PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #15

Janesville come to Mexico City and takes 5/7 from a tired Chihuahuas team.

The top two teams in the AL West due battle with Portland coming to Flossmoor for a seven game series. The Mavericks lead the Flying Squirrels by 4.5 games heading into the series.

Pitchers duel to the 6th as both Maddux and Aquino have only allowed one hit apiece. In the top of the inning a two out double by Polonia scores Alomar Jr just before Williams’ throw gets there for the first run of the game.
Mavericks add a run in the top of the 9th as Polonia steals home on a double steal.
But one was all Aquino needs as he completes the one hit shutout to even the series at a game apiece.

Squirrels strike first in game three as Bill Spiers clears the bases with a two out double to make it 3-0 in the bottom of the first.
Mavericks answer with two in the fourth thanks to a collision in the outfield and a bevy of walks from Jose Mesa.
Mesa is chased in the 5th and Norm Charlton comes in and escapes a bases loaded, one out jam. Charlton then mows em down into the 9th
before turning it over to Olson for the save. Squirrels win it 3-2.

Portland gets an early run when Knobs reaches on an error, moves up on a steal and then comes home on a ground out.
Flossmoor gets three in the bottom of the fourth with the last run scoring on an error on the pitcher Hill. 3-1 after four.
In the 5th a Kevin Maas two run homer makes it 5-1 FFS.
Two more for the home side in the 8th on a Bernie Williams home run makes it 7-1.
Cone gets the win going 8 innings allowing one unearned run on 3 hits while striking out five. He’s now 8-7 on the year.
Hill the loss and falls to 9-6.

Early runs once again, this time for Portland as Will Clark parks one for a two run shot in the first off Maddux.
Gant gets one back with a homer in the bottom of the first.
Pena adds one for Portland on a solo shot in the fourth to make it 3-1.
Another solo shot for Portland in the 6th, this time its Joe Carter.  4-1 Mavs.
But once again the story of the game is Aquino who goes the distance allowing just one run on 5 hits and bests Maddux for the second time this series and salvages the final game for Portland.

Flossmoor wins the series 4-3 but misses out on a chance to pick up three crucial games in the standings by losing the finale.
Aquino makes a bid for pitcher of the week going 2-0 with two complete games, allowing just one run on six hits with six strikeouts and 3 walks.
Flossmoor finished their long home stand at 10-11 but won the last two series after a rough first one.

First-place Sugar Land hosts last-place Manhattan as two teams see their recent fortunes reversed.

Tommy Greene can’t hold a 4-run lead as Manhattan scores 4 in the sixth. Sugar land then scores 2 in the 6th and four in the seventh to go on to a 10-7 win. McElroy blows the “save” then gets the win. Howe with save #20. Buechele scores and drives in two as does Pasqua. Gibson, Pasqua, Buechele, and Merced hit homers.

Langston goes eight allowing just a Gallagher RBI double. Biggio goes 3-3, Griffey scores two and GIbson drives in two. 5-1 Skeeters.

Tapani goes the distance on a two-hit shutout and Buechele drives in two for the 3-0 Skeeters win.

Another offensive explosion for Sugar Land as Hollins drives in two. Three errors by the Gas Hornets are the big downfall as six unearned runs cross for the Skeeters, who win 10-5.

One of the most exciting games of the year for the Skeeters. Manhattan takes a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Biggio singles in Griffey to tie it. McReynolds hits a bomb in the 10th but Sugar Land counters with two in the bottom of the inning with Buechele’s sac fly the walkoff hit and the 3-2 win. Mercker gets the vulture win in relief for the second straight day and is now 8-2.

Langston is strong again with two hits allowed in eight IP. Bush drives in four with a 3-run bomb and a sac fly. Gibson also homers as SLS wins 5-1. Langston is now 14-5, 2.33.

Sugar Land scores in every inning and survives a 5-run eighth for a 16-7 laugher. Griffey (15, 60 RBI), Buechele (big series), Biggio, and Gibson hit bombs. Bell also has 60 RBI. Tapani gets rare run support (for him) and is now 10-10, 2.12.

Sugar Land sweeps. Two HR and 9 RBI in the series for Buechele, 3 HR and 9 RBI for Gibby. Lots of other good hitting. Langston is 2-0, 16 IP with 2 ER.

Stockton @ Chicago for 7 games (played by STO)

There are 3 Davises and 2 Larkins in this series

CHI 3 – STO 2

WP: Hershiser
LP: DeJesus
SV: J. Howell

HR: none

CHI scored all three runs on groundouts (two run scoring double plays and an RBI GO by Guillen).

CHI 7 – STO 4

WP: Holman (CG)
LP: Cadaret

HR: STO–Hayes, Tettleton

Manwaring’s 3 RBI are the difference for CHI. Tettleton and Hayes each with an RBI for the second game in a row for STO. Lavalliere added the other two RBI. Holman went all the way for the CHI win.

CHI 10 – STO 2

WP: Higuera (CG)
LP: Mussina

HR: STO–C. Davis

Mussina breezed through five innings in his return from injury, but CHI teed off on him and the bullpen with 2 runs in the 6th, 4 in the 7th, and 4 in the 8th. Higuera went the distance.

STO 3 – CHI 2

WP: Erickson
LP: Whitehurst
SV: Eckersley

HR: STO–C. Davis, Strawberry; CHI–Daniels

Early HRs stake Erickson to an early lead he protected. Eckersley slammed the door after the Daniels solo shot in the 9th.

STO 11 – CHI 6

WP: Drabek
LP: Scudder

HR: STO–Pagliarulo, Diaz; CHI–E. Davis

Back and forth game until STO busted it open with two runs in the 6th, one in the 7th, and four in the 8th. Eric Davis hit a 3-run bomb in the 9th to make it respectable for CHI.

Bergman injured for 18 games

CHI 1 – STO 0

WP: CLemens (CG)
LP: Ojeda (CG)

HR: none

Clemens and Ojeda duel, throwing up zeroes and scattering 6 hits each. Gallego tripled to lead off the 9th and Brett singled past the drawn-in infield

STO 3 – CHI 0

WP: DeJesus (CG)
LP: Howell

HR: STO–Hayes

Another gem by both starters, with Hershiser pitching 9.2 innings of shutout ball, and DeJesus completing 11 innings for the win. STO took it when Charlie Hayes took Jay Howell deep for a three-run game winner. The fans were shocked when DeJesus came out for the 11th and set CHI down in order.

CHI takes the series 4 games to 3 (after taking a 3-0 series lead).
Series featured five complete games and 10 HRs.   Three great pitchers duels (Two of them were Hershiser vs. DeJesus) and two blowout laughers.

The Missouri Black Bears come east to visit Germantown.

The Black Bears strike early and don’t look back. Lind 2-6 R RBI 2b, Sierra 2-5 2R 2b, Bonds 2-4 2R W, Williams 4-5 3R 4RBI HR, and Sveum 2-4 R RBI W IBB. Grays Thomas 2-4 R 2RBI HR and Martinez 2-3 R 2b. Black Bears 11-4.

No crooked numbers in this one. Grays Alomar 2-4 R RBI 2b. Grays Morgan 7.1IP 0R 2H 3W. Grays 3-0

It was close until the ceiling caved in in the 8th. Black Bears Sierra 2-5 R 2b and Lind 3-3 2-2b. Grays Alomar 2-4 2R RBI 2W, MacFarlane 3-5 2R 3RBI, and Gagne 2-4 2R 2b W. Madux, Wilson, Montgomery and Mulholland pitched 4 innings of scoreless relief. Grays 13-4.

1-1 into extra innings. Black Bears Morris 7IP 0ER 7H 3W. Gott and Patterson pitched 5 innings of scorless relief. Grays Alomar 3-6 2b and Varsho 2-5. Appier 5IP 1R 2H W. Maddux and Aguilera 5 innings of scoreless relief. Black Bears Gonzalez banged a 3-run winner in the 12th. Black Bears 4-1 12 innings.

Close until the 7th. Black Bears Gonzalez 2-3 R 2RBI 2b HR W and Geren 2-3. Grays Thomas 2-4 R 2RBI HR. Mulholland 7IP 2R 5H 2W. Wilson, Montgomery  and Frohwirth pitched 2 innings of scorless relief. Grays 5-2.

Grays manage to take the series 3-2 against a tough offensive line-up.

FWP – B. Wegman (R) 12-2 1.49
MCT – O. Olivares (R) 4-8 3.33

In the bottom of the 2nd McGee singles home two for the Panthers giving him 34 runs batted in on the season. Franco cuts the lead in half in the 4th for Montanta with a single, but Calderon puts the game out of reach when he doubles home two for Ft. Worth in the 5th.Wegman goes to 13-2 while Olivares falls to 4-9. Jackson picks up save number 28 for Ft. Worth.

FINAL SCORE: PANTHERS 4, CUTTHROATS 2

FWP – Z. Smith (L) 9-5 3.09
MCT – B. Krueger (L) 5-6 3.19

Krueger and Pall combine to shutout the Panthers on 4 hits while they punched out 5. Lankford hit his 4th homer of the year for Montana.Krueger evens his record at 6-6 and Pall gets his 12th save while Smith falls to 9-6.

FINAL SCORE: CUTTHROATS 3, PANTHERS 0

FWP – K. Brown (R) 4-5 5.02
MCT – R. Martinez (R) 6-11 3.98

In a tight 1-0 game Cutthroat DH Cabrera put the game away in the 8th inning, “The pitch high fly ball to center KELLY’s racing to the track he’s against the wall but there’s nothing he can do it’s long gone! a two-run shot”Montana continues to baffle the Panther hitters as Martinez pitches a complete game shutout allowing 6 hits while striking out 4.Martinez improves to 7-11 and Brown drops to 4-6.

FINAL SCORE: CUTTHROATS 3, PANTHERS 0

FWP – J. Abbott (L) 11-5 2.14
MCT – J. Rijo (R) 12-2 1.45

Parrish and Calderon each doubles home a run. Kelly drives home two with a double and McGriff hits his 15th homer of the year. It was more than enough for Panther starter, Abbott who picks up his 6th CG of the year allowing just 4 hits while getting 5 K’s.Abbot goes to 12-5 and Rijo falls to 12-3.

FINAL SCORE: PANTHERS 5, CUTTHROATS 0

In a very competitive series Ft. Worth wins the series 4 games to 3. Next week the Panthers travel to Detroit while Montana takes on the Flying Squirrels at home.

Winnipeg comes to town and takes care of business, winning 5 of 7 to tighten up the NL West.

DET – 3 CAL – 0

J. McDowell v. P. Harnisch

W – J. McDowell (7-8)
L – P. Harnisch (10-4)

HR – J. Kruk
CS – V. Coleman

McDowell shut down the Quakes with a dominant shutout performance, and Kruk’s 2-run HR provided all the offense the Stars would need.

DET – 1 CAL – 7

M. Clark v. B. Saberhagen

W – B. Saberhagen (11-2)
L – M. Clark (0-1)

HR – T. Steinbach, D. Parker

M. Clark could not get out of the 3rd inning, giving up 5 hits (2 doubles and a HR), 7 walks, and 7 runs in just 2.2 innings of work.

DET – 2 CAL – 5

M. Perez v. N. Ryan

W – N. Ryan (10-2)
L – M. Perez (7-6)
S – B. Harvey (21)

SB – V. Coleman
CS – P. Molitor

California beat up on another starting pitcher, this time chasing Perez from the game after pounding out 11 hits and scoring 5 in 4.1 innings.

DET – 2 CAL – 3

P. Schourek v. A. Fernandez

W – J. Gray
L – B. Thigpen

HR – J. Canseco
SB – V. Coleman, J. Kruk, T. Pendleton
CS – B. Butler, V. Coleman

The Stars score 2 in the top of the 1st and held a 2-1 lead going into the 8th, when Carlos Quintana tied it up with a pinch hit RBI. Canseco subsequently put it away with a walk-off solo HR.

DET – 0 CAL – 7

C. Haney v. P. Harnisch

W – P. Harnisch (11-4)
L – C. Haney (2-8)

HR – J. Canseco (2), O. Smith

Harnisch was masterful, tossing 7 innings of shutout ball. Canseco’s bat is finally starting to heat up after he saw his batting average drop below .230. Now at .236 and 26 HRs, he’s hoping the dry spell is officially over.

The Quakes drop the first but win the remaining four games to take the short series 4-1, outscoring the Stars 22-8 in the process.

Valdosta hosts Michigan.

Michigan takes 5 of 7 in Valdosta.

Clovis wins 4 of 7 games from Long Beach.