BRASSBALL
LEAGUE |
Game Four
Fleetwood (Nomo 13-7, 4.85 ERA) at Columbus (Sirotka 8-13,
4.96 ERA)
A difference of strategies
here. Fleetwood sent its fourth starter to
the mound in right-hander Hideo Nomo. Meanwhile,
though, Columbus decided to bring Game 1 starter Mike Sirotka back on just three days
rest. Neither pitcher would realize much
success.
Both teams scored early,
essentially trading runs for the first four innings.
Entering the top of the 5th, the game was tied 3-3. After retiring the first batter of the inning,
Sirotka would surrender two 2-run
homers. Chipper Jones hit the first, followed
by Kevin Elster two batters later. This homer
would chase Sirotka from the game, with the score now 7-3 in favor of Fleetwood.
Columbus again would not
surrender, though. With a slew of walks and
singles in the 7th inning, the Buckeyes would score three runs. The lead was now only 7-6. But Fleetwood was not done either. The Walkers quickly added single runs in both the
top of the 8th (on a pinch hit single by Butch Huskey) and the top of the 9th (on a Jim
Edmonds solo homer), giving them a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Things looked bleak for Columbus now, as Fleetwood
manager Rube Foster called upon stud closer Derek Lowe once again to end the game. Today would not be so generous to Lowe.
Before breaking a sweat, he
had given up two runs. After allowing a
lead-off double to Bobby Higginson, Richard Hidalgo quickly stirred the crowd with his
third homer of the series...a massive two-run blast that travelled over 430 feet. The lead was now but one run. Lowe then enticed a ground ball out of Scott
Rolen, but shortstop Jose Valentin could not field it cleanly, committing an error. The tying run was now on 1st . Carlos Beltran kept the heat on, lining a single
and driving Rolen all the way to 3rd. Beltran
then stole second, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position with nobody out. With his back against the wall, Fleetwood manager
Rube Foster made the tough decision to intentionally walk Kevin Millar. It set up the possible double-play, but also loaded
the bases. Still nobody was out.
Mitch Meluskey then hit a
medium-length flayball to center. Scott Rolen
tagged up and headed home. Jim Edmonds threw
strongly to the plate, but not in time. The
game was now tied 9-9, and the trail runners advanced to 2nd and 3rd. Still needed two outs Foster ordered yet another
intentional walk, this time to Stan Javier. The
bases were loaded once again.
With both the infield and
outfield playing in, Fleetwood had no margin for error. Lowe, still laboring through his
first inning, now faced Ricky Guiterrez. Guiterrez
quickly grounded to the drawn-in infield, which got the force out at the plate. Ron Belliard then hit a flyball for the final out. While surrendering its three-run lead, Fleetwood
had at least forced its way into extra innings. What
a game!
Unfortunately, the ending
would not live up to the earlier drama. Showing
amazing resiliency, Fleetwood plated four runs in the top of the 10th. Key among this rally was an RBI double by Paul
Konerko, who continued his amazing series by going 5-6 with 5 RBIs on the day. While Lowe would give up two more hits in the
bottom of the 10th, Columbus could not manage any more heroics. Lowe would induce yet another double-play grounder
(this time by Carlos Beltran) to end the game.
Fleetwood now led the series
3-1. WP-Lowe (1-0). LP-Parque (0-1).
BOXSCORE: 2001 Fleetwood Walkers At 2001 Columbus Buckeyes 10/5/2001
Game 4: A crazy game goes to Fleetwood; the Walkers now lead the series 3-1.
Walkers AB R H RBI AVG Buckeyes AB R H RBI AVG
C.Curtis DH 3 1 2 0 .333 R.Gutierrez SS 6 1 2 0 .313
A-F.Crespo PH 2 1 0 0 .000 R.Belliard 2B 6 1 3 0 .250
J.Hammonds LF 6 2 1 1 .222 B.Higginson LF 4 2 1 0 .231
J.Edmonds CF 4 4 2 1 .429 R.Hidalgo CF 5 2 2 3 .333
C.Jones 3B 5 2 3 3 .294 S.Rolen 3B 5 3 3 0 .313
P.Konerko 1B 6 1 5 3 .611 B.Fullmer DH 1 0 0 1 .111
K.Elster SS 3 1 2 3 .333 D-C.Beltran PH 3 0 2 2 .333
B-J.Valentin SS 2 0 0 0 .000 K.Millar 1B 4 0 1 1 .308
D.Easley 2B 6 1 1 0 .267 M.Meluskey C 3 0 0 1 .154
B.Abreu RF 5 0 1 0 .111 B.Jordan RF 2 0 0 0 .200
B.Molina C 3 0 0 0 .000 C-S.Javier PH,RF 2 0 0 0 .286
E-C.Counsell PH 0 0 0 0 .000
F-B.Huskey PH 1 0 1 11.000
G-M.Jensen C 1 0 0 0 .000
-- -- -- --- -- -- -- ---
Totals 47 13 18 12 Totals 41 9 14 8
A-Pinch Hit For Curtis In 6th Inning
B-Subbed Defensively (SS) For Elster In 6th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Jordan In 6th Inning
D-Pinch Hit For Fullmer In 7th Inning
E-Pinch Hit For Molina In 8th Inning
F-Pinch Hit For Counsell In 8th Inning
G-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Huskey In 8th Inning
Walkers......... 1 0 2 0 4 0 0 1 1 4 - 13 18 1
Buckeyes........ 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 3 0 - 9 14 1
Walkers IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA SCORESHEET
H.Nomo 5 2/3 7 3 3 3 4 0 4.76 A1 C8
R.Mendoza HOLD(1st) 1 0 3 3 3 1 0 10.12 C9 D5
M.Guthrie 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 D6 D6
A.Osuna HOLD(2nd) 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 6.00 D7 E2
D.Lowe WIN(1-0) BS(1st) 2 5 3 2 2 0 1 3.00 E3
Totals 10 14 9 8 8 6 1
Buckeyes IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA SCORESHEET
M.Sirotka 4 1/3 10 7 7 2 3 2 7.30 A1 C6
P.Quantrill 2 2/3 0 0 0 0 3 0 6.00 C7 D5
J.Nelson 0 1/3 2 1 1 0 1 0 4.50 D6 D8
A.Fultz 0 1/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 D9 E1
J.Tam 0 2/3 2 1 1 0 0 1 5.40 E2 E5
J.Parque LOSS(0-1) 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 13.50 E6 F1
M.Timlin 0 2 3 2 1 0 0 18.00 F2 F4
J.Silva 0 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 F5
Totals 10 18 13 12 5 7 3
ATTENDANCE- 39,269 DATE- TIME- Night
T- 3:57
LEFT ON BASE- Walkers: 9 Buckeyes:12
DOUBLE PLAYS- Walkers: 2 Buckeyes: 1
ERRORS- J.Valentin, R.Hidalgo
DOUBLES- P.Konerko(1st), B.Higginson(2nd), S.Rolen(1st)
TRIPLES- S.Rolen(1st)
HOME RUNS- J.Edmonds(1st), C.Jones(1st), K.Elster(2nd), R.Hidalgo(3rd)
STOLEN BASES- F.Crespo(1st), R.Hidalgo(1st), C.Beltran(1st)
SACRIFICE FLIES- B.Fullmer, M.Meluskey
WALKS- F.Crespo, J.Edmonds-2, C.Jones, J.Valentin, B.Higginson-2, R.Hidalgo,
S.Rolen, B.Fullmer, K.Millar, M.Meluskey, S.Javier
STRIKE OUTS- C.Curtis, J.Hammonds, J.Edmonds, K.Elster, J.Valentin, B.Abreu-2,
R.Gutierrez, R.Belliard, K.Millar-2, M.Meluskey-2
GIDP- D.Easley, R.Hidalgo, C.Beltran
WILD PITCHES- H.Nomo
Third baseman Chipper Jones blasted a homerun and had 3 RBI as the Fleetwood
Walkers defeated the Columbus Buckeyes in 10 innings 13 to 9 at Fred
Bridgedale Park.
The score was knotted at 9 after nine innings. Fleetwood won the game in the
10th inning. It was roller coaster of a game as the lead change hands 5
times.
Derek Lowe(1-0) got the win allowing 3 runs in 2 innings. Jim Parque(0-1)
ended up with the loss in relief. He gave up 1 run and no hits in 1 inning.