Thursday, October 21, 2088
FIREBIRDS BLISTER MUSKETEERS IN RU TITLE OPENER, SUNSETS SLIP BY NATURALS IN TU TITLE OPENER
Forest City seems to be the best of the best of the remaining postseason powers in the Islandian Pro Alliance Title Series. The potent Firebirds burned the Belle Plaine Musketeers 9-4 in an opening-game romp in the Ruthlandian Union Title Series. Forest City is the highest-ranked club at the #2 spot. The other three playoff teams, Ozarka, Belle Plaine and Summerland were rated #6, #7 and #8 in the Pro Cup Preview Poll. Lightly-regarded Summerland prevailed 2-1 over Ozarka in the first game of their best-of-seven Tycobbian Union Title Series.
FIREBIRDS BLISTER MUSKIES 9-4 BEHIND BIG BATS OF SMILEY AND NORTHERN
Forest City waylaid Belle Plaine for 5 first-inning scores to handily dispose of the Muskies. The Firebirds scored 9 unanswered runs before the Musketeers finally posted on the scoreboard in the late innings. Forest City smacked 14 hits, sparked by Fuzz Smiley (.385/3 HR/8 RBI) and Brodie Northern (.269/1 HR/5 RBI). Smiley and Northern each homered and drove in 3 runs and 2 runs respectively. Smiley, Northern, Clete Ward (.220/4 RBI), Tony Benedetti (.206/3 RBI), Jim Raver (.345/5 RBI) and Matty O'Mara (.308/1 RBI) socked 2 hits apiece.
O'Mara (4-0/1.75 ERA) rang up his 4th consecutive playoff victory, going all the way and surviving 4 runs and 8 hits with 4 walks and 7 Ks. Thank goodness his offense bloomed and blossomed and put a bunch of runs on the scoreboard. Belle Plaine starter Anton Petit (1-1/4.64 ERA) didn't last long, slammed for 8 runs in less than 5 frames.
SUMMERLAND'S PEGRAM OUTHURLS OZARKA'S PARTRIDGE IN FIRST GAME
A tight pitcher's duel was predicted and that's just what transpired in the first game of the series in Ozarka at Ellie Ewing Stadium. Summerland starter Paul Pegram went the distance and outpitched Ozarka starter Mordecai Partridge 2-1 in a torrid cliffhanger. Pegram, a 20-game winning 21-year-old rookie, spun a gem, limiting the Naturals to 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and just one base on balls. It was his 3rd straight postseason win and dropped his ERA to just 1.00. Partridge (1-1/0.50 ERA) did not allow an earned run, gave up 6 hits with 4 walks and 6 strikeouts. He also hurled a complete game. His Nats' defenders committed 4 errors behind him.
Ozarka snapped the scoreless duel in the last of the fourth when Vladya Grigorovich (.381/6 RBI) singled in Mickey Houlihan (.500) for the initial run of the game. Summerland regrouped and rebounded with 2 runs in the top of the fifth, getting one run on an error and the go-ahead run on a base hit by Norris Chance (.333) that scored Dutch Verlander (.286) from third base. That's all Pegram needed as he shut down the Nats the rest of the way.
