|
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 8, 2054
Ruthlandian Union League Championship Series - Game 6
TARS FORCE 7TH GAME WITH MACS
In the critical sixth game of the Ruthlandian title series, both managers changed their pitching assignments just prior to the start of the contest and gave them to two spot starters... and it paid off for both of them... Valerio Rossi (10-6/3.43/1 save/24 G) got the nod from Taranto skipper Augie Marshall and Dion Delgiorno (11-10/3.16/5 saves/39 G) got the call from Wynnamac manager Jerry Meeks... both starters pitched well, but Rossi had better defense... with Delgiorno and the Macs up 1-0 in the top of the eighth, a crucial error led to three unearned scores and gave the game to the Tars 3-1, who tied the series at three games apiece and forced a seventh and deciding game... with one out, two walks by Delgiorno put runners on first and second... SS Whiz Ivie (.958 FA) allowed the tying run in when he committed a two-base throwing error... the next batter CF Renzo Caruso (.222/10 RBI) kept Taranto alive in the playoffs with a clutch and vital 2-run base hit.
Winning pitcher Rossi (1-0/0.82) was outstanding, hurling seven innings of five-hit ball, giving up only one run... he departed for a pinchhitter...Tar closer Louie Toscano (0-1/2.38/2 saves/5 G) nailed down the verdict with two scoreless frames... sadly Delgiorno (1-2/1.62) was pinned with the undeserved defeat... he tossed seven and two-thirds innings, struck out seven Tars, walked two and permitted only four hits... it was a scoreless duel until the bottom of the fifth when Sundowner 3B Jonathan Garrett (.308/2 RBI) snapped the tie by driving in CF Dickie Key (.291/8 RBI) from second with a single.
The seventh-game finale will also be played at Granger Park in Wynnamac and looks like a dilly.. both clubs have their aces primed and ready to go... Sammy Hayes (17-12/2.74) will toss for the Macs and Phil Castle (13-9/2.98) gets the honor for the Tars... both are portsiders and have swapped shutouts and split two games thus far in the series... Hayes took the opener 2-0 and Castle rebounded with a 4-0 blanking in game four... Hayes is 1-2 in the postseason with a 2.63 ERA, while Castle is 3-2 with a 1.98 ERA.
Taranto is trying to get back to the Pro Cup Finals again... they were defeated in a four-game sweep last year by the IPA champion Midway Wolves, who have already cinched the Tycobbian title, topping tough Turon in a torrid five-game series.
|