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EXCELSIOR DOMINATES ORANGE; OBERST HAS 5 HITS
ALL-STAR LF FINISHES WITH PAIR OF XBH AND FOUR RUNS AS EXCELSIOR STAYS IN 1ST PLACE

MANHATTAN (June 26, 1877) - Excelsior & Orange opened Week Nine of the A.P.B.L. season in the Upper Manhattan Grounds, and the visitors gradually pulled away for a fine victory away from home:

The early innings were even, tied 2-2 after the end of the third. After that, Excelsior slowly but surely gained the upper hand over Orange. Runs in the 4th, 5th, & 6th gave Excelsior a 6-3 lead after the end of the middle innings. The visitors followed that with rallies of three runs in the seventh and two runs in the ninth to send the league’s bottom team home with yet another loss in what has been a miserable 1877.

Jim Creighton had the ball for Excelsior and put in what, for him, was a decent effort:

• EXC P Jim Creighton: CG (14-11, 3.67), 9 HA, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

However, the clear star of the afternoon was All-Star LF Troy Oberst:

• T1: Single past 1B off A. Miller (R)
• T2: 1-run Single past 2B off A. Miller
• T4: Double to CF off A. Miller
• T5: Line Out to 2B (2 out)
• T7: 2-run Triple to RCF off A. Miller (R)
• T9: Single to 2B off P. Caldwell (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2B, 3B, 8 TB), 4 R, 2 RBI, 78 GMSC

The outburst in Manhattan left Oberst in the best position he’s enjoyed during his three and a half seasons in the A.P.B.L. He’s currently on pace for A.P.B.L. career highs in Average (.352), On-Base (.374), Slugging (.513), OPS (.888), Extra-Base Hits (27; pace for 50), RBI (44; pace for 81), & Batsman WAR (2.3; pace for 4.2). Combine that with Elijah Hill batting .383, and it’s little wonder why Excelsior is at the top of the standings in the Metropolitan Conference.

Excelsior is currently tied atop the Metropolitan standings with Knickerbocker at 30-19. Orange is 17-32 (13 GB), and they currently have the worst record in the A.P.B.L.