1988 AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #1

Cedar Park & Traverse City face off in an American League Division Series.

Game 1

Jose Rijo (T.C.) vs. Mike Moore (CPB)

Top of the 2nd
Jose Rijo gives up back-to-back walks to start the inning, to Dwight Evans & Ernie Whitt. Ron Oester bunts the runners up a base. Rick Schu delivers a two-run double to the left-center gap.
Cedar Park 2, Traverse City 0

Bottom of 2nd
Single to right for Dave Winfield. Paul Molitor hits a long one to left, lands a foot before the wall, Molitor reaches on a double, Winfield holds at third. Joe Carter pops up. Moore delivers the pitch to the plate, Ron Hassey hits a no-doubter — long gone! Three-run blast for Hassey.
Traverse City 3, Cedar Park 2

Bottom of the 4th
Deja vu for the beginning of the inning (referring to 2nd inning), lead-off single by Dave Winfield to left (this time), as Paul Molitor hits his 2nd double of the game. Once again, runners on 2nd & 3rd with no outs — Moore against Joe Carter, delivers, it’s hit, a dying quail to right, it lands, Winfield scores, Evans is up with it, and Molitor is coming home, the throw to home & he’s safe. Ron Hassey hits into a fielder’s choice, as the Bears get the lead runner at second, one out. Rafael Ramirez hits a single that falls just in front of the left fielder, Hassey is at second. Sacrifice bunt as Marty Barrett moves the runners over, runners on 2nd & 3rd, two outs for Tim Raines. Moore winds up & fires, it’s a blooper to right, it might just drop, Evans is on the run & he snags it, ends a possible huge inning. Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 2

Bottom of the 6th
Mike Moore walks off the mound in pain, the Bears bring in John Cerutti to face Paul Molitor. Molitor hits this one into the gap in right, landing between Puckett and Evans — Molitor’s third double of the game. Joe Carter grounds the ball to second, Oester to first with the throw, they get the batter, as Molitor moves up to third. The Tigers though would strand Molitor at third.

Top of the 8th
Jose Rijo strikes out the lead off batter in Luis Polonia. Tigers go to the pen for Brian Holton to face the heart of the Bears’ lineup, beginning with Kirby Puckett. Puckett smacks a double off Holton, to center as Raines couldn’t reach it. The Bears couldn’t do anything else though, score still remains 5-2 T.C.

News from the Cedar Park clubhouse, Moore will be out the next 8 days.

Top of the 9th
Tigers call on their closer Doug Jones. Doug Jones walks Ron Oester with one out. John Moses comes in to pinch-hit for Rick Schu, hits line-drive off of Jones’ leg, runners safe on 1st & 2nd. Andres Thomas hits into game-ending double-play.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 2

Game 2

Greg Maddux of the Tigers faces off against Greg Swindell of the Bears.

Top of the 1st
Claudell Washington leads off with a single to left. Luis Polonia hits it to short, over to second for one out, Ray with the throw to first, and Polonia just beats it out, one out. Polonia steals second on Bob Boone’s arm. Free pass to Kirby Puckett, which could set up a possible double-play. Will Clark pops up behind third, two away. Dwight Evans lines one to center, Tim Raines is coming in, he dives and catches it out front. The Bears couldn’t do anything with the runners aboard.

Top of the 2nd
Lead-off walk to Ernie Whitt. Ron Oester hits a ball to left pass a lunging Paul Molitor & Rafael Ramirez — runners on 1st & 2nd, no outs. Rick Schu grounds out to third, while moving up the runners. 2nd & 3rd. the pitch comes in from Maddux to Andres Thomas — and it beans him, Thomas is down, he’ll leave the game & head to the trainer’s room. The Bears go to the bench, and will bring in Rex Hudler as a pinch-runner, bases are loaded. Claudell Washington hits it to his right, O’Brien is up with it, fires to second for one, back to first, double-play!

Top of the 3rd
Luis Polonia is safe on a error, short throw by O’Brien to Maddux covering at first. Polonia tries to steal second, Bob Boone’s throw is right on the money as he’s out! With two outs, Greg Maddux issues his 3rd walk of the game to Will Clark. Dwight Evans flies out to right, still no score.

Bottom of the 3rd
Lead-off single by Bob Boone for the Tigers’ first hit of the game. Swindell throws a wild pitch over Whitt’s head, Boone moves up to second. Rafael Ramirez hits a liner over to second, deep into the gap to Puckett. Boone holds third, Ramirez on first, no outs for Mookie Wilson. Mookie hits a blooper over Hudler’s head at short, Boone scores, Ramirez rounds second, but holds. Tim Raines steps up to the plate, the pitch comes in strike, the catcher Ernie Whitt throws a bullet to get Ramirez out. Raines pops out for out number two. Johnny Ray grounds out for final out of inning. Traverse City 1, Cedar Park 0

Bottom of the 4th
Lead-off triple by Paul Molitor. Swindell walks Dave Winfield , runners now on the corners with no outs. Pete O’Brien hits a fly to left, short of the warning track, Molitor tags up & scores easily. Joe Carter hits one to left, Washington is after it, he’s now at the wall, and watches this one sail over, it just kept carrying — Two-run jack for Carter. Bob Boone hits a blooper that’s caught by Evans down the right field line, two down. Swindell strikes out Rafael Ramirez for final out of the inning. Traverse City 4, Cedar Park 0

Top of the 5th
Greg Maddux walks the lead-off hitter in Rex Hudler, not good to put a base-stealing threat on right-away. Claudell Washington hits a deep fly to center, Hudler retreats back to first. Luis Polonia hits one sharply to second, over to second for one out, back to first, Polonia’s safe, but they get the lead runner, two down. Kirby Puckett pounds this one into the ground, Ray to Ramirez for the force at second, and they get him! Three down.

Top of the 6th
Dwight Evans hits a one-out double that looked as if it was going to go out at first, his first hit of the series. Ernie Whitt hits deep fly to right, Evans tags up & goes to third, the throw from Carter, and Evans is safe! Dave Leiper comes in for the Tigers to face the switch-hitting Ron Oester. The pitch to Oester, he gives this a long ride, Wilson is on the run, up against the wall, and Wilson catches it for final out. A scary moment for the Tigers’ fans.

Bottom of the 7th
Lead-off single to right for Bob Boone, Traverse City brings in pinch-runner Felix Fermin. Rafael Ramirez hits it to Oester, who gets the lead runner for the force at second, Ramirez safe at first. Infield single for Mookie Wilson, Swindell covering first had his foot off the bag, runners on 1st & 2nd, one out and Tim Raines will be the hitter. The Bears go to the pen and call on Rick Honeycutt to take over. Raines would fly out to center, while Johnny Ray hits into a fielder’s choice to finish a possible scoring threat for the Tigers. Score remains… Traverse City 4, Cedar Park 0

The Tigers bullpen keeps doing it’s thing as Brian Holton closes down the Bears in the 8th

Bottom of the 8th
Nick Esasky, a defensive replacement for Pete O’Brien mashes a two-out, insurance solo HR over left field wall for the Tigers. Joe Carter hits a double on the next play to the gap in right. Ron Hassey pops it up for final out. Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 0

Traverse City’s bullpen was excellent in this one, Ken Dayley closes the door in a non-save situation with back-to-backs K’s to end the game.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 0

TRAVERSE CITY leads series 2-0, as they go to Cedar Park for Game 3 & a possible Game 4.

Game 3

Traverse City scored 5 runs in the 1st, 2 more in the 2d and it was all over quickly. They sweep the series.

In their third playoff appearance, Cedar Park duplicated previous disappointing results. Basically, the team that plays so well during the season doesn’t show up, and they’ve won just one playoff game overall. Not only do they lose but the games aren’t even close. Its a mystery how a team that ranked near the top of the league in batting would score but 5 runs total in the 3 games. The pitching staff had a good season, especially among the starters, but none, Moore (17-10, 2.75) Swindell (20-7, 2.94) and Boddicker (12-10, 3.06) was able to win or even last 7 innings, they gave up 17 runs in 3 games. Cedar Park held the edge in the season series over Traverse City but appeared totally outmatched.

The Cedar Park organization goes home with a bitter taste. We wish Traverse City continued success, they have a good ball club and certainly deserved to win the series. Cedar Park had hoped to put up more of a challenge.