1997 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #24

NAME	TEAM	AVG	SLG	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	K	W	IW	SB	CS	HBP
BAGWELL,Jeff	FFS AL	.625	1.438	5	16	10	1	0	4	9	12	4	4	0	0	0	1

NAME	CLUB	G	W	L	S	ERA	IP	R	ER	H	K	BB	IBB	WP	BK	HB	HR
MARTINEZ,Pedro	CHI AL	1	1	0	0	0.00	9	0	0	5	8	0	0	0	0	0	0

NAME	TEAM	AVG	SLG	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	K	W	IW	SB	CS	HBP
BUHNER,Jay	WGE NL	.500	1.250	3	12	6	0	0	3	3	8	2	1	1	0	1	0

NAME	CLUB	G	W	L	S	ERA	IP	R	ER	H	K	BB	IBB	WP	BK	HB	HR
RADKE,Brad	MIC NL	1	1	0	0	0.00	9	1	0	6	13	3	0	0	0	1	0

Hollywood Vampires @ Chicago Demolition
Series Preview:	Hollywood comes into the windy city with a chance for the Demolition to do some real damage.
Game #1:	Pedro Martinez is the dude for the Chicago squad. 9 Shutout Innings, allowing only 5 Hits, no walks, while Striking out 8. Jeff Cirillo has 2 RBI’s for Chicago. Final Score: Chicago 2 – Hollywood 0 Win: Pedro Martinez 16-7 (1.99) Loss: Julio Santana 4-15 (4.50
Game #2:	Edgar Renteria has 3 Hits, Scored 2 Runs as Chicago ekes out a 1-Run win over the Vampires. Gregg Jefferies has 3 Hits & Kurt Manwaring has 2 RBI’s for Hollywood in the loss. Final Score: Chicago 5 – Hollywood 4 Win: Arthur Rhodes 4-1 (2.86) Loss: Lee Smith 0-3 (6.44) Save: Billy Wagner #18
Game #3:	Scott Radinsky blows this one in the 8th allowing 3-Runs (all earned) as the Vampires pull out the rug from Chicago. Final Score: Hollywood 4 – Chicago 3 Win: Steve Kline 1-2 (4.84) Loss: Scott Radinsky 4-2 (2.91)
Game #4:	Chicago’s offense finally breaks out as Tony Clark & Carlos Delgado both have 2 RBI games (Clark HR). Todd Stottlemyre was solid over 8 Innings. Final Score: Chicago 8 – Hollywood 2 Win: Todd Stottlemyre 12-9 (3.78) Loss: Dave Telgheder 6-10 (4.41)
Game #5:	Chicago wanted the win in this one. Seems like their whole season depends on this series & more importantly this game. 3 to 3 after 5 & a 1/2 innings of play & it stayed that way. Through regulation & into extras. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & then in the 17th the Vampires push 1-Run across. Keith Foulke who held the Demolition down in the 16th comes back for the 17th and does his job. 1-2-3. Just like that Chicago season seems over. Final Score: Hollywood 4 – Chicago 3 (17 Innings) Win: Keith Foulk 5-10 (5.69) Loss: Danny Patterson 1-1 (1.95)
Series Summary:	Chicago wins the series 3 games to 2, but it seems as though this series hurt more than any other all year. Looks like Chicago could be on the outside of the playoffs – looking in.

Stockton Wings @ Winnipeg Goldeyes
Series Preview:	First place Winnipeg vs last place Stockton. Even worse the Wings were broken and tired.
Game #1:	Candiotti 5 hitter, Buhner homer, and 3 RBIs. 10-0 Winnipeg
Game #2:	Schilling had a 1 hitter in the 9th but then two errors and 2 hits he gave up 2 unearned. Ventura doubles and homered.7-2 Winnipeg
Game #3:	Buhner 2 homers and 5 RBIs. Ojala filling in for Glavine looked like the ace going 7 no-earned runs 9-3 Winnipeg.
Game #4:	Ducey in for Buhner homered and drove in 4. 10-5 Winnipeg Bubba Trammel homered for Stockton.
Game #5:	Thompson does it all 3 for3 with 3 RBIs and wins his 19th.
Series Summary:	Winnipeg sweeps the series. Stockton is looking for Beltre in the draft. pitcher – Candiotti 9 innings 5 hits 2 walks 7 strikeouts 0 runs Hitter Buhner: 6 for 12 3 homers and 8 RBIs.

California Quakes @ Castle Rock Hounds
Series Preview:	The top two teams in the AL West battle it out, as California pretty much has the division sewn up, and Castle Rock is looking to stay tight in the wildcard race.
Game #1:	California hops all over Chris Carpenter and doesn’t look back, jumping out to a 9-1 lead after four innings. It’s all over at that point, although the Hounds don’t give up any more runs. Salmon, Galarraga, O’Neill, and Garciaparra all have two hits in the game and Valdes pitches a quality start. WP: Valdes (9-1) LP: Carpenter (1-6)
Game #2:	Now that Carpenter is done being thrown to the wolves to get his batters faced to the minimum #, we are on to better starters, kind of. Kenny Rogers takes the hill in Game 2, also looking to hit his minimum # of batters faced. Against a potent California offense with Tomko (a 14) on the mound, that may not be a recipe for success. California jumps out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first, but Castle Rock gets one back in the bottom. They have the bases loaded with only one out, but Tomko gets out of the jam. Rogers gets through five (and gets his batters faced up) and is relieved only down 3-2 going into the 6th. Castle Rock is going to try out the new bullpen it got in a trade this past week. Quantrill (pick up #1) comes on and holds off the Quakes in the top of the 6th, and Huskey ties it up with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning. McMichael pitches a perfect 7th (pick up #2), and a Luis Gonzalez single puts Castle Rock up 4-3 in the bottom of the inning. Bonds then pokes out a 3-run shot to break it wide open, 7-3. Spoljaric (pick up #3) comes in for the top of the 8th. He gives up a homer to O’Neill to cut the lead to 7-4. Levis delivers a clutch single to score Clayton in the bottom of the 8th to get that run back. And, that is the final, 8-4, Castle Rock to even up the series. WP: McMichael (7-6) LP: Tomko (15-6)
Game #3:	Mark Clark vs. Alex Fernandez in Game 3. Fernandez looking for his 20th win for the Quakes. Castle Rock strikes first with an RBI single from Snow to score Luis Gonzalez and take a 1-0 lead. But, Nomar ties it up in the 2nd with a solo shot. Bonds gets his 150th(!) walk of the season in the 4th inning. That’s got to be the most I’ve seen in one year. But, the Hounds can’t get him home. Olerud breaks it open in the top of the 5th with a 3-run homer and the Quakes aren’t relentless after that. They put of 6 runs in the 5th, two in the 6th and two more in the 8th to make it 11-2. Huskey adds a few sympathy runs to make it 11-5. The Hounds actually get the tying run to the on-deck circle in the bottom of the 9th, but Doug Jones closes it out, and the final is 11-7, California. WP: Fernandez (20-5) LP: Clark (10-7) S: Jones (9)
Game #4:	Hermanson vs. Adamson in this one, as Castle Rock has the pitching advantage for the first time in the series. Castle Rock jumps out to a 1-0 lead, but California comes back with a 2-run homer from Salmon and an RBI triple from Valentin to take a 3-1 lead in the 3rd. Quantrill gets Hermanson out of a jam in the 6th, and it remains 3-1. Castle Rock gets the bases loaded with two outs in the 7th, but Embree gets JT Snow to strikeout to end the threat. The California bullpen does its job and holds the 3-1 lead to the end. WP: Adamson (8-3) LP: Hermanson (10-11). a losing record with a 2.25 ERA!
Game #5:	Its make it or break it time for Castle Rock, as they can’t afford to lose this one with Pettitte on the mound, facing Fassero. Both Pettitte and Fassero come into the game with 19 wins, looking for win #20 on the year. California strikes first in the first inning with Galarraga scoring. But, Castle Rock gets the bases loaded with one out in the 3rd, and Snow delivers a two-RBI double (Bonds gets thrown out at the plate). Stan Javier gets a clutch 2-run double in the 6th for California, giving the Quakes a 3-2 lead. And Salmon gives them two more with a 2-out, 2-RBI single and it is 5-2 California. Only two of the five runs off of Pettitte were earned, as Castle Rock commits two costly errors. Castle Rock loads the bases in the bottom of the 7th, and Easley delivers a huge double to score 3 runs to tie it up! Hoffman comes on in relief and walks the first two batters he faces to load the bases again. But, he is able to get the pinch-hitting Hamelin to fly out to end the inning. But, Erstad squeezes Javier home in the top of the 8th to give California the lead back, 6-5. Castle Rock gets Bonds to the plate with a runner on in the bottom half, but Jones gets him to fly out to maintain the 1-run lead. Snow leads off the bottom of the 9th with a double off Jones and is pulled for a pinch-runner, Royce Clayton. He walks Easley to bring up 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Berry sacrifices and we have 2nd and 3rd with one out. Luis Gonzalez comes in to pinch-hit for Sveum. Gonzalez gets a fly ball out to center, and Clayton scores from third to tie it up, 6-6. Levis flies out to end the rally. Benitez gets a clean sheet in the top of the 10th, and Jones does the same for California in the bottom half. Benitez stays on for the 11th, but walks the first two batters and gets pulled. They fall apart from there, as Berry commits an error and Dreifort walks a batter, and California takes a 9-6 lead. Bonds leads off the bottom of the 11th with a double, followed by a Clayton walk and an Easley double. All of a sudden, the tying run is on 2nd base with no outs. Berry delivers an RBI ground out, and we have a 9-8 game, runner on 3rd, one out. Luis Gonzalez delivers a bloop double and we are all tied up, 9-9. Levis delivers an infield single, and it first and third with one out, winning run on 3rd. Fernando Tatis (Sr.) lines out to second (doh) and Huskey flies out to left to end the threat. We head to the 12th. Quantrill pitches his way out of a jam in the 12th, and so does Cather for California, and we head to the 13th. O’Neill opens the 13th with a homer and the Quakes take advantage of sloppy fielding and poor pitching to score 6 runs! And, that is all she wrote for the Hounds. WP: Cather (3-0) LP: Quantrill (2-8)
Series Summary:	A really tough series for the Hounds, as they lose 4 out of 5 and will most certainly drop in the wild card race. Poor fielding and tremendous California offense did in Castle Rock this time.

Valdosta Bombers @ Sugar Land Skeeters
Series Preview:	The top two teams in NL Central square off.
Series Summary:	Sugar Land’s offense is too much for Valdosta, outscoring them 20-7 with 9 homers (three by Thome, two (47) for Junior) in the sweep.

Santa Rosa Beach Bums @ Hampton Huskies
Series Preview:	Santa Rosa visits Hampton … as anyone cares.
Game #1:	Hampton sucks, Santa Rosa, wins.
Game #2:	Hampton sucks again, Santa Rosa wins again.
Game #3:	More sucking by Hampton, more winning by Santa Rosa.
Game #4:	In a surprise turn of events, Hampton sucks even more and Santa Rosa wins.
Game #5:	Hampton completes its pentagram of sucking and Santa Rosa completes the sweep.
Series Summary:	Egads, where is my cyanide capsule? Note that Greg Myers smashed three homers in one game although it was pretty much the same as firing more bullets into a corpse, but still … good for him.

Detroit Stars @ Harper Woods Expos
Series Preview:	Detroit visits Harper Woods with a game and a half lead in the division.
Game #1:	5-3 Detroit
Game #2:	10-3 Detroit
Game #3:	15-2 Detroit
Game #4:	2-1 Detroit
Game #5:	6-5 Harper Woods
Series Summary:	Detroit wins 4 out of 5. They are getting the nails ready for Harper Woods and Chicago’s coffins.

Corktown Bootleggers @ New Hampshire Nighthawks
Series Summary:	Nighthawks score a bunch of runs in the series, taking 4 out of 5 from the Bootleggers.

Flossmoor Flying Squirrels @ DeWitt Tigers
Series Summary:	The Flying Squirrels take four of five from DeWitt and in the process officially clinches the division title. As expected the series was not competitive. All games were blowouts.

Long Beach Titans @ Blarney Drive Bandits
Game #1:	Jeff Blauser blasts a grand salami in the 2nd during an 8 run blitzkrieg on Weathers. All Titans today. LBT 10 BDB 3 W – Holmes (3-5) L – Weathers (1-3
Game #2:	Fun back and forth all game. Titans threatened often but left 11 on base and drop the game by 1 run. No real standouts. LBT 5 BDB 6 W – Judd (1-0) L – Perez (12-6) S – Aguilera (11)
Game #3:	Extra-Extra…Titans Topple in the Twelfth. Tied 6-6 after regulation pens were tight thru 11. Enter The King, no not him, Curtis King – the 5 BF 4 hits and a walk for 5 ER King. 42 players saw action and Cordova was ejected for a bean-ball. Crazy game. LBT 11 BDB 7 W – Hasegawa (3-3) L – King (3-2)
Game #4:	Bandits ambush Holt for 4 in the 1st. A little retribution for yesterday. Wells pitched a good game and Blarney had their poop-in-a-group for a change. LBT 3 BDB 7 W – Wells (9-14) L – Holt (11-6)
Game #5:	The series decider falls on Johnson’s shoulders and he delivers 7 innings of shut-out ball. Fletcher delivered the big blow, a 3-run dinger in the 5th. Long Beach mounted a great charge in the 9th but fall just short. LBT 3 BDB 4 W – Johnson (18-8) L – Rigby (0-2)
Series Summary:	Bandits take the series 3-2

Portland Mavericks @ Fort Worth Panthers
Series Summary:	Mavericks win 3 of 5 in Cowtown.

Manhattan Gas Hornets @ Steel City Sluggers
Series Summary:	In a critical division series, it was exactly as advertised – all games could have easily gone either way. In the end, the Sluggers win 3 of 5 from their rival Gas Hornets.

Michigan Mauraders @ Cincinnati Outlaws
Series Preview:	The Battle For The Bottom (of the N.L. Central) wages this week in Cincinnati, as the Outlaws host the Michigan Mauraders.
Series Summary:	Michigan wins the first two and Cincinnati rallies to win the last three. Michigan continues to hold third place in the division by nine games over the Outlaws.