Wednesday, October 31, 2091
2091 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 4 at The Swamp in LaGrange
LC'S GAUTREAU BLANKS GATORS ON 3-HITTER TO EVEN SERIES
Strong pitching and home-run power won the pennant for La Claire and got them to the Pro Cup Finals. The current Pro Cup champ got them both in game four and evened up the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. Slender southpaw Rick Gautreau fired a masterful gem, shutting out the hard-hitting and high-scoring LaGrange Gators 6-0 on their homefield, The Swamp. The Gators were held to just 3 hits. Gautreau (1-1/0.61 ERA) tossed a complete game, fanned 5 batters and walked just one. Number three and cleanup hitters David Glascock (.273 BA) and Howie Ellenberger (.213 BA) provided the power with their 6th and 5th home runs respectively. Ellenberger has 15 RBIs in the playoffs so far and Glascock has driven in 12. Ellenberger clouted a 3-run roundtripper in the 5th and Glascock pitched in with a 2-run shot in the 7th.
Right-hander Otis Marshall (0-3/4.50 ERA) got the start for LaGrange, but only lasted 5 struggling frames. He was torched for 4 runs and 4 hits. In addition, he was wild with 5 free passes, but he did whiff 6 Lynx. La Grange could only muster 3 solitary singles off Gautreau.
Pivotal game five is on the immediate horizon, slated for Wednesday afternoon, once again at The Swamp. Likely starters are Don Bartels (18-6/2.88 ERA) for La Claire and Bucky Erdmann (14-10/3.61 ERA) for LaGrange. Bartels has been effective in the playoffs, but has lost games. Bartels is 1-2, yet has a fine 1.89 ERA in 5 starts, while Erdmann has been impressive with a 1-0 mark and a 1.75 ERA in his 4 starting assignmens. Bartels and Erdmann both started game one and did well. It went 11 innings and was won by La Claire 3-2..
