I wondered when I’d ever play a non-pitcher’s duel. Halfway through the game, my wish was granted.
At last we’ve made it to the first seven-game series. The semifinals start with:
First-Round Third Round
Game 1
Select League
(2) Bloomington Berries 3
(1) Rochester Locks 8
Locks lead 1-0
After six innings of pure pitcher dominance, Rochester turned on the hammers late, knocking Bloomington’s bullpen to bits in an 8-3 victory.
For five frames, starters Mark Guthrie (BLO) and Bert Blyleven (ROC) shut down bats, Rochester not recording a baserunner until the fourth inning. The Berries struck the first blow with Steve Braun’s solo home run, but Blyleven and Guthrie prevented further scoring for another inning.
But in the bottom of the seventh, the Locks opened up, and no one was able to dam the floodgates. John Castino led off against a tiring Guthrie with a double, A.J. Pierzynski matched his double to tie the game, and Nick Gordon put men on the corners with a single. Jovani Morán came out of the bullpen and walked Jim Nettles to load the bases, but Rochester leadoff man Rich Becker grounded into a 3-2-3 double play that appeared to limit the damage.
Alas for Bloomington, the damage was only starting: after Spencer Steer’s walk, three straight RBI singles plus a bases-full walk added four to Rochester’s total before Pierzynski’s groundout ended the inning. Kevin Ohme replaced Morán on the mound for the eighth but with two on (both walks) and two outs, Justin Morneau blasted a three-run home run to make it 8-1.
The Berries added a pair in the ninth on LaMonte Wade Jr.’s two-run homer, but Jason Miller retired the next three men to preserve the win.
Choice League
(3) Racine Pieces 1
(1) Minneapolis Winners 10
Winners lead 1-0
Continuing their pattern of slugging the hell out of opponents, Minneapolis scored four runs in the first en route to a 10-1 walloping of Racine. The big blow early was Michael Cuddyer’s two-run triple, the first of seven extra-base hits for the Winners on the day.
The Pieces scored their sole run in the third on a José Berríos wild pitch, but Cuddyer got that run back in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer. Minneapolis added their last five runs in the seventh and eighth aided by two home runs, one each from Jay Bell and Chuck Knoblauch. Knoblauch led the team with four hits.
…not much to say on this one, it was a blowout and I played the other game.
