Monday, October 3, 2089
FIREBIRDS, STALLIONS AND SUNSETS WIN AGAIN IN GAME 2
The three top-rated teams in the IPA playoffs are off to a great start with victories in the first two games of the best-of-seven series. Forest City used its vaunted firepower to best the Claxton Diamonds 8-6 in the Ruthlandian Union first round. In the Tycobbian Union South Fork and Summerland used their fabled pitching to win their second games in a row. In the other series Valmara tied up Eastshore at one game each.
Jurgen Borgmann busted up a 6-6 deadlock with an 8th-inning single to give Forest City an 8-6 triumph over the Claxton Diamonds. The Firebirds were also paced at the plate by Willie Collingham with a 2-run homer and Fuzz Smiley with an RBI single and RBI double. Andreas Koopman had a fine game in defeat for the Diamonds, going 2 for 3 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs. He doubled and homered. Shannon Slate stood out on the mound for Forest City. He notched the victory with 3 scoreless innings. Dingo Ferrell, who suffered the game-one defeat, did not fare well again in game two and lost it. The Firebirds burned him for 2 runs in his 2 innings.
In other RU playoff action Valmara piled up a 13-2 lead in the first 5 frames and then held off the Eastshore Cotton Kings 13-9 to even up the series at one game apiece. Pavel Malashenko and Bryan Tiller each slammed 3 hits to lead the way. Malashenko, Ivan Jurczyk and Liam McWhirter all drove in 3 runs each. The Vipers pounded out 15 hits in all, while the Cotton Kings collected 10. Nappy Brice led them with a double, triple and 4 runs batted in. Vinny Hixson had a solo homer.
Standout pitching was the mark of the day in the Tycobbian Union. Paul Pegram twirled a 2-0 shutout gem, stopping La Claire on just 3 hits. He fanned 5 and walked only two batters in a route-going affair. Loser Shuggie Garsett also fared well, working into the 8th frame and only allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. Back-to-back solo shots by Norris Chance and Bruce Quarterman in the first inning were the only offense in the game.
South Fork nudged past the Oxford Red Caps 3-1 behind rookie Owen Frank and Jimbo Tucker, who stifled them on just 3 hits. Frank went the first 5 and two-thirds innings for the win and held the Red Caps to just one hit with 4 Ks and one walk. Tucker finished them off in the final 3 and one-third frames, giving up 2 hits. The Stallions got all their runs in the 3rd inning off losing pitcher Duane Cloud. Davy Mannington got the first run in with an RBI ground out. Yank Yankovich followed that with a 2-run clout. Oxford's only run came in the bottom of the 6th on a base hit by Honus Cobb.
