Friday, October 7, 2089
FC FIREBIRDS FINISH OFF CLAXTON IN 5 GAMES, WHILE VIPS AND SUNSETS TAKE PIVOTAL GAME 5
Another team has advanced to the IPA Union Title Round. Pro Cup favorite Forest City finished off the Claxton Diamonds 7-2 in game five to wrap up the series four games to one. The Firebirds join South Fork in round-two action. They both qualified for the Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union Title Series. Thus far, two teams have been eliminated, leaving six clubs to contend for the legendary IPA Pro Cup Trophy. Forest City KO'ed Claxton in five games and South Fork swept Oxford in four games. Valmara and Summerland triumphed in the pivotal fifth game for a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series. The Vipers defeated the Eastshore Cotton Kings in RU First Round play and the Sunsets were victorious over the La Claire Lynx in the TU First Round.
Forest City will take on the winner of the Eastshore-Valmara series in the Ruthlandian Union Title Series. South Fork will meet the victor in the La Claire-Summerland series in the Tycobbian Union Title Series.
#1-ranked Forest City got another strong mound performance from Matty O'Mara (1-0/1.65 ERA), who shut down the Claxton Diamonds 7-2 in game five, holding them to 2 runs and 6 hits in a complete game. He whiffed 8 batters and walked 4 in the game. Tony Benedetti (.286 BA/1 HR/3 RBI) led the Firebirds at the plate with 2 hits, 2 runs and 3 RBIs. He clouted the game's only roundtripper, a 2-run shot in the 7th inning. Jim Raver (.263 BA/3 RBI) also contributed 2 hits and drove in a pair of runs. Clete Ward (.200 BA/3 RBI) and Jurgen Borgmann (.250 BA/1 HR/5 RBI) batted in the other two scores. Monty Maples took the loss, tagged for 7 runs in his 7 innings, although 3 of them were unearned. Claxton committed 2 crucial errors. The Diamonds had fairly good pitching in the series, but they just left too many runs on the bases. Claxton could have won the opener and game three with a little more offense.
Valmara and Eastshore locked horns in game five at Kraft Stadium and it was a tense pitcher's duel decided by Howie Dassner's (.316/2 HR/5 RBI) solo swat in the 5th frame. Arjan Huntsman (1-1/2.08 ERA) worked 8 innings under duress. He bent, but he didn't break. Huntsman walked 3 and allowed 6 hits, but he stranded 10 baserunners. He fanned 6 batters. Warren Jakobson saved it for him with a scoreless 9th inning. Huntsman redeemed himself after an opening game 3-1 loss. Eastshore starter Hal Shearer was forced to leave after 3 shutout innings due to an arm injury. His bullpen did well, surrendering just one run over the next 6 frames. Jorian Wiles (0-1/2.70 ERA) was pinned with the defeat. The only score he gave up in his 3 innings was Dassner's home run. Valmara only got 5 hits off of 5 pitchers. Eastshore got 6. After a day for travel the series will be concluded at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara. The Vipers have the homefield advantage.
Another pitcher's battle was on the horizon in La Claire at Capitol Park Stadium. Both starters -- Joren Vanderzee for Summerland and Don Bartels for La Claire -- had won 19 games each in the regular season. Lady Luck went the Sunsets' way. Summerland shut out La Claire 5-0 to take crucial game five for a three games to two edge in the series. Vanderzee (2-0/0.50 ERA) fired a brilliant 2-hit shutout to outduel the unlucky Bartels (0-2/2.25 ERA), who gave up 4 runs in 8 innings, but none of them were earned. Loose defense was the main cause of the loss. Summerland took advantage of the poor defense in the 2nd inning for 4 runs. Gerrit Maas (.182 BA/3 RBI) and Norris Chance (.333 BA/1 HR/4 RBI) delivered 2-run singles in the inning. That was more than enough runs for Vanderzee. Hennie Hendriks (.200 BA/3 RBI) added another run in the 9th on a sac fly. Vanderzee also won the opener, beating Bartels 4-1.
The remainder of the series will be played in Summerland at Sunset Stadium.
