Game 2 breakdown

Unsung Hero Toby Hall. Dan Haren wouldn't have been the hero of the game without his catcher. Hall not only called a great game, but he had two long at bats that helped wear down Pedro Martinez. Haren was quick to recognize Hall's contribution after the game, saying, "I think I shook him off twice all game. He was awesome for me." Goat While it's hard to call him a goat in this game, Vladimir Guerrero did end the eighth inning with a weak pop out, and he was the potential tying run at the time. He went 0-4, continuing a playoff-long slump as bad as we've seen. Turning Point This is the turning point that wasn't. The Metropolis bench perked up when Hector Carrasco relieved Dan Haren, but nothing changed.  Carrasco, Neil Cotts, and Billy Wagner were even better than Haren, allowing only one hit and striking out six over the last 3 1/3 innings. On Deck Cook County is feeling good as they return home for the middle three games. They'll start John Lackey against new Avenger Andy Pettitte.  Word is that Randy Johnson will be ready for long relief should Pettitte's October struggles follow him to November. This is a huge game, and the winner will be in the driver's seat.

Series at a glance
Series tied 1-1
Wed 11/1	@MET 5, CC 2
>Thu 11/2	CC 3, @ MET 0
Sat 11/4	Metropolis @ Cook County
Sun 11/5	Metropolis @ Cook County
Mon 11/6	Metropolis @ Cook County
Wed 11/8	Cook County @ Metropolis (if necessary)
Thu 11/9	Cook County @ Metropolis (if necessary)

Scoring Summary			CC	MET
	2nd	C Utley doubled, A Jones scored	1	0
	8th	T Clark homered	2	0
	8th	A Jones homered	3	0

METROPOLIS (AP) -- No one was surprised to see a dominant starter shut down an entire team, but everyone but Dan Haren's parents were surprised he was that starter.

While Haren didn't dominate with his fastball and didn't strike out a dozen Avengers, he did keep them off balance and induced enough weak contact to cruise through 5 2/3 innings unscathed.  The Maulers put up just enough offense, scoring three runs on six hits, leaving many in both dugouts to feel as though they stole game two.

"I don't want to say no one saw it coming, but I wasn't expecting this," said Cook County first baseman Tony Clark, who provided some cushion with an eighth-inning home run.  "We all knew Danny had it in him, and he just put it all together tonight."

Not to be out done, the Maulers' bullpen continuedand may have improved on Haren's performance once they got the call. Hector Carrasco, Neil Cotts, and Billy Wagner combined for six strikeouts against just three baserunners in their 3 1/3 innings. The Avengers' only mini-rally consisted of two walks in the bottom of the eighth. Cotts struck out Brian Roberts and popped up Vladimir Guerrero to end any threat.

Dan Haren

Metropolis starter Pedro Martinez continued his string of bad luck in the playoffs. Martinez took the loss despite allowing only seven baserunners in his seven innings. It was his fourth loss of the season, despite a sparkling 2.98 ERA. However, Martinez didn't show any frustration after the game, saying, "Hey, I did all I can, but that kid was just better today. Did you see the stuff he had?"

Haren was quick to credit his teammates when asked about his performance, singling out Andruw Jones and Toby Hall in particular. "They really picked it behind me tonight. Andruw made a couple of great plays in the gap, and of Toby was huge for me all game long." 

While no game two is ever a must-win game, the win clearly lifted the spirits in Cook County's locker room. They are going home knotted at one, and their ace John Lackey is taking the ball.  His 23 wins were eight more than the Avengers' scheduled starter, Andy Pettitte, who was brilliant after coming to Metropolis in a deadline deal but has struggled so far in the playoffs.  It suddenly seems like Cook County might have the series advantage, only 24 hours after some were predicting a Metropolis sweep.

DAN HAREN?

During the regular season, Metropolis was held to three hits only five times, and two were in the season's first two weeks. While great starters (Roy Halladay, Bartolo Colon) and not-so-great starters (Pedro Astacio, Matt Clement and Jorge Sosa) turned the trick, no one expected Dan Haren and his bullpen to do so in Game 1. Haren did have a few similar gems during the season, though. He allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings in his first start of the year. Even better, he tossed a complete game one hitter in a September game against the Plaza Lions.  Clearly, when Haren is on, he’s on.

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