1996 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #20

Harold_Baines96Bobby_Witt96Kevin_Young96John_Smiley96

NAME TEAM AVG SLG G AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI K W IW SB CS HBP
BAINES,Harold FFS  AL .591 1.227 6 22 13 2 0 4 8 10 1 3 0 0 0 0
                                   
NAME CLUB G W L S ERA IP R ER H K BB IBB WP BK HB HR
WITT,Bobby CHI  AL 2 2 0 0 0.53 17 1 1 13 15 2 0 0 0 0 0
                                   
NAME TEAM AVG SLG G AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI K W IW SB CS HBP
YOUNG,Kevin HAM  NL .444 .944 6 18 8 3 0 2 4 10 2 0 0 0 0 0
                                   
NAME CLUB G W L S ERA IP R ER H K BB IBB WP BK HB HR
SMILEY,John SCS  NL 2 2 0 0 2.77 13 4 4 11 16 0 0 0 0 0 1

Mexico City Chihuahuas @ Castle Rock Hounds
Series Preview: Jockeying for draft position, Mexico City and Castle Rock meet up in the thin Colorado air.
Game #1: Kenny Rogers vs. Jason Isringhausen. The Hounds fall behind 4-0 early, but come storming back to take a 6-4 decision. Castle Rock strings together 15 hits on the day.
WP: Rogers (8-10)
LP: Dewey (1-4)
S: Adams (15)
Game #2: Pettitte and Adams combine on a two-hitter gem to take Game 2 by a 2-1 score. The Hounds do just enough offensively, with just seven hits themselves. Gross is a tough-luck loser for Mexico City.
WP: Pettitte (13-5)
LP: Gross (0-8)
S: Adams (16)
Game #3: The Hounds shut down the Mexico City bats yet again, and ride a surprisingly strong start from Ariel Miranda to a 6-1 victory. Stahoviak is the hero for Castle Rock, with 3 RBI.

WP: Miranda (5-11)
LP: Foster (2-2)

Game #4: The Hounds’ pitching dominance continues, as they hold Mexico City to only one run for the third straight game. This time they ride an Alex Ochoa first-inning three-run homer to victory by a final of 8-1.

WP: Eldred (5-5)
LP: Coppinger (1-15)

Game #5: It’s getting silly now, as the Chihuahuas are only able to put up one run for the fourth straight game, as the Hounds take this by a 3-1 final. Wojo and Adams combine on the win for Castle Rock, while Bergman goes the distance in the loss for Mexico City.

WP: Wojciechowski (6-7)
LP: Bergman (4-9)
S: Adams (17)

Game #6: The Hounds are looking for the rare 6-game sweep over the visitors. Rogers is on the mound, as he was in Game 1, and it’s a very similar game and outcome. The Hounds take it 6-3. Isringhausen gets lit up early, giving up 6 runs in 1.2 IP, and that was all the Hounds needed.

WP: Rogers (9-10)
LP: Isringhausen (1-18)
S: Adams (18)

Series Summary: A visit by the struggling Chihuahuas was just what the doctor ordered for these Hounds, as they sweep the series 6-0. The Hounds are pushing at .500, while Mexico City is nearing the 100-loss mark with a lot of season left to go.
Corktown Bootleggers @ Detroit Stars
Series Summary: Corktown Bootleggers & Detroit Stars – split series.
Blarney Drive Bandits @ Manhattan Gas Hornets
Series Preview: With two teams with no pitching and lots of batting – it should be fun series.
Game #1: Bandits get two 3 run innings, the 2nd one in the 8th, the Gas Hornets only get 1 (in 6th which game them the lead) and a 2 run 3rd. So that makes it 6-5 Blarney Drive. Darrin Fletcher gets a 3 run bomb (11) and Ryan Klesko a 2 run single. Matt Stairs gets 2 run homer (7) and Craig Shipley drives in 3 with a double (but gets nailed at 3rd being greedy – his choice, not mine).
BDB 6-13-2 WP Randy Myers (2-3) S Rich Aguilera (1)
MGH 5-16-0 LP Mike Perez (1-3) BS (3)
Game #2: In another 1 run game (low scoring) the Gas Hornets even the series with a come from behind 3-2 win. Manhattan gets 1 in the 1st and the Bandits get single runs in the 2nd and 3rd. But Gas Hornets dig in and get the tying run in the 5th and the winner in the 8th – and Bob Patterson holds on to it in the 9th. 4 double plays turned by the Gas Hornets didn’t hurt! But the hit by a pitch to Roberto Kelly hurt – he will miss the next 16 days – see an IL stint for him.
BDB 2-7-2 LP David Well (4-11)
MGH 3-9-0 WP Allen Watson (9-9) S Patterson (15)
Game #3: In a rarity – the game was not a 1 run game – ALL THE OTHERS WERE – All of them. However, Rusty Meacham was doing a CyYoung impression and he tosses a 5 hit, 5 K shutout – and his team scores 5 runs including a 2 run Darrin Fletcher homer (12). Shawn Green had 2 doubles and 2 ribbies and Ricky Henderson collected 3 singles.
BDB 5-14-0 WP Meacham (2-2)
MGH 0- 5-0 LP Carlos Reyes (3-8)
Game #4: Back to reality, the Gas Hornets plate 3 runs in the 1st and 6th and lead 7-3- only to see the Bandits score 3 in the 7th to make it a … ONE RUN Game – the PPs (Jay Powell and Bob Patterson) keep it that way for a Gas Hornets 7-6 win and even the series. Shawn Green had a 3 hit, 3 rbi game (and a homer [5]). And Tino Martinez and Benito Santiago had 2 hit, 2 run, 2 rbi games and each homered – Tino #13, Benito #12.
BDB 6-10-1 LP Mike Hampton (7-11) and he had 2 singles!
MGH 7-15-1 WP Sterling Hitchcock (8-5), S Patterson (16)
Game #5: Well, it must me time for Blarney Drive to win again – and sure enough, they do, and they do it with a 1 run game. Up 3-1 after 7, Gas Hornets get 1 in the 8th but Eric Hanson was entrusted to go all the way – and he was up to a 20 by the end – he holds on for the win. 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 5 walks. Matt Stairs left 4 guys on base… Ryan Klesko homer (23) and Jody Reed gets 4 hits!
BDB 3-13-1 WP Hanson (6-7)
MGH 2- 5-0 LP Chris Haney (9-9)
Game #6: The last game of the series sees Gas Hornets erase a 2-0 lead with a 4 run 3rd. 1st BDB run was a lead-off homer by Ricky Henderson (10) in the 1st. Dave Martinez cracked a 3 run homer (8) in the 4 run 3rd and also smashed a triple that leads to the game-winning run in the 7th. Why did they need that – Bandits scored 2 in the 6th to tie it up. So the final was 5-4 Manhattan. Ricky Henderson slams the wall – and will miss 2 days.
BDB 4- 8-1 LP Frank Castillo (2-14)
MGH 5-10-1 WP Russ Springer (3-4) S Bob Patterson (17)
Series Summary: So, series ends up split 3-3 and 5 1 run games. About what you might figure for these teams. Either team with good pitching would probably be a serious series contender – but it won’t happen this year.
Sugar Land Skeeters @ Long Beach Titans
Series Summary: Sugar Land takes 4 of 6 from Long Beach
Cincinnati Outlaws @ Hampton Huskies
Series Preview: A battle of two pretty decent 3rd place teams sees the Hampton Huskies hosting the Cincy Outlaws for five games.
Game #1: The Huskies made things interesting with a couple of runs late in the game, but Melvin Nieves 26th homer of the season capped a 3-RBI night and propelled the visitors to a 4-3 win over Hampton.
Nieves also added a double in the game off Hampton starter Matt Ruebel (7-9) that drove in two runs in the 2nd inning.
Mike Piazza had two hits and began a series of attempted base stealing fazorching as he cooked Al Martin’s ass but good when he tried to steal 2nd base in the game. I kinda think giving noodle-armed Piazza a “5” arm grade is generous – obviously his mom works for APBA – but whatever.
Bill Mueller, Mike Stanley and their suddenly wide-awake BJ Surhoff each had two hits for Hampton.
Scott Karl (11-5) held the Huskies to just two runs over 7-1/3 despite allowing nine hits and a couple of walks. John Wetteland gave up a run in the 9th but hung on to earn his 18th save of the year.
Game #2: The Outlaws jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three innings in a somewhat non-stellar start by Hampton lefty Mark Langston, but while the Huskies tried to fight back they fell short as the visitors won for the second straight game – this one by a score of 9-5.
Kevin Tapani (10-9) was actually pretty dominant for the Outlaws before falling apart in the 7th in which the Huskies scores three times.
Jose Vizcaino had three hits for Cincinnati, but steroid-riddled Juan Gonzalez did the bulk of the damage with four RBIs on homers #32 and #33 of the year. Bobby Bonilla (22) also homered and drove in two in a two-hit attack.
Langston (11-4) lasted only two innings which actually assured him of two more starts before the happy-go-lucky nut faded softly into that good night.
BJ Surhoff – what the heck is up with this guy? – had three hits for Hampton with Jeromy Burnitz (4) and Tony Clark (10) homering.
Cincy’s Gonzalez and Hampton’s Henry Rodriguez remained close in fighting for homers and RBIs with Gonzalez having the edge 33-31 in homers but Rodriguez ahead 92-90 in RBIs but both trailed distantly to Jay Buhner who had 40 homers and a gazillion RBIs heading into this week’s action.
Game #3: Inserting Kevin Young into the lineup in order get much-needed at-bats paid huge dividends for Hampton as the former Pittsburgh Pirate homered, doubled twice and drove in three runs in an easy 11-2 Hampton win.
Tom Gordon (8-11) went the distance for the Huskies but it was about as f-ugly a complete game as you’ll see as he held the Outlaws to five hits but walked 8 while striking out 11.
Henry Rodriguez (32), Kevin Young (3) and Al Martin (7) all had monster homers off Cincinnati pitcher Ariel Prieto who was dialed into the 9-1-1 throughout the 5.2 innings of relief he provided.
Crazy ol’ Melvin Nieves smacked homer #27 for Cincinnati.
Game #4: Turnout Canadian lefty bastard Rheal Cormier held the Hampton batters to just four hits – although three were doubles – in a 4-0 shutout win for Cincinnati.
Mike Piazza had three hits and drove in two in the game for the Outlaws.
Cormier (7-7) gave up just two walks and struck out five in the win.
Orel Hershiser fell to 13-9 despite pitching pretty well – one earned run in 7 innings – for Hampton.
Game #5: Some IMHO questionable pitcher management by Cincinnati contributed to a football-like 17-10 win for the Hampton Huskies as the Outlaws seemed content to let Scott Karl and Darren Holmes each take one for the team.
Karl (11-6) allowed 11 runs (8 earned) over just four innings while Holmes allowed six over the same.
Kevin Young went berserk at the plate with a single, double and home run #4 and drove in six runs for Hampton. BJ Surhoff was 3/ with three runs and two RBIs.
For Cincinnati, Orlando Miller, Bobby Bonilla and Jose Vizcaino each had three hits with Vizcaino being the most productive turning his hits into four RBIs.
Series Summary: Cincinnati is a very similar team to Hampton and a close series results in the two teams each with identical 62-55 records, but still 11 games back of Santa Rosa for the wildcard spot.

Still, not a single bite in the trade offers for Henry Rodriguez. Ah well. People must be out busy buying up toilet paper … I weep for humanity.

Winnipeg Goldeyes @ Santa Rosa Beach Bums
Series Summary: The Bums manage to take 4 of 6 games from the Goldeyes. The other guys rose to the occasion.
Chicago Demolition @ New Hampshire Nighthawks
Series Preview: Chicago travels to New Hampshire to face the rebuilding Nighthawks.
Game #1: Chicago puts together 13 hits. Only 1 of them was an extra-base hit (double by Tony Philips). Witt throws a 7 hit shutout for the Demolition to win game #1 easily.
Demolition 5, Nighthawks 0
Game #2: Nighthawks can only get 1 run on 10 hits in this one as their struggles continue this season.
Demolition 3 Nighthawks 1
Game #3: A 1-1 pitchers duel between Pedro Martinez and Tim Belcher until a 3-run Mark Lewis HR in the 7th to break it open. Breaking News: Nighthawks still can’t hit!
Demolition 5 Nighthawks 1
Game #4: Todd Stottlemyre throws a 5-hit shutout, Cecil Fielder hits his 31st HR of the year.
Demolition 7 Nighthawks 0
Game #5: After scoring 2 runs in 4 games the Nighthawks break out for 6 runs! Jayhawk Owens hits his 4th HR of the year and New Hampshire finally wins one! Jimmy Haynes gets his first W of the year.
Nighthawks 6 Demolition 4
Game #6: Bobby Witt pitches well again going 8IP giving up just 1 run. He’s now 7-2 with a 4.37ERA.
Demolition 9 Nighthawks 1
Series Summary: Chicago takes 5 of 6. Nighthawks can’t hit scoring just 9 runs in 6 games.
Steel City Sluggers @ Valdosta Bombers
Series Preview: Valdosta is in the middle of a brutal 3-week stretch playing the NL’s top teams. This time the 1st place Sluggers come to town.
Series Summary: The Sluggers take 4 of 6 in Valdosta in a very low scoring series. John Smiley won both of his starts for Steel City to improve to 12-4.
California Quakes @ Flossmoor Flying Squirrels
Series Summary: The two top teams in the American League split a hard-fought six-game series.
Fort Worth Panthers @ DeWitt Tigers
Series Summary: DeWitt welcomes Ft Worth to town. Ft Worth takes the series 5-1.
Harper Woods Expos @ Portland Mavericks
Series Preview: The Harper Woods Expos visit the Portland Mavericks.
Game #1: 5-3 Expos
Game #2: 4-1 Expos
Game #3: 7-6 Expos
Game #4: 6-1 Expos
Game #5: 3-2 Mavs
Game #6: 7-6 Expos
Series Summary: Pretty much all Expos in this one, winning 5 of 6.
Michigan Mauraders @ Stockton Wings
Series Summary: Michigan Mauraders takes the series 4 games to 2.

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