A pitcher’s duel stands out among a sea of offensive slugging.
Starting the two-a-weeks now.
Compensatory Clash
Game 2
Select League
(5) Lakeville Noses 4
(1) Rochester Locks 7
Series tied 1-1
This isn’t the pitcher’s duel promised in the subhead, but for five and a half innings, it was. Then the Locks exploded for seven in the sixth.
Despite only notching a septet of base knocks, Rochester got five of them in that breakout sixth frame, including doubles by John Castino, Jim Nettles, and Justin Morneau. Their offensive onslaught knocked Lakeville starter Jim Hughes out of the game and they kept hammering Andrew Vazquez until Morneau was thrown out after a cutoff relay behind the runner got him at third.
The Noses cut the deficit to three on Jaylin Davis’ pinch-hit three-run homer in the eighth, but Paul Abbott came in and, though letting the tying run come to the plate in the ninth, completed the four-out save.
(3) Kenosha Sticks 4
(2) Bloomington Berries 8
Berries lead 2-0
It was all heart of the order for the Berries, getting all eight of their hits from their second through fifth hitters and knocking the Sticks into a 2-0 deficit. Steve Braun (3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI) and Mitch Garver (2-3, 2 R, 4 RBI) provided the most pop, each knocking a homer.
While Josh Bard led Kenosha with three hits and the Sticks cut the deficit (at its closest) to 3-2, their moundsmen couldn’t stop Bloomington from pulling away time and time again. Seth Rosin, the worst offender, gave up the game-sealing home run to Garver.
Choice League
(7) Plymouth Holes 6
(1) Minneapolis Winners 8
Winners lead 2-0
While the win probability graph wavered as the Holes and Winners alternated run-scoring half-innings, Minneapolis spoiled Plymouth’s hopes for a Game 2 upset, putting two across in the eighth for the win. Chuck Knoblauch began the late heroics with an RBI double and Jeff Reed singled him home for insurance.
The Holes improved significantly from their 17-1 drubbing in Game 1, outhomering Minneapolis 2-1, but never held a lead past the bottom of the inning in question. They had a chance to snatch the game once more in the ninth, getting two in scoring position with a two-out single and double, but Travis Miller put down Scott Stahoviak on strikes to finish the game.
(5) St. Paul Battles 0
(3) Racine Pieces 4
Pieces lead 2-0
Thanks to last week’s voter for selecting me one hell of a game to play through, as Chase Anderson and Kevin Slowey battled through a pitcher’s duel before two errant pitches by Slowey cost St. Paul a chance at a win.
The two hurlers put up zeroes through four and a half, aided by excellent defense (such as Tyler Ladendorf throwing out Brent Rooker trying to score on a sac fly), but Slowey slipped first in the fifth: Rooker led off the inning with a single and Patrick Bailey followed with a two-run blast. Slowey avoided further damage until the seventh, when Rooker started the frame with a double and, after Bailey grounded out, Travis Metcalf launched a second two-run home run, and my tendency to leave pitchers in one batter too long in OOTP bit the Battles in the butt.
Meanwhile, Anderson left the game after putting two men on in the sixth, but Kyle Barraclough’s first pitch was grounded by Butch Wynegar for an inning-ending double play, and Racine’s bullpen cleaned up the rest of the game.
