[Westheim]

1991 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) vs. San Francisco Bayhawks (97-66)

Game 3 – Kisho Saito (19-7, 2.98 ERA) vs. Wilbert Rodgers (14-11, 3.09 ERA)

We took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning after Salazar, Hall, Osanai, and Quinn chained together four singles against Rodgers.

Kisho Saito sat down the first eight Bayhawks in order, before it was Rodgers, who lined a single into left field. A Diego Rodriguez double put the tying runs into scoring position, but a fine play by Hall in left surrendered Jose Ortiz for the final out of the inning.

Top 4th, and the Bayhawks got going with two leadoff infield singles the defense had no chance to pull out. At least Pedro Villa then grounded into a double play, removing the tying run from base. The runner on third was starved, and Saito again faced a runner on third base in the fifth, and didn’t let that one score either. Still, the pressure on Saito was mounting and it would not be unwise to add an insurance run or two.

Osanai and Quinn singled their way on to start the bottom 6th. With two out, they were still on, waiting on the corners. Vinson was up and took a 2-2 pitch to left. LF Brandon Bailey could have taken it on a hop, allowing one run to score, but he tried to catch it – and missed it completely. Quinn scored from first on a 2-run double.

The Raccoons left two on in the seventh. Saito held his portion of the scoreboard clean and even batted for himself in the bottom 8th with two in scoring position and one out. He grounded out and the runners had to hold, but Reece doubled in both runners to extend the lead. Reece scored on a bloop single by Salazar then.

Saito went back out for the ninth. Could our guys turn back-to-back shutouts against San Fran? They could! Saito pitched a perfect ninth and completed the game on 120 pitches!

7-0 Raccoons! Reece 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Salazar 3-5, RBI; Hall 2-4, BB; Osanai 2-4; Quinn 2-3, BB, 2 RBI; Vinson 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Saito 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (1-0);

This is the 12th big league shutout for Saito and the first he has pitched in the playoffs. He, too, has an exceptional playoff record so far: 9 GS, 6-1, 0.86 ERA; yes, oh-eighty-six!

Down the coast in L.A., the Capitals’ Parker Montgomery out-lasted Eduardo Jimenez in a pitchers’ duel, and the Capitals won 1-0 to position themselves for a sweep.

Game 4 – Scott Wade (14-11, 3.68 ERA) vs. Chris O’Keefe

We made a lineup change, moving Vinson up to #6, and playing Reyes instead of Higgins in game 4. The fact that the Bayhawks were putting up an all-righty rotation for the playoffs made lineup jugglings not necessarily necessary. But Higgins was hitting .167 and Reyes had come up with a pinch hit in game 1. Maybe he could provide some spark, as we sent our – by record – worst man to the mound. Not that I considered Scotty the worst of our lot. (peeking at Vazquez)

The Bayhawks skipped right back to their ace, who had given us fits in the series opener. He was pitching on three days’ rest now, and whether that was a sound decision, remained to be seen.

Maybe it was not. After a quick first by Wade, Neil Reece led off the bottom 1st with a sizzling double to the base of the wall in deep left. O’Keefe struck out Salazar and Hall, but gave Osanai a fat 3-0 pitch to hit, and Osanai doubled to center for a 1-0 lead. O’Keefe ran the count full on Bobby Quinn, and Bobby unleashed a booming home run – and we led 3-0.

The score remained so through three, through which Wade did not allow a hit, but the Bayhawks broke into the H column in the fourth with two singles and were on the corners, but Mike Powys grounded out to end the inning. There was however something with Raccoons pitchers not getting the pitchers of the opposition out. A 2-out double by O’Keefe in the top 5th created danger when Diego Rodriguez followed it up with an infield single, but Roberto Rodriguez flew out to Quinn and Wade escaped trouble again.

Bottom 6th. With Salazar on first base after a leadoff walk, Hall, Osanai, and Quinn all hit into long, hard outs. 20 feet on any of those shots might have put the game to bed. Anyway, Wade was breezing now, axing down the Bayhawks in both the seventh and the eighth. Three playoff shutouts in a row? Should such a thing be possible?

We didn’t get a chance to test it. Salazar doubled in the bottom 8th, but was not scored, and the score remained 3-0. With left-handers Pedro Perez and Steve Cobb due up first and second in the ninth, that was too hot an iron to touch. Grant West was brought in.

Perez dished a single past Salazar to lead off, but Cobb grounded to Higgins – on at first for Osanai – who turned a double play with Reyes. Villa then gently flew out to Reece.

3-0 Raccoons!! I can’t believe it!! We had only five hits in the game, but made those count! Quinn 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Wade 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (1-0);

Bayhawks go behind the 8 ball! Meanwhile the Pacifics left that position with a 5-4 loss to the Capitals in their fourth game, ending the FLCS early. The Capitals swept the Pacifics with a +4 run differential. Wow. Gifted AND lucky, how should anybody stink up to them?

Game 5 – Miguel Lopez (4-3, 3.36 ERA) vs. Pepe Martinez (11-8, 3.43 ERA)

Robert Vazquez had been abysmal in the opener of the series. Miguel Lopez had pitched well in his last few starts of the year. We made a switch. I didn’t want to go back to San Francisco, it was that easy. (Wait, is that optimism? Confidence?)

Reyes remained in the lineup, but Johnston played left for Hall, who had swung at everything in the dirt for three K’s in game 4. This also maximized our available left-handed bats without taking silly steps like sitting Quinn for Martin or the like.

After a quick first, Lopez struck out the next five Bayhawks coming up, until it was again the pitcher to hurt him, as Martinez singled into left. He walked the next guy, and a Jose Ortiz single scored Martinez. Another walk later, the bases were loaded. Powys singled to left to score two. Five straight Bayhawks reached with two out and the Raccoons trailed 3-0. The Raccoons loaded the bags with two out in the bottom 3rd. Osanai grounded out and the chance was gone.

When O’Morrissey and Reyes reached base with two out in the bottom 4th, it brought up Lopez, and we went for a pinch hitter. Jeff Martin doubled to right, scoring O-Mo, but Reece flew out with two in scoring position and the Bayhawks retained a 3-1 lead.

The middle innings went past quickly. The Raccoons had O-Mo on first with one out in the sixth, but he was thrown out stealing. Carrillo pitched three strong innings upon Lopez’ removal and held the gap at two runs.

Two down in the bottom 7th, Osanai had two men on and drilled the ball – right into Pepe Martinez’ glove. Inning over.

Juan Martinez held the Bayhawks short in the eighth. Vinson then led off the bottom of the frame with a double. Johnston had stayed in the game at 0-3, despite Hall being used to pinch-hit in the seventh, and now had to pay back. He couldn’t, and Vinson merely went to third on his groundout. O-Mo then doubled to right, and the tying run was in scoring position with one out. Reyes would be next, but here, I wanted a left-hander against Pepe Martinez. Switch-hitter Matt Higgins was the only thing resembling a lefty sitting on the bench. He bounced out, O’Morrissey moving to third. Bob Arnold pinch-hit for Juan Martinez in the #9 hole. In a full count, he lined to the left side, Powys jumping – HE DIDN’T GET IT!!! Arnold dinked into shallow left, and O-Mo came home with the tying run!!

Reece grounded out, but the stage was set to walk off in the ninth with the 2-3-4 guys up. First, though, Ken Burnett had to remove some obstacles. Pedro Perez and Steve Cobb both made full contact on 2-2 pitches, and while both flew out, Quinn’s parade on Cobb’s howling flyer was an exceptional example of defense. We then brought in Lagarde against the right-handed Bailey, but the Bayhawks sent Mashwanis to pinch-hit, their last left-hander on the bench. He singled up the middle, but Lagarde got 3B Tim Benson to ground out right into Higgins’ glove.

Bottom 9th. We need a run to face the Cyborgs, eh, Capitals. The Bayhawks brought in closer William Henderson in his first appearance of the series. With that, we pinch hit with Antonio Gonzalez for Salazar to counter the lefty Henderson. He still grounded out. Quinn was punched out. Could Tetsu Osanai make it end in regulation? Nope, he grounded out, and we went to extra innings.

Lagarde sat down the Bayhawks in order in the 10th, and then Vinson singled off Henderson to start our half of the inning. The World Series run was on base. We had only Gustavo Flores left on the bench, so no pinch runner – Vinson had to do that himself. Johnston bunted him to second. The Bayhawks then put on O’Morrissey to face Higgins, whose liner out to center was just caught by Diego Rodriguez. That brought up Lagarde – but no, Flores here and now. He grounded out.

The bench was empty, and the pen held Vazquez, Matthews, and West. Going to West was tempting. And we did it. He had to face two righties to start the 11th, and Roberto Rodriguez doubled his way on. Uh-oh. West was West, however, and struck out the side from there.

Henderson was out of it, Alex Byrd pitching for the Bayhawks, a right-hander, which was a shame with Salazar out of the game and Gonzalez now due to bat second in the inning. Then Neil Reece walked to start the bottom 11th. We put on the hit-and-run, and Reece made it to third on Gonzalez’ single to left.

Quinn, Osanai, Vinson. Any deep ball will do. Byrd struck out Quinn. Osanai looped out to left, and Reece had no shot. Vinson went into the gap in right center, but so did Steve Cobb – and caught the ball.

Bottom 12th. O-Mo drew a 1-out walk. With West in the hole, he had to get into scoring position for Higgins and stole second. Ed Hopper’s throw was not even close. Higgins grounded out, and O-Mo went to third. The bench was empty. Grant West had to hit, with two out. West was a career .192 batter, 5-26. He made contact with a 0-1 pitch, but shoved it into the dirt in front of home plate and was put out.

This smelled like the 1989 World Series all over.

Top 13th. Gonzalez put Roberto Rodriguez on with one out with an error. West then fell to Mike Powys and a 2-run homer. That was … not good. Bottom 13th. Reece led off, facing Lawrence Bentley, a good right-handed setup man. He singled, but was forced out on Gonzalez’ grounder. Quinn fouled out, two down. Osanai was 0-6. He singled to right to put the tying runs on for Vinson.

Vinson struck out.

5-3 Bayhawks. Reece 3-6, BB; Salazar 1-2, 2 BB; O’Morrissey 2-3, 3 BB, 2B, RBI; Martin (PH) 1-1, 2B; Arnold (PH) 1-1, RBI; Carrillo 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Lagarde 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Back to hostile territory. It DOES smell like the 1989 World Series. All over.