but Barfield would chase it down. Todd Jones gets save #12.

The Tigers’ pitchers racked up 12 K’s.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 2 Game #2: Dave LaPoint in his Tiger debut against Cedar Park’s Mike Moore.

Top of the 2nd, Tony Armas gets the Bears going early with a two-run blast to left. Bears lead 2-0.

Bottom of the 3rd, back-to-back singles for Rafael Ramirez & Mookie Wilson. Paul Molitor follows with an RBI single, as Wilson advances to 3rd. With runners on 1st & 3rd, Dave Winfield grounds out, but ties the game up 2-2 with Mookie crossing the plate.

Bottom of the 4th, with two quick outs, Mike Moore walks Bob Boone. Johnny Ray steps up to the plate and delivers a double, Boone holds third. Rafael Ramirez makes Moore pay with a two-run single into the left-center gap — the Bears get out of the inning, but not before T.C. took the lead, 4-2.

Top of the 6th – Things get messy for the Tigers. Ron Gant smacks a one-out double to right-center, LaPoint turns around and walks Dwight Evans (LaPoint’s 3rd walk of the game). Tigers go to the pen, and call on Brian Holton once again to face Kirby Puckett. Puckett flies to right, Gant tags up and advances to third safely. Runners now on 1st & 3rd, with 2 outs — Mike Fitzgerald delivers a two-run, game-tying double off of Holton. Holton would go on to strike out Will Clark to end the inning.

Bottom of the 7th – Mike Moore once again strikes out two batters, like the inning before & appears to be heating up.

Top of the 8th, the Bears couldn’t get Rex Hudler in from 2nd, as Puckett strikes out against Dave Leiper to end the inning.

Bottom of the 8th, the wheels come off for the Bears, as Molitor kicks off the half-inning with a single (following that up with a steal of 2nd Base). Dave Winfield hits a hot smash to Ron Gant, Gant knocks it down, dives for the ball, throws it to first, but not in time. Runners on 1st & 3rd, Tigers bring Lance Johnson off the bench to run for Winfield. Joe Carter steps up, and he’s walked… no, it’s a big strikeout for Mike Moore. Tim Raines steps up and executes the hit-and-run, Molitor scores, Johnson moves to 3rd. With the Tigers up 5-4, The Bears go to the pen for Rick Honeycutt. Pete O’Brien would ground out, moving Raines to 2nd. With runners on 2nd & 3rd, Bob Boone would add an insurance run with an RBI single, 6-4. Johnny Ray would pile on the lead with a two-run triple. Tigers would walk-out of the inning with a 8-4 lead.

Juan Agosto would come in to seal things up in the 9th, as Dave Leiper walks away with the win. Molitor finished the game, 3-for-4, with a run & ribbie.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 8, Cedar Park 4 Game #3: It’s Eric King against John Dopson. King is up while Bob Knepper tries to get healthy.

Top of the 1st — One-out double for John Moses. Kirby Puckett follows with a single, runners on 1st & 3rd. Will Clark smacks an RBI single to right, Puckett will make it to 3rd base as Tim Raines makes an error in right. Eric King looking a little raddled walks Dwight Evans; Bases loaded for Rick Schu. Tigers luck out as Schu grounds into a inning-ending double-play. Bears walk out with only a 1-0 lead after all that noise.

Bottom of the 1st — Tim Raines making up for his fielding miscue, draws a walk from Dopson. Johnny Ray executes the H&R, as Raines scores all the way from first! The game knotted up at 1-1, Pete O’Brien hits the ball sharp to left, the Tigers gamble by sending Ray around third for home, SAFE under the tag! A single by Paul Molitor, puts runners on 1st & 3rd with only one out. Joe Carter delivers a two-run double, to make it 4-1. The Bears eventually end the bleeding.

Bottom of the 2nd — The Bears would avoid bases-loaded trouble, as Molitor grounds the ball to Ron Gant for a fielder’s choice to end the inning, can the Bears take back the momentum? as the Tiger leave men on base.

Top of the 3rd — Back-to-back doubles by John Moses (his 2nd of the game) and Kirby Puckett’s RBI double would trim the Tigers’ lead to 2 runs (4-2).

Bottom of the 3rd — Tigers add an insurance run in a weird way. With one out, and Joe Carter on 3rd (single & steal of 2nd), Joey Meyer hits one to the mound, and Carter gets caught in a run-down, Schu & Sasser keep throwing the ball, back & forth until Schu throws the ball too high, and Carter slides under Sassers to tag the plate. Tigers up 5-2

Top of the 5th — The Tigers are fortunate with all their fielding mistakes in this one, Molitor drops a pop-up for the Tigers’ 3rd error, yet are up 5-2. Kirby Puckett gets his 3rd hit of the game, as Johnny Ray was unable to anything with the deep grounder behind second (runners on 1st & 2nd, one out). Will Clark hits a single to left-center, as John Moses scores, the throw home is cut-off by 1B-Pete O’Brien, who throws it to third to get Puckett out by inches. Runner on 1st, 2 outs, the Bears trailing 5-3, Dwight Evans steps up to the plate, only for Eric King to come up with a big K!

Eric King would go on to 5 2/3 innings, allowing 2 ER’s, 7 hits, while striking out 3 (walking one). Juan Agosto & Brian Holton hold the lead, while the Bears’ Rick Honeycutt (entering the game with a stingy 0.89 ERA) holds off another Tigers’ threat in the bottom of the 8th.

Doug Jones closes down shop with his 13th save.

The Bears’ #2 thru #4 hitters had all seven of the team’s hits, with Puckett’s 3 hits leading the way.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 3 Game #4: John Cerutti (3-1, 2.13 ERA) on the mound for the Bears, against Hose Rijo (5-3, 3.70 ERA)

Top of the 2nd — Jose Rijo serves up back-to-back walks to Dwight Evans & Ernie Whitt. Mickey Sasser hits a ball along the 3rd base line to Paul Molitor, Molitor doesn’t quite set his feet as he air-mails it over Nick Esasky’s head. Evans scores, as Whitt advances to third (no outs). Jerry Browne strikes out. Andres Thomas gets his pitch and sends this over Lance Johnson’s head, for an RBI double, Sasser holds third (Bears up 2-0) — Claudell Washington follows that up with a double of his own, scoring both Sasser & Thomas. Tigers would eventually get out of the chaotic inning, but trail 4-0 early.

Bottom of the 2nd — Joe Carter draws a walk (moves to 2nd on a wild pitch by Cerutti). Bob Boone grounds out to second, as Carter advances to third. With two outs, Dwight Evans drops fly to right (error) as Carter scores, but the Tigers couldn’t add more. Bears 4, Tigers 1

Bottom of the 3rd — After a single by Rafael Ramirez, Mookie Wilson hits an RBI double. Wilson advances to third, as Molitor grounds out (1 out). Dave Winfield hits into a fielder’s choice, as Wilson gets caught in a rundown (between 3rd & home) and called out. Joe Carter hits a two-run homer to center to tie the game, these Tigers are relentless!

Top of the 4th — After back-to-back singles by Jerry Browne & Andres Thomas, the Tigers yank Rijo out after only 3 innings (6 hits & 3 walks allowed, with 4 K’s). LHP Ken Dayley comes in, looking for a double-play, which the Tigers execute, but Browne scores from third on the play to make it a 5-4 Bears’ lead.

The Tigers would bring in Juan Agosto in the top of the 6th.

Bottom of the 8th — The Bears take out John Cerutti after 7 1/3 innings, 4 runs (3 ER), 7 hits & one walk allowed, while striking out three Tigers. The Bears bring in Portugal to face Dave Winfield with one out. First pitch, loud shot to right, near foul pole, FOUL! The next pitch, Winfield made sure he got this one sending it over the center-field wall past Kirby Puckett. Once again, it’s tied up 5-5, what do the Bears got to do to shake these guys?

Top of the 9th — Juan Agosto still in through 3 innings of relief, gives up a lead-off double to Claudell Washington. Jesse Barfield of T.C. steals a hit from Ron Gant with a diving catch. Kirby Puckett steps up, the Tigers contemplated walking him intentionally, but decide to pitch to him anyways, should have walked him… RBI single by Puckett. Agosto leaves the game for LHP Leiper to face Will Clark, and Leiper does his job by striking out Clark. Bears lead 6-5, Tigers will try to see if they still have some magic left.

Bottom of the 9th — Bears’ closer Alejandro Pena comes in to face the Tigers. Tigers counter by bringing in Pete O’Brien to face Pena, Pena strikes him out. Johnny Ray does the same & strikes out as well. The Tigers’ skipper goes to the bench and calls on Tim Raines to pinch-hit for Jesse Barfield. Pena closes the door on Raines & the Tigers by getting him to fly out. The Bears hand the Tigers only their 3rd loss in their last 20 games!

FINAL SCORE: Cedar Park 6, Traverse City 5 Game #5: This game was all Greg Maddux! He must have been peeved at all the press clippings & fallout over his decision to go with no logo on his Hall of Fame plaque (believe me, I don’t understand it as well).

Bottom of the 2nd with 2 outs — Nick Esasky hits a solo HR off Mike Boddicker.

Boddicker pitched a great game as well, going 7 2/3 innings, allowing only 5 hits (and the solo HR), with 4 K’s & a walk. The only problem, Maddux pitched a better one — Maddux tried to make it back-to-back weeks for a Traverse City Tiger to pitch a no-hitter. Scott Terry accomplished his in Mexico City last week. Maddux would have his broken up, one out into the top of the 7th by Claudell Washington — right after a play where Rafael Ramirez made a great defensive play at short, then gunning down Polonia at first by an inch.

Top of the 8th — The Bears get a lead-off double by Randy Bush, who would be replaced by pinch-runner Rex Hudler. John Moses pinch-hits for Gant & flies out to Joe Carter in right, Hudler decides to tag-up and go for third, and Carter ends up gunning him down at 3rd for a double-play! Dwight Evans comes in to pinch-hit for Ernie Whitt, Maddux wants nothing to do with Evans, and intentionally walks him to take his chances with Mackey Sasser — in which he succeeds. The double-play would ruin the Bears’ only shot at Maddux.

Maddux goes the distance for a 1-0 shutout, allowing only two hits, striking out eight & walking one.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 1, Cedar Park 0 Game #6: Bobby Witt (Cedar Park) vs. John Candelaria (T.C.)

The Tigers get on the board first with an RBI single by Dave Winfield during the bottom of the first, but the Bears strike back during the top of the 2nd, as Mike Fitzgerald scores on a sac fly by Rick Schu. Tied 1-1.

Bob Boone singles, Rafael Ramirez with one out would double and advance Boone to third. Runners on 2nd & 3rd, Mookie Wilson grounds out, as Boone scores to give back the lead to T.C., 2-1.

This game would quickly be defined as a see-saw battle, as Kirby Puckett hits a two-out RBI double (scoring in Ron Gant, after a Gant single). Puckett would score off a Mike Fitzgerald single, as the Bears cut ahead of the Tigers, 3-2.

Top of the 4th — for the second time in the series, John Candelaria strikes out the side.

Bottom of the 4th — Bases loaded for Pete O’Brien, after Joey Meyer got the inning started with a single. Pete O’Brien would smack a two-run single to right, for the Tigers to take the lead 4-3. Dave Winfield steps up and is walked; Bases loaded once again, this time for Paul Molitor, but Molitor strikes out.

Bottom of the 5th — The Bears take out Bobby Witt after 4 1/3 innings, 8 hits allowed.

Top of the 6th — Tigers notice that Brian Holton is tired, and Juan Agosto has been out there a lot lately, they are going to call on Jose Rijo, who only started just two days ago. Rijo, if you remember didn’t do that great, and was yanked after three innings.

Top of the 8th — Rijo is out after 2 1/3, and now the Tigers will go to Holton. Rijo intentionally walked Puckett, putting runners on 1st & 2nd (Hudler’s on 2nd) to face Mike Fitzgerald. Bears pinch-run Polonia for Puckett, while pinch-hitting Moses against Holton. Rex Hudler steals third. Runners on 1st & 3rd, Polonia is off and running now, Hassey guns it towards 2nd, Hudler heads for home, the play cut back towards home, the throw, and Hudler steals home successfully to tie it up, 4-4.

Bottom of the 8th — Mookie Wilson is walked by Chuck Crim, Johnny Ray on the next play executes the hit & run perfectly as Mookie scores all the way from 1st! Tigers lead 5-4.

Top of the 9th — Tigers bring in their closer Doug Jones, capturing save #14, Tigers win again.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 4 Game #7: Tigers enter the game 5 1/2 games up in first on the Bears, the Bears would like to trim their lead back one game, to end the series on a high note of sorts. Tigers send newly acquired Dave LaPoint (his 2nd Tiger outing) against the Bears’ Greg Swindell.

This game was a story of a different Swindell, as Swindell bounces back strong in this one.

Ron Gant would hit a solo HR during the top of the 4th, to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. Gant would continue his good game with an RBI single in the 5th.

It was certainly not a series for Will “The Thrill” Clark, who wasn’t thrilled with the fact, who had three games this series, in which he struck out three times. This game was a different story for Clark, going 4-for-5, with a two-run HR in the 5th inning. Rick Schu would add as solo HR in the game later.

The Tigers had no answers for Greg Swindell, as Swindell cruised on to a 7-1 complete game victory. Swindell allowed only 5 hits, 1 run (no earned runs), while striking out 5 (allowing one walk). Dave LaPoint on the other hand in his two Tiger outings: 10 IP, 9 ER’s.

The Bears had 14 hits in this one as Swindell improves to 6-3, with a 2.76 ERA.

Dave Leiper injured for Traverse City (12 games).

FINAL SCORE: Cedar Park 7, Tigers 1

Series Summary *

The Traverse City Tigers win the series 5-2, Maddux pitches a near no-no in Game 5. A few close games that could have went either way — Bears win on high note, with bounce-back game by Greg Swindell for a complete game in the finale.