NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #2

Andres Gallaraga’s two-run bomb in the second gives Missouri the early 2-0 lead.

Sugar Land answered in the 4th with a single run aided by an error on P Portugal. However, In the sixth Barry Bonds hit a 2-run bomb to make it 4-1 and things look glum for the home team.

Ken Griffey had an outstanding regular season with 52 HR and 143 RBI in only 105 games; he continued his hot hitting with a solo homer in the home half of the sixth to cut the lead to 4-2. In the bottom of the eighth Jim Thome singles off Eicchorn to bring in Griffey (his third run of the game) to cut it further to 4-3. Luis Rivera, who had entered the game early on due to an injury to Jay Bell, followed with a single, and then Darren Daulton smacked a 3-run bomb to cap the Skeeters comeback and a four-run inning. John Hudek allows a run but locks it down as Sugar Land wins, 6-5.

Bichette leads off wih a single off Saberhagen, and Bonds follows with an infield hit. Piazza hits into a double play, but Matt Williams smacks a 2-run bomb and once again Missouri has the early lead before the Skeeters’ fans get settled in their seats. Biggio leads off the bottom frame by drawing a walk off Milacki. He moves to second on a grounder to short with the runner going. Alou walks to put two on for Griffey, but Junior flies out for the first out. Hamelin singles in Biggio to make it 2-1 and nothing else comes of the threat. In the sixth, Daulton singles in Thome who had doubled and moved the third on a PB and the game was tied at 2. The next inning, Alou singles with two out and Griffey bangs a homer to make it 4-2. In the 8th, emergency SS Rivera triples and scores an insurance run on Daulton’s single. Hudek gets his second save of the series as the final is 5-2, Sugar Land.

Biggio leads off the game with a double, moves to third on a GIbson grounder, then scores on an Alou ground out to make it 1-0. There it stays as Ontiveros puts zero after zero on the board. Yet another Griffey homer makes in 2-0 Sugar Land which is the final behind a CG for Ontiveros.

With their backs against the wall, Missouri needs a strong pitching performance from Kenny Roger’s but they don’t get it, as Jose Oliva smacks a pair of three-run dingers and drives in 6 and Sugar Land wins 15-2. Only Barry Bonds’ two solo homers blemish Saberhagen’s line over seven innings.

Sugar Land gets the sweep of division nemesis Missouri to move on the the NLCS. Griffey and Bonds each hit three homers. Griffey and Daulton each drive in five and Oliva the six in game 4.