Bainbridge Island tops Aberdeen 5-4, takes 3-2 lead in playoff series

ABERDEEN, WA. (GPS)--Jeff Bagwell singled to plate Wade Boggs with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, and Bainbridge Island held on to beat Aberdeen 5-4 October 17 and take a three games to two lead in their best-of-seven playoff series.

Jeff Bagwell singled in the top
of the ninth to plate the winning
run as Bainbridge Island beat
Aberdeen 5-4 to take a 3-2 lead
in their playoff series.

The Bees' winning rally against A's closer Rick Aguilera got started when they were down to their last strike. With the game knotted at 4-4, Aguilera retired Cool Papa Bell on a popup to first base to open the ninth, and then Craig Biggio hit a routine fly ball to right for the second out. Aguilera got ahead of Wade Boggs 1-2, but Boggs lined one into right center that dropped for a double. It was a quick decision for Aberdeen manager Sparky Anderson to walk Barry Bonds intentionally, as Aguilera would have the platoon advantage against Jeff Bagwell, the Bainbridge cleanup hitter who was hitting just .222 with one RBI in the series to that point. The strategy didn't work; Bagwell worked a 3-1 count and then grounded a single right up the middle, scoring Boggs to make it 5-4 and moving Bonds to third. Max Bishop pinch hit for pitcher Zach Britton, but grounded out to short to end the inning. 

Aberdeen had a chance in the bottom of the ninth against Bainbridge closer Rod Beck. Richie Ashburn led off with a line single to right. Anderson, playing for the tie at home, called for a bunt and Roberto Alomar tapped one back to Beck, who threw Alomar out at first with Ashburn taking second on the successful sacrifice. With the potential tying run in scoring position, Luke Appling stung a liner to center that Bell flagged down, and then Henry Aaron grounded out to Boggs at third for the game-ender.

Neither starting pitcher made it past the fifth inning. Aberdeen's Babe Adams, who pitched a four-hitter in game two, gave up a three-run homer to Biggio in the fourth that made it a 4-1 game at the time. BI's Bert Blyleven, who was also hit hard in his start in game one, was knocked out in the bottom of the fifth when the first four Aberdeen batters got hits. Alomar opened the frame with a ground ball single up the middle, and Appling hit a liner to center that dropped for a base hit, moving Alomar to second. Aaron followed with a double that scored Alomar and moved Appling to third. Dick Allen singled to center to score both runners and tie the game at 4-4. That was it for Blyleven, and the bullpens held that score until the ninth. 

The series now returns to Bainbridge Island, where the Bees need just one win to advance to the championship. The two clubs will take October 18 off and then play game six at Battle Point Park on the 19th. BI player/manager Lou Boudreau has penciled in Kevin Brown as his starter, while Anderson will go with Kevin Appier for his first start of the playoffs. 

                   Game five box score, October 17
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
Bainbridge Island      1  0  0  3  0  0  0  0  1     5  9  0     9  3
Aberdeen               1  0  0  0  3  0  0  0  0     4 13  0     8  0
 
B's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    A's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Biggio            2b  5  1  1  3  .190    Alomar,R          2b  3  2  2  0  .300
Boggs,W           3b  4  2  2  0  .429    Appling           ss  5  1  3  0  .286
Bonds,Ba          lf  4  0  2  0  .444    Aaron,H           rf  5  1  1  1  .250
Bagwell           1b  4  0  2  1  .263    Allen,D           3b  4  0  3  3  .368
Berra,Y           c   3  0  1  1  .294    Abreu,B           lf  4  0  3  0  .278
 Benitez          p   0  0  0  0  .000    Adcock,J          1b  4  0  0  0  .350
 Britton          p   0  0  0  0  .000    Averill           cf  3  0  0  0  .385
 Bishop           ph  1  0  0  0  .250     Antonelli,J      p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Beck,R           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Abernathy        p   0  0  0  0  .000
Beltran,C         cf  3  1  0  0  .333     Alou,Mo          ph  1  0  0  0  .500
 Bender           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Aguilera         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Bench            c   1  0  0  0  .333    Ashby,Al          c   3  0  0  0  .067
Bonds,Bo          rf  4  0  0  0  .053    Adams,Ba          p   1  0  0  0  .000
Banks,E           ss  3  1  0  0  .077     Allison          ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Blyleven          p   2  0  0  0  .000     Aguirre          p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Bell,CP          cf  2  0  1  0  .267     Ashburn          ph  2  0  1  0  .125
                     36  5  9  5                               36  4 13  4
 
B's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Blyleven                         4.0  9  4  4  2  3  76  53  7.20
Bender                           2.0  1  0  0  0  1  24  16  0.00
Benitez                          0.1  2  0  0  0  1   7   5  0.00
Britton          W 1-0           1.2  0  0  0  0  2  13  10  0.00
Beck,R           S 2             1.0  1  0  0  0  0  11   5  0.00
                                 9.0 13  4  4  2  7 131  89 
 
A's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Adams,Ba                         4.0  5  4  1  2  4  77  47  0.69
Aguirre                          2.0  2  0  0  0  1  20  14  2.25
Antonelli,J                      1.0  0  0  0  1  0   8   3 18.00
Abernathy                        1.0  0  0  0  0  1  11   7  0.00
Aguilera         L 0-1           1.0  2  1  1  1  0  18  11  6.75
                                 9.0  9  5  2  4  6 134  82 
 
BI : Bell,CP inserted at cf in the 5th
     Bench inserted at c in the 7th
     Bishop batted for Britton in the 9th
ADN: Allison batted for Adams,Ba in the 4th
     Ashburn batted for Aguirre in the 6th
     Ashburn moved to cf in the 7th
     Alou,Mo batted for Abernathy in the 8th
 
2B-Boggs,W(2), Aaron,H(1). HR-Biggio(1). RBI-Biggio 3(3), Bagwell(2), 
Berra,Y(1), Aaron,H(3), Allen,D 3(7). K-Biggio, Beltran,C, Bonds,Bo, Banks,E, 
Blyleven, Bench, Aaron,H 2, Allen,D, Adcock,J, Averill, Ashby,Al, Ashburn. 
BB-Boggs,W, Bonds,Ba, Bagwell, Banks,E, Alomar,R, Ashby,Al. SH-Alomar,R. 
SF-Berra,Y. PB-Ashby,Al. WP-Adams,Ba. 
GWRBI: Bagwell

Moses Lake routs Goldendale 9-2, evens playoff series at two each

GOLDENDALE, WA. (GPS)--Greg Maddux pitched a six-hitter and Stan Musial drove in four runs to lead Moses Lake in a 9-2 rout of Goldendale October 16 at Ekone Park, evening their A to Z League playoff series at two games each.

Greg Maddux pitched a six-
hitter and Moses Lake beat 
Goldendale 9-2 in game four
of their playoff series.

G's manager Clark Griffith has been in a pitching bind because of a late-season injury to starter Lefty Grove. Bob Gibson and Tom Glavine are solid at the top of his rotation, but the three and four spots have question marks because of Grove's absence. Griffith went with Dwight Gooden in game three, partly to keep some tough righty bats on the bench, and Gooden pitched reasonably well in a game the G's eventually won in eleven innings. That left Griffith with a choice between southpaws Lefty Gomez and Ron Guidry, or bringing back Gibson or Glavine on short rest. He went with Gomez, partly because Guidry had been shelled in a couple of late-season outings. 

Neither team scored in the first or the second, but Moses Lake got to Gomez in the third. Paul Molitor led off the frame with a double to right center on a 1-0 pitch. Willie Mays hit a fly ball to right, deep enough for Molitor to take third. He then scored on Stan Musial's sacrifice fly to right. With two out and nobody on, Mickey Mantle walked on a 3-2 pitch. Edgar Martinez also worked a full count, then took a Gomez fastball the opposite way for a long, two-run homer to right for a 3-0 Moses Lake lead. Joe Medwick followed with a double, and that was it for Gomez, as Griffith called on Eric Gagne to take over on the hill. 

Stan Musial had four 
RBI in Moses Lake's
lopsided win.

Goldendale didn't score in the first three innings, getting just one runner against Maddux when Tony Gwynn reached on an error by first baseman Musial in the first. The M's played add-on in the fourth against Gagne, thanks to an error by the G's. Maddux started the rally with one out, hitting a dribbler in front of the plate and beating it out for an infield single. Molitor hit a grounder to short that looked like a double play, but Dick Groat booted it for an error and runners were on first and second. Mays hit a fly ball to right, moving Maddux to third, then Musial cracked a homer to deep right, a three-run shot that made it 6-0 Moses Lake.

That was essentially the game. Moses Lake made it 7-0 with a run in the fifth on a triple by Medwick and an RBI double by Marty Marion. Goldendale finally got on board against Maddux on Josh Gibson's leadoff homer in the seventh. Mays hit a solo shot in the eighth, Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, and Marion singled in a run in the ninth for the final score of 9-2. Maddux allowed two earned runs on six hits, struck out seven and had no walks. He threw 115 pitches, which may be a factor should manager Connie Mack need him later in the series.

Mack plans to start Jack Morris October 17 in game five at Ekone Park. Griffith will go with Gibson.

                   Game four box score, October 16
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
Moses Lake             0  0  3  3  1  0  0  1  1     9 12  1     9  0
Goldendale             0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  0     2  6  1     5  0
 
M's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    G's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Molitor           2b  5  2  2  0  .500    Gehringer         2b  4  0  1  0  .188
Mays,W            cf  5  1  2  1  .263    GwynnSr,T         rf  3  0  0  1  .063
Musial            1b  4  1  1  4  .214    GriffeyJr         cf  4  0  1  0  .133
Mantle            rf  2  1  1  0  .250    Gibson,J          c   4  1  1  1  .333
Martinez,E        3b  3  2  1  2  .571    Gehrig            1b  4  0  2  0  .429
Medwick           lf  5  1  2  0  .429    Greenberg         lf  4  0  0  0  .000
Munson,T          c   4  0  0  0  .000    Garciaparra       ss  1  0  0  0  .200
Marion            ss  5  0  2  2  .182     Gagne,E          p   0  0  0  0  .000
Maddux,G          p   5  1  1  0  .167     Garber           p   1  0  0  0  .000
                     38  9 12  9           Gordon,T         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Granderson       ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                                           Guardado         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Guidry           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Guerrero,V       ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                                          Gaetti            3b  3  0  0  0  .083
                                          Gomez,Lef         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Groat            ss  3  1  1  0  .333
                                                               33  2  6  2
 
M's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Maddux,G         W 1-1           9.0  6  2  2  0  7 115  76  3.86
                                 9.0  6  2  2  0  7 115  76 
 
G's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Gomez,Lef        L 0-1           2.2  5  3  3  3  0  53  27 10.13
Gagne,E                          1.1  2  3  0  1  0  31  18  0.00
Garber                           2.0  3  1  1  0  0  27  17  2.25
Gordon,T                         1.0  0  0  0  0  0  12   9  0.00
Guardado                         1.0  1  1  1  0  2  16  11  3.38
Guidry                           1.0  1  1  1  2  3  23  12  9.00
                                 9.0 12  9  6  6  5 162  94 
 
GOL: Groat inserted at ss in the 3rd
     Granderson batted for Gordon,T in the 7th
     Guerrero,V batted for Guidry in the 9th
 
E-Musial, Groat. 2B-Molitor(1), Medwick(1), Marion(1), Gehrig(2). 
3B-Mantle(1), Medwick(1). HR-Mays,W(1), Musial(1), Martinez,E(1), 
Gibson,J(2). RBI-Mays,W(6), Musial 4(4), Martinez,E 2(3), Marion 2(2), 
GwynnSr,T(1), Gibson,J(2). SB-Mays,W(1). CS-Molitor. K-Molitor, Mantle, 
Medwick, Maddux,G 2, GriffeyJr, Gibson,J 2, Gehrig, Garciaparra, Garber, 
Granderson. BB-Mantle 3, Martinez,E 2, Munson,T. SF-Musial, GwynnSr,T. 
GWRBI: Musial

Adcock homers again, Aberdeen tops Bainbridge 4-2 to even playoff series

ABERDEEN, WA. (GPS)--Joe Adcock slugged a three-run homer in the bottom of the  seventh to break a scoreless tie, and Aberdeen went on to beat Bainbridge Island 4-2 to even their best-of-seven first-round playoff series at two games each. Adcock is hitting .438 (7-for-16) in the series, with three home runs, a triple, and nine RBI. 

Joe Adcock's three-run
homer in the seventh was
the key hit in Aberdeen's
4-2 win in game four.

Pete Alexander and Tommy Bridges threw up  nothing but goose eggs over the first six innings. Bainbridge Island managed just three hits against Alexander, pitching on three days rest after getting hit hard in the series opener. Aberdeen got just two hits over six innings against Bridges. The seventh inning, and one big mistake pitch, did him in.

Henry Aaron led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and then Dick Allen reached on a grounder to second, Aaron forced out on the fielder's choice. Bobby Abreu worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch, bringing up Adcock. Bridges got ahead of the slugger 0-2, but hung a curve ball and Adcock ripped it deep into the seats in left field at Pioneer Park for a three-run homer and a 3-0 lead. Aberdeen tacked on one more in the inning. Earl Averill followed Adcock's home run with an infield single, went to third on a base hit by Alan Ashby, and scored on a groundout by Alexander to make it 4-0.

Bainbridge Island answered with a run in the eighth, but missed a chance for a bigger comeback rally. Bobby Bonds led off the inning and fell into an 0-2 count, but an errant fastball from Alexander hit Bonds, who went to first. Max Bishop came in to bat for Ernie Banks. Bonds took second on a passed ball by Ashby, then scored on a single by Bishop. After a couple of fly ball outs, Cool Papa Bell poked a two-bagger to right center, moving Bishop to third. With Barry Bonds at the plate, Aberdeen manager Sparky Anderson did not hesitate to issue Bonds a free pass, even though it loaded the bases and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the person of Jeff Bagwell. Bags grounded out harmlessly to second and the inning ended with Aberdeen leading 4-1. 

Pete Alexander, hit hard in
the series opener, came back
on three days rest and pitched
well for the win in game four.

The A's didn't score in the bottom of the eighth, so Bainbridge Island came to the plate needing three in the ninth to tie. Alexander retired the first two batters, George Brett and Yogi Berra, on groundouts. But Jim Bottomley, pinch hitting for Bobby Bonds, worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch, and Wade Boggs walked on four pitches to bring the potential tying run to the plate. Alexander had thrown 127 pitches, and Anderson came out with the hook and brought in his closer Rick Aguilera. Bees player/manager Lou Boudreau was due up, but sent in slugging outfielder Carlos Beltran to hit for him. Beltran responded with a single to left center, scoring Bottomley to make it 4-2 and moving Boggs to third. With the tying run on first, Craig Biggio popped out to short and that was the ballgame.

With the series even at two games each, game five will be played October 17 at Pioneer Park. Boudreau plans to send his game-one starter, Bert Blyleven, to the mound. Anderson will counter with Babe Adams, who pitched a four-hitter in game two.

                   Game four box score, October 16
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
Bainbridge Island      0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1     2  7  1     8  1
Aberdeen               0  0  0  0  0  0  4  0  x     4  7  0     4  1
 
B's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    A's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Biggio            2b  5  0  0  0  .188    Alomar,R          2b  4  0  1  0  .235
Bell,CP           cf  4  0  1  0  .231    Appling           ss  4  0  1  0  .188
Bonds,Ba          lf  3  0  1  0  .429    Aaron,H           rf  3  0  1  0  .267
Bagwell           1b  4  0  1  0  .200    Allen,D           3b  4  1  0  0  .267
 Bell,H           p   0  0  0  0  .000    Abreu,B           lf  3  1  0  0  .143
Brett,G           3b  4  0  1  0  .214     Allison          lf  0  0  0  0  .000
Berra,Y           c   4  0  1  0  .286    Adcock,J          1b  3  1  1  3  .438
Bonds,Bo          rf  2  1  0  0  .067    Averill           cf  3  1  2  0  .500
 Bottomley        ph  0  1  0  0  .000    Ashby,Al          c   3  0  1  0  .083
Banks,E           ss  2  0  0  0  .100    Alexander,P       p   3  0  0  1  .000
 Bishop           ph  1  0  1  1  .333     Aguilera         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Boggs,W          1b  0  0  0  0  .333                         30  4  7  4
Bridges,T         p   2  0  0  0  .000
 Brock,L          ph  1  0  0  0  .500
 Boudreau         ss  0  0  0  0  .000
 Beltran,C        ph  1  0  1  1  .500
                     33  2  7  2
 
B's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Bridges,T        L 0-1           7.0  6  4  4  2  4  92  66  5.14
Bell,H                           1.0  1  0  0  0  2  21  12  3.00
                                 8.0  7  4  4  2  6 113  78 
 
A's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Alexander,P      W 1-1           8.2  6  2  2  3  3 127  81  4.72
Aguilera         S 1             0.1  1  0  0  0  0   6   5  0.00
                                 9.0  7  2  2  3  3 133  86 
 
BI : Bishop batted for Banks,E in the 8th
     Brock,L batted for Bridges,T in the 8th
     Boggs,W inserted at 1b in the 8th
     Boudreau inserted at ss in the 8th
     Bottomley batted for Bonds,Bo in the 9th
     Beltran,C batted for Boudreau in the 9th
ADN: Allison inserted at lf in the 9th
 
E-Brett,G. 2B-Bell,CP(2). HR-Adcock,J(3). RBI-Bishop(1), Beltran,C(3), 
Adcock,J 3(9), Alexander,P(1). K-Brett,G, Bonds,Bo, Banks,E, Aaron,H 2, 
Allen,D, Abreu,B, Ashby,Al, Alexander,P. BB-Bonds,Ba, Boggs,W, Bottomley, 
Aaron,H, Abreu,B. HBP-Bonds,Bo. PB-Ashby,Al. HB-Alexander,P. 
GWRBI: Adcock,J

Gehrig's triple in the eleventh gives Goldendale 4-3 win and series lead over Moses Lake

GOLDENDALE, WA. (GPS)--Lou Gehrig's triple in the bottom of the eleventh inning October 15 scored Ken Griffey, Jr. with the winning run as Goldendale beat Moses Lake 4-3 and took a two-games-to-one lead in their best-of-seven A to Z League playoff series.

Lou Gehrig had the key
hits in Goldendale's tying
and winning rallies 
against Moses Lake in 
game three of their series.

Dwight Gooden, named game-three starter for Goldendale after an injury to Lefty Grove, pitched decently, allowing three runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings. Control woes cost him in the seventh, when Moses Lake scored three to take a 3-1 lead. Johnny Mize led off with a single and Joe Mauer walked. Eddie Murray, pinch hitting for Rabbit Maranville, drilled a double to left center, scoring Mize to tie the game at 1-1 and moving Mauer to third. Moses Lake manager Connie Mack stuck with starting pitcher Mike Mussina, who hit a pop-up to shallow right for the first out. With Joe Morgan at the plate, Gooden uncorked a wild pitch that plated Mauer, putting the M's up 2-1, and then walked Morgan on a 3-0 pitch. With runners on the corners and the infield playing in, Willie Mays hit a slow grounder to short. Murray beat Nomar Garciaparra's throw home to make it 3-1 Moses Lake.

Gehrig hit a solo homer in the second, and Goldendale scored a run in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Vladimir Guerrero.

Gehrig played a key role in the ninth-inning rally that forced the extra innings. Mussina delivered a 3-2 lead to the final frame. He allowed just two runs on five hits over eight, and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth. The M's didn't score and took the one-run edge into the bottom of the inning, with Randy Myers taking the hill with tough lefties Griffey and Gehrig coming up. Meyers struck out Junior and got Josh Gibson to ground out to second. But Gehrig cracked a high fly ball to deep center over the head of Mays, then took third when the Say Hey Kid fumbled to ball out on the warning track at Ekone Park. With Garciaparra due up, Mack called on righty Jeff Montgomery to take over on the mound. Montgomery got ahead in the count 1-2, but Nomar grounded a single to left and Gehrig scored easily with the tying run. Guerrero flied out to center to end the frame. 

Moses Lake got a couple of runners on against Tom Gordon in the top of the tenth, but Gordon fanned Mauer to end the threat. Neither team scored in their next at-bats, setting up the decisive bottom of the eleventh. 

Mike Marshall took the hill for Moses Lake, and issued a leadoff walk to Griffey on a 3-2  pitch. Gibson hit a routine fly ball to left, but Gehrig again boomed one over the head of Mays, high off the center field wall, and Griffey was able to score easily on what was ruled a triple, giving Goldendale a 4-3 win and a 2-1 lead in the series.

Both managers are weighing their options for starting pitchers for game four coming up October 16. Goldendale's Clark Griffith remains in a bit of a bind because of the injury to Grove. He could bring 16-game winner Tom Glavine back on two days of rest; Glavine was hit hard in game two but only threw 46 pitches, so could be ready to go. Bob Gibson could go on three days rest, but he threw 121 pitches in the opener. Lefty Gomez and Ron Guidry remain available, and Griffith may go with one of the port-siders. Goldendale may be without Goose Goslin tomorrow as well. He twisted an ankle while batting in the second inning and came out of the game. He's listed as day to day. Down by a game in the series, Mack is considering bringing back game-one starter Greg Maddux on short rest; he didn't pitch very well in the opener, but threw only 73 pitches. Mack also has Juan Marichal, Jack Morris, and Dennis Martinez available. 

                      Game three box score, October 15
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11     R  H  E   LOB DP
Moses Lake             0  0  0  0  0  0  3  0  0  0  0     3  5  1    10  0
Goldendale             0  1  0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  1     4  9  2     6  0
 
M's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    G's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Morgan,J          2b  3  0  0  0  .111    Gehringer         2b  5  0  2  0  .167
Mays,W            cf  5  0  0  1  .214    GwynnSr,T         rf  5  0  0  0  .077
Musial            lf  3  0  1  0  .200    GriffeyJr         cf  4  1  0  0  .091
Mantle            rf  5  0  0  0  .214    Gibson,J          c   5  1  1  0  .364
Mathews,E         3b  5  0  1  0  .250    Gehrig            1b  5  2  3  2  .400
Mize              1b  5  1  1  0  .250    Garciaparra       ss  4  0  2  1  .222
Mauer             c   4  1  0  0  .250    Goslin            lf  1  0  0  0  .125
Maranville        ss  2  0  0  0  .250     Guerrero,V       rf  2  0  0  1  .000
 Murray,E         ph  1  1  1  1  .400    Gaetti            3b  3  0  1  0  .111
 Marion           ss  2  0  0  0  .000     Granderson       ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Mussina           p   3  0  0  0  .000     Gossage          p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Martinez,E       ph  1  0  1  0  .750    Gooden            p   2  0  0  0  .000
 Myers,R          p   0  0  0  0  .000     Guardado         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Montgomery,J     p   0  0  0  0  .000     Greenberg        ph  1  0  0  0  .000
 Medwick          ph  1  0  0  0  .500     Gordon,T         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Marshall,MG      p   0  0  0  0  .000     Glaus            ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                     40  3  5  2                               39  4  9  4
 
M's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Mussina                          8.0  5  2  2  0  1 104  67  2.25
Myers,R          H 1             0.2  1  1  0  0  1  10   6  3.38
Montgomery,J     BS 1            1.1  2  0  0  0  1  24  15  0.00
Marshall,MG      L 0-1           0.1  1  1  1  1  0  11   6  6.75
                                10.1  9  4  3  1  3 149  94 
 
G's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Gooden                           6.1  3  3  3  5  4 110  62  4.26
Guardado                         1.2  0  0  0  0  1  22  15  0.00
Gordon,T                         2.0  2  0  0  1  2  35  21  0.00
Gossage          W 1-0           1.0  0  0  0  0  1  14   9  0.00
                                11.0  5  3  3  6  8 181 107 
 
ML : Murray,E batted for Maranville in the 7th
     Marion inserted at ss in the 7th
     Martinez,E batted for Mussina in the 9th
     Medwick batted for Montgomery,J in the 11th
GOL: GwynnSr,T moved to lf in the 3rd
     Guerrero,V inserted at rf in the 3rd
     Greenberg batted for Guardado in the 8th
     Granderson batted for Gaetti in the 10th
     Glaus batted for Gordon,T in the 10th
     Glaus moved to 3b in the 11th
 
E-Mays,W, Garciaparra, Guerrero,V. 2B-Murray,E(2), Gehrig(1), Gaetti(1). 
3B-Gehrig(1). HR-Gehrig(2). RBI-Mays,W(5), Murray,E(1), Gehrig 2(3), 
Garciaparra(1), Guerrero,V(1). SB-Morgan,J(1). K-Mays,W, Mantle, Mize 2, 
Mauer 2, Maranville, Medwick, GwynnSr,T, GriffeyJr, Glaus. BB-Morgan,J 3, 
Musial 2, Mauer, GriffeyJr. SF-Guerrero,V. WP-Gooden. 
GWRBI: Gehrig
Goose Goslin was injured for this game and 1 more days

BI plates five in the tenth, beats Aberdeen 8-3 for 2-1 series lead

ABERDEEN, WA. (GPS)--Bainbridge Island scored five runs in the top of the tenth inning October 15, helped by a huge Aberdeen miscue, and the B's defeated the A's 8-3 to take a two-games-to-one lead in their best-of-seven A to Z League playoff series.

George Brett's three-
run triple in the tenth
broke open the game
for Bainbridge Island.

Both starters, Jake Arrieta for Aberdeen and Jim Bunning for Bainbridge, pitched well, each allowing three runs over seven innings of work. The A's continued their knack for scoring in the first inning. Roberto Alomar led off the game with a triple against Bunning. He scored an out later on a sacrifice fly by Henry Aaron, and Dick Allen followed with a long homer to left to make it 2-0 A's. They've scored 12 first-inning runs in the three games of the series.

Bainbridge Island got all three of its runs against Arrieta in the fourth. With one out Jeff Bagwell walked and George Brett was hit by a pitch. Arrieta then struck out Carlos Beltran, but Bobby Bonds came through with a two-out double to plate both runners and even the score. Bonds came in on a base hit by Ernie Banks and Bainbridge Island had the lead 3-2. Aberdeen logged an unearned run thanks to an error by Bunning in the bottom of the fourth, and the game was knotted at 3-3.

Dick Allen's costly error
kept a Bainbridge rally
alive in the tenth inning.

It stayed that way until the tenth, when Bainbridge Island erupted for its big inning. The top of the frame started out well enough for Ted Abernathy in his second inning of work out of the bullpen. He retired the first two batters. Then Johnny Bench worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch, and Barry Bonds hit a hard grounder that skipped off the second-base bag and into center field for a single, with Bench moving to second. Bagwell followed and hit a grounder to third that should have been the third out of the inning. However, the ball skittered between Allen's wickets for an error, loading the bases.

That brought Brett to the plate. With Abernathy already having thrown 29 pitches and a lefty at bat, skipper Sparky Anderson brought in southpaw Johnny Antonelli to face Brett. It didn't work. Brett drilled Antonelli's first pitch just inside the first base bag; by the time the dust had cleared Brett was standing on third with a triple and three runs had scored, giving the Bees a 6-3 lead. Beltran followed with a homer to deep left to make it 8-3. 

Heath Bell pitched the bottom of the inning and struck out three batters, allowing a one-out single to Moises Alou in the midst of it all. Bainbridge Island recaptured the home-field advantage and a 2-1 lead in the series with the victory, though we note that the visiting team has won two of the three games so far.

Both managers have some interesting decisions to make about their starting pitchers for the next couple of games. Anderson, down in the series, is contemplating bringing back his ace, Pete Alexander, on short rest for game four. Alexander went 19-3 during the regular season, but took the loss in a poor outing in the series opener. Anderson's other options would be Kevin Appier, 10-12, 3.40 during the regular season, or Antonelli, 12-10 and 3.50, though he didn't have such a great audition today. Bainbridge Island manager Lou Boudreau has a similar choice to make. He could bring back game one starter Bert Blyleven on short rest, but with a lead in the series he's leaning toward Tommy Bridges for game four.

                     Game three box score, October 15
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10     R  H  E   LOB DP
Bainbridge Island      0  0  0  3  0  0  0  0  0  5     8  9  1     5  1
Aberdeen               2  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0     3  6  2     3  1
 
B's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    A's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Biggio            2b  5  0  0  0  .273    Alomar,R          2b  4  1  1  0  .231
Berra,Y           c   3  0  1  0  .300    Appling           ss  4  0  0  0  .167
 Bench            ph  1  1  0  0  .500    Aaron,H           rf  3  0  0  1  .250
Bonds,Ba          lf  5  1  2  0  .455    Allen,D           3b  4  2  1  1  .364
Bagwell           1b  4  2  1  0  .182    Abreu,B           lf  4  0  0  0  .182
Brett,G           3b  4  2  1  3  .200    Adcock,J          1b  4  0  2  1  .462
Beltran,C         cf  5  1  2  2  .400    Averill           cf  3  0  1  0  .429
 Bell,H           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Abernathy        p   0  0  0  0  .000
Bonds,Bo          rf  5  1  1  2  .077     Antonelli,J      p   0  0  0  0  .000
Banks,E           ss  1  0  1  1  .125     Andersen         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Boggs,W          ph  1  0  0  0  .333     Alou,Mo          ph  1  0  1  0 1.000
 Boudreau         ss  1  0  0  0  .000    Ashby,Al          c   3  0  0  0  .000
Bunning           p   3  0  0  0  .000     Allison          ph  1  0  0  0  .000
 Benitez          p   0  0  0  0  .000    Arrieta           p   2  0  0  0  .000
 Bishop           ph  1  0  0  0  .000     Aguirre          p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Bell,CP          cf  0  0  0  0  .222     Ashburn          ph  2  0  0  0  .000
                     39  8  9  8                               35  3  6  3
 
B's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Bunning                          7.0  5  3  2  0  4  82  51  2.57
Benitez          W 1-0           2.0  0  0  0  0  1  28  19  0.00
Bell,H                           1.0  1  0  0  0  3  17  11  4.50
                                10.0  6  3  2  0  8 127  81 
 
A's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Arrieta                          7.0  5  3  3  2  9 115  76  3.86
Aguirre                          1.0  1  0  0  0  0  13   8  4.50
Abernathy        L 0-1           1.2  1  3  0  1  2  29  19  0.00
Antonelli,J                      0.0  2  2  2  0  0   3   3 99.00
Andersen                         0.1  0  0  0  0  0   2   2  0.00
                                10.0  9  8  5  3 11 162 108 
 
BI : Boggs,W batted for Banks,E in the 7th
     Boudreau inserted at ss in the 7th
     Bench batted for Berra,Y in the 8th
     Bench moved to c in the 8th
     Bishop batted for Benitez in the 10th
     Bell,CP inserted at cf in the 10th
ADN: Ashburn batted for Aguirre in the 8th
     Ashburn moved to cf in the 9th
     Alou,Mo batted for Andersen in the 10th
     Allison batted for Ashby,Al in the 10th
 
E-Bunning, Allen,D, Abreu,B. 2B-Bonds,Bo(1). 3B-Brett,G(1), Alomar,R(1). 
HR-Beltran,C(1), Allen,D(2). RBI-Brett,G 3(5), Beltran,C 2(2), Bonds,Bo 2(3), 
Banks,E(1), Aaron,H(2), Allen,D(4), Adcock,J(6). SB-Beltran,C(1), Banks,E(1). 
K-Bonds,Ba, Bagwell, Brett,G, Beltran,C 2, Bonds,Bo, Bunning 2, Boggs,W, 
Boudreau, Bishop, Allen,D 2, Abreu,B 2, Adcock,J, Arrieta, Ashburn, Allison. 
BB-Bagwell, Banks,E, Bench. SF-Aaron,H. HBP-Brett,G. HB-Arrieta. 
GWRBI: Brett,G

Aberdeen routs Bainbridge Island 8-1, evens playoff series at one each

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA. (GPS)--For the second straight game in their first-round playoff series, Aberdeen put a five-spot on the board in the top of the first at Battle Point Park on Bainbridge Island. Unlike game one, when the A's eventually lost to the Bees, this time the lead stood up behind a four-hitter from Babe Adams, and Aberdeen won 8-1 to even their best-of-seven game series at one each.

Babe Adams pitched a four-
hitter and Aberdeen beat
Bainbridge Island 8-1 to even
their first-round playoff series at
one game apiece.

The contest started well enough for BI starter Kevin Brown, who fanned Roberto Alomar to start the game and retired Luke Appling on a fly ball to left. With two gone, Henry Aaron beat out an infield single to second base, and then Dick Allen hammered the first pitch he saw deep into the left field seats, and it was 2-0 Aberdeen. Bobby Abreu drew a walk on four pitches, and then Joe Adcock, who had hit a two-run homer in the first in game one, did it again, launching a blast deep to left to make it 4-0, and Earl Averill hit a solo shot for back-to-back jacks and a 5-0 lead.

The hopeful among the Bainbridge faithful may have thought this was no problem, having come from five down to win the series opener. But it was not to be on this day against Adams, who allowed just one hit and a couple of walks over the first five innings. 

Joe Adcock hit two-run
homers in the first inning
of the first two games of
the series, and is 4-for-9
with five RBI.

The first time the Bees had anything that looked like a rally was in the bottom of the sixth, when Craig Biggio led off with a double, just the second Bainbridge hit. But Adams induced three straight grounders to short, and Biggio didn't have to walk far to take his position at second the next inning. BI finally put an unearned run across in the seventh. George Brett led off with a walk, and Yogi Berra singled to left, with the two advancing to second and third when Abreu bobbled the ball. Bobby Bonds grounded out to short to score Brett.

That made it 8-1, as Aberdeen had scored two in the fifth on a groundout by Adcock and a triple by Averill, and one more in the sixth when Alomar led off with a walk and eventually scored on a single by Aaron. 

Adams took just 105 pitches to complete the four-hitter. He walked three and struck out four.

With the series even at a game each, play will resume after a day off with game three at Aberdeen's Pioneer Park. A's manager Sparky Anderson plans to start Jake Arrieta, while BI skipper Lou Boudreau will go with Jim Bunning. 

                    Game two box score, October 13
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
Aberdeen               5  0  0  0  2  1  0  0  0     8 12  1     8  0
Bainbridge Island      0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0     1  4  1     6  2
 
A's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    B's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Alomar,R          2b  5  1  2  0  .222    Biggio            2b  4  0  2  0  .500
Appling           ss  5  0  1  0  .250    Bell,CP           cf  4  0  0  0  .222
Aaron,H           rf  5  2  3  1  .333    Bonds,Ba          lf  3  0  1  0  .500
Allen,D           3b  4  1  2  2  .429    Bagwell           1b  4  0  0  0  .143
Abreu,B           lf  3  2  0  0  .286    Brett,G           3b  2  1  0  0  .167
Adcock,J          1b  5  1  2  3  .444    Berra,Y           c   4  0  1  0  .286
Averill           cf  3  1  2  2  .500    Bonds,Bo          rf  4  0  0  1  .000
Ashby,Al          c   3  0  0  0  .000    Banks,E           ss  3  0  0  0  .000
Adams,Ba          p   4  0  0  0  .000    Brown,K           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     37  8 12  8           Blue,V           p   1  0  0  0  .000
                                           Bottomley        ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                                           Bell,H           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Brantley,J       p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Boggs,W          ph  1  0  0  0  .500
                                           Bender           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               31  1  4  1
 
A's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Adams,Ba         W 1-0           9.0  4  1  0  3  4 105  71  0.00
                                 9.0  4  1  0  3  4 105  71 
 
B's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Brown,K          L 0-1           2.2  8  5  5  1  1  48  29 16.88
Blue,V                           2.1  2  2  2  3  1  41  19  7.71
Bell,H                           1.0  2  1  1  1  2  29  17  9.00
Brantley,J                       1.0  0  0  0  1  0  14   8  0.00
Bender                           2.0  0  0  0  0  1  22  14  0.00
                                 9.0 12  8  8  6  5 154  87 
 
BI : Bottomley batted for Blue,V in the 5th
     Boggs,W batted for Brantley,J in the 7th
 
E-Abreu,B, Berra,Y. 2B-Biggio(1). 3B-Averill(1). HR-Allen,D(1), Adcock,J(2), 
Averill(1). RBI-Aaron,H(1), Allen,D 2(3), Adcock,J 3(5), Averill 2(2), 
Bonds,Bo(1). SB-Alomar,R(1). K-Alomar,R, Appling, Allen,D, Abreu,B, Adams,Ba, 
Biggio, Bagwell 2, Blue,V. BB-Allen,D, Abreu,B 2, Averill 2, Ashby,Al, 
Bonds,Ba, Brett,G 2. WP-Brown,K. 
GWRBI: Allen,D

Pedro pitches no-hitter; Moses Lake tops Goldendale 6-0 to even playoff series

MOSES LAKE, WA. (GPS)--Pedro Martinez pitched a no-hitter October 13 and Moses Lake defeated Goldendale 6-0 at Larson Park to even their best-of-seven playoff series at one game apiece. 

Pedro Martinez pitched
a no-hitter as Moses Lake
won game two of their
playoff series against
Goldendale.

Martinez struck out four and walked four during the gem. He threw 126 pitches, 77 of them for strikes. The closest Goldendale came to a hit and a run was in the top of the eighth inning. Nomar Garciaparra led off the frame with a walk, and Goose Goslin followed with a grounder to first that Johnny Mize fired to second for the force on Garciaparra. Gary Gaetti struck out on a wild pitch, moving Goslin to second--the only time in the game the G's put a runner in scoring position. Manager Clark Griffith called on Curtis Granderson to pinch hit for pitcher Gene Garber. Granderson laced a liner down the right field line that appeared destined to drop in for a double, but Mickey Mantle ran the ball down and made a lunging catch to preserve the no-no. 

Charlie Gehringer walked to lead off the ninth, but Tony Gwynn bounced one to third that Eddie Mathews turned into a 5-4-3 double play, and Ken Griffey, Jr. hit a routine fly ball to left that Stan Musial gloved for the final out.

Offensively, Moses Lake made quick work of Goldendale starter Tom Glavine, who went 16-6 and posted an ERA of 3.16 during the regular season. Glavine got out of the first two innings unscathed, with the help of a double play in each, but things fell apart in the third. Martinez started the trouble with one out, fighting off an inside fastball for a soft line-drive single to left. Back to the top of the order, Paul Molitor hit a hard grounder between third and short, sending Martinez to second. Willie Mays then crushed a 2-2 pitch from Glavine for a booming double off the wall in left center, scoring both Martinez and Molitor for a 2-0 lead. Musial walked on a 3-2 pitch, and then Mantle singled to left on a 2-2 offering, plating Mays to make it 3-0 and moving Stan the Man to second. Edgar Martinez pulled one down the left field line for a double, scoring Musial and moving Mantle to third. Griffith had seen enough and pulled Glavine with the score 4-0 and brought in Dave Giusti to face Joe Medwick. Moses Lake manager Connie Mack countered with Mize to pinch hit; he grounded out to second but Mantle scored to make it 5-0. 

Moses Lake added an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth thanks to two errors by Garciaparra, his second and third miscues of the game, making it 6-0. 

Slugging catcher Josh
Gibson left game two
with an injury, but
should be ready for
game three.

Goldendale got a bit of a scare in the fifth. Edgar Martinez led off the inning with a walk, and Joe Morgan came in to run. Mize laced a double into the right field corner, and Morgan tried to score from first, but was cut down on a good throw by Gwynn and relay by Gehringer. Catcher Josh Gibson came away from the play limping and was pulled from the game. Griffith said the injury didn't appear serious and believes Gibson will be ready to go for game three.

After a day off, the series will resume October 15 with game three at Ekone Park in Goldendale. Griffith is without Lefty Grove, who suffered a late-season injury and will not likely pitch in this series. He is wavering between Ron Guidry, Lefty Gomez, and Dwight Gooden to start game three. Mack will go with Mike Mussina.

                   Game two box score, October 13
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
Goldendale             0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  0  3     3  4
Moses Lake             0  0  5  1  0  0  0  0  x     6 11  0     8  1
 
G's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG    M's                  AB  R  H BI   AVG
Gehringer         2b  3  0  0  0  .000    Molitor           2b  4  1  3  0  .600
GwynnSr,T         rf  4  0  0  0  .125     Maranville       ss  0  0  0  0  .500
GriffeyJr         cf  3  0  0  0  .143    Mays,W            cf  5  1  1  2  .333
Gibson,J          c   2  0  0  0  .500    Musial            1b  3  1  0  0  .143
 Gowdy            c   1  0  0  0  .000    Mantle            rf  4  1  2  1  .333
Gehrig            1b  2  0  0  0  .200    Martinez,E        3b  2  0  1  1  .667
Garciaparra       ss  2  0  0  0  .000     Morgan,J         pr  1  0  0  0  .167
Goslin            lf  3  0  0  0  .143    Medwick           lf  1  0  1  0 1.000
Gaetti            3b  3  0  0  0  .000     Mize             ph  2  0  1  1  .333
Glavine           p   1  0  0  0  .000    Munson,T          c   3  0  0  0  .000
 Giusti           p   0  0  0  0  .000    Marion            ss  3  0  0  0  .000
 Greenberg        ph  1  0  0  0  .000     Mathews,E        ph  1  0  1  0  .333
 Garber           p   0  0  0  0  .000    Martinez,P        p   4  2  1  0  .250
 Granderson       ph  1  0  0  0  .000                         33  6 11  5
 Gordon,T         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     26  0  0  0
 
G's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Glavine          L 0-1           2.1  7  5  5  1  0  46  26 19.29
Giusti                           2.2  1  1  0  2  1  37  18  0.00
Garber                           2.0  2  0  0  1  0  22  15  0.00
Gordon,T                         1.0  1  0  0  0  1  13   9  0.00
                                 8.0 11  6  5  4  2 118  68 
 
M's                              INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Martinez,P       W 1-0           9.0  0  0  0  4  4 126  77  0.00
                                 9.0  0  0  0  4  4 126  77 
 
GOL: Gowdy inserted at c in the 5th
     Greenberg batted for Giusti in the 6th
     Granderson batted for Garber in the 8th
ML : Mize batted for Medwick in the 3rd
     Musial moved to lf in the 4th
     Mize moved to 1b in the 4th
     Morgan,J ran for Martinez,E in the 5th
     Molitor moved to 3b in the 6th
     Morgan,J moved to 2b in the 6th
     Mathews,E batted for Marion in the 8th
     Maranville inserted at ss in the 9th
     Mathews,E moved to 3b in the 9th
 
E-Garciaparra 3. 2B-Mays,W(1), Martinez,E(2), Mize(1), Mathews,E(1). 
RBI-Mays,W 2(4), Mantle(1), Martinez,E(1), Mize(1). K-GriffeyJr, Gibson,J, 
Goslin, Gaetti, Mays,W, Marion. BB-Gehringer, GriffeyJr, Gehrig, Garciaparra, 
Molitor, Musial, Martinez,E, Mize. HBP-Munson,T. HB-Giusti. WP-Martinez,P. 
BALK-Garber. 
GWRBI: Mays,W
Josh Gibson was injured for this game only