BRASSBALL LEAGUE
POSTSEASON

Game Two

Columbus (Wolf 19-7, 3.79 ERA) at Fleetwood (Lieter 15-9, 4.75 ERA) 

On paper, this game looked to be a pitchers duel, with Columbus ace Randy Wolf facing a fellow lefty in Fleetwood's Al Leiter.  Neither pitcher would disappoint. 

One again, the Buckeyes drew first blood.  Fleetwood shortstop Kevin Elster committed an error on a lead-off grounder by Columbus' Scott Rolen in the 2nd.  Kevin Millar then stroked a double to left center field.  While the double drove Rolen all the way around to score, the Walkers threw Millar out at third base after cutting the throw home. 

Atoning for his ealier error, Fleetwood's Kevin Elster took Wolf deep in the bottom of the 5th.  The solo homer tied the game at one run apiece.  Fleetwood added another run in the bottom of the 6th thanks to a lead-off single by Shannon Stewart, a walk to Jeffrey Hammonds and an RBI single by Paul Konerko (his 3rd hit in the first two games). 

In the top of the eighth, Columbus shortstop Ricky Gutierrez greeted Leiter with a lead-off single.  Fleetwood manager Rube Foster wasted no time in going to his all-star closer Derek Lowe.  To escape the inning, Lowe would need to retire Columbus' two best hitters - Bobby Higginson and Richard Hidalgo.  Which he did in style, forcing Higginson into a doubleplay groundout and then striking out Hidalgo.  Lowe then pitched a perfect ninth, giving Fleetwood the 2-1 win.

The series was now tied 1-1.  WP-Leiter (1-0).  SV-Lowe (1).  LP-Wolf (0-1).


BOXSCORE: 2001 Columbus Buckeyes At 2001 Fleetwood Walkers          10/2/2001
Game 2: Al Leiter and Derek Lowe combine on a six-hitter for Fleetwood.

  Buckeyes           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  R.Gutierrez SS      4  0  1  0 .286     C.Curtis DH         3  0  0  0 .250  
  S.Javier LF         3  0  1  0 .333   C-F.Crespo PH         1  0  0  0 .000  
B-B.Higginson PH,LF   1  0  0  0 .200     S.Stewart LF        4  1  1  0 .222  
  R.Hidalgo CF        4  0  1  0 .375   D-B.Abreu RF          0  0  0  0 .000  
  B.Jordan RF         3  0  0  0 .000     J.Hammonds RF,LF    3  0  1  0 .143  
E-M.Meluskey PH       1  0  0  0 .200     C.Jones 3B          3  0  0  0 .286  
  S.Rolen 3B          4  1  1  0 .125     P.Konerko 1B        3  0  1  1 .429  
  K.Millar 1B         3  0  2  1 .500     J.Edmonds CF        3  0  0  0 .167  
  C.Beltran DH        3  0  0  0 .000     D.Easley 2B         2  0  0  0 .400  
  R.Belliard 2B       2  0  0  0 .000     K.Elster SS         1  1  1  1 .250  
  G.Zaun C            2  0  0  0 .000   A-J.Valentin PH,SS    1  0  0  0 .000  
                                          B.Molina C          3  0  0  0 .000  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      30  1  6  1                 Totals      27  2  4  2

A-Pinch Hit For Elster In 7th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Javier In 8th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Curtis In 8th Inning
D-Subbed Defensively (RF) For Stewart In 9th Inning
E-Pinch Hit For Jordan In 9th Inning

INJURY: Carlos Beltran INJURED (for 4 more games) in 7th inning

Buckeyes........ 0 1 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  1  6  1
Walkers......... 0 0 0  0 1 1  0 0    -  2  4  1

Buckeyes                 IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
R.Wolf LOSS(0-1)          6       4   2   1   3   8   1   1.50  A1 C6
J.Tam                     1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  C7 C9
C.Brock                   1       0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D1
Totals                    8       4   2   1   3   9   1

Walkers                  IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Leiter WIN(1-0)         7       6   1   0   3   7   0   0.00  A1 D1
D.Lowe SAVE(1st)          2       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D2
Totals                    9       6   1   0   3   8   0

ATTENDANCE- 23,017 DATE-  TIME- Night WEATHER- Average
T- 2:12
LEFT ON BASE- Buckeyes: 5  Walkers: 4
DOUBLE PLAYS- Buckeyes: 2  Walkers: 2
ERRORS- S.Rolen, K.Elster
DOUBLES- R.Hidalgo(1st), K.Millar(2nd)
HOME RUNS- K.Elster(1st)
WALKS- K.Millar, R.Belliard, G.Zaun, J.Hammonds, D.Easley, K.Elster
STRIKE OUTS- R.Gutierrez-2, R.Hidalgo-2, B.Jordan, S.Rolen, C.Beltran-2,
             C.Curtis, S.Stewart, P.Konerko-2, J.Edmonds-3, D.Easley, B.Molina
GIDP- B.Higginson, G.Zaun, C.Jones-2

At Cinergy Field, the Fleetwood faithful were treated to an intriguing
pitcher's duel.  Al Leiter(1-0) finally bested his Columbus counterpart,
Randy Wolf(0-1), by the score of 2 to 1.

In the 6th inning Fleetwood scored 1 run.  Shannon Stewart reached on an
error.  Jeffrey Hammonds came next and he drew a walk.  Chipper Jones then
grounded into a double play.  Paul Konerko was up next and he stroked a
base-hit scoring the run.  Fleetwood had only 4 hits for the game.  

Derek Lowe recorded his 1st save.  The loss was charged to Wolf.  He allowed 4
hits and 3 walks in 6 innings.