[Westheim]

Please note: to avoid spoiling the outcome of this game, and whether one team or the other wins, game 7, if there is one, will be in a separate post.

1989 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) @ Atlanta Knights (96-66)

Game 6 – Scott Wade vs. Kiyohira Sasaki

The Raccoons had to chew up Sasaki here if they wanted to move along home, and most importantly avoid an anything-goes game 7 with a semi-rookie (no-hitter here, no-hitter there) on the mound for the Brownshirts.

For this game against the lefty Sasaki, we moved Neil Reece to bat second instead of Johnston, who moved down to sixth, and Higgins to seventh. The core of the order was not touched. All relievers were available, and Dadswell’s nose had stopped running, too.

The Knights were dealt another blow in the first inning with an injury to Jesus Berrios. Their bench was already heavily depopulated after injuries to Saldana and Ine in this series, and Berrios going down didn’t help them one ounce.

Unfortunately, the Raccoons still had to contribute themselves to get a W. Wade surrendered a leadoff single to Guzman, then walked Barrios. And walked Root. And walked Bartolo Vina. 1-0 Knights. Wade walked four in total in the inning and two runs scored. Oh, go[feeeeeps]

Higgins’ RBI triple in the top 2nd scored Osanai and cut the deficit in half. Gonzalez led off the third with a single. Reece walked. Dawson lined just over the jumping Nunez into right and the ball got past Root to the wall. Reece had to hold at third since even getting over Nunez had not been guaranteed, but the game was tied!

Osanai was next, and he had not had a lot of upside so far in this series, but singled to left to score the go-ahead run, Reece. Pressure mounting, the Raccoons could force mistakes now, as Sasaki threw a wild pitch that scored Dawson, 4-2. Osanai was on second with two outs. Higgins lined into left and Osanai was waved home and scored. Vinson was put on intentionally to collect the third out from Wade. Wade swung away at a good pitch to hit, DEEP to center, DEEP, VINA HUSTLING OUT, (shrieks) IT GOES OVER VINA’S HEAD!!

The park was paralyzed. Scott Wade hit a 2-run triple that made it 7-2, Sasaki almost collapsed on the mound, and was out of the game, and now the Raccoons were in command for the time being.

This however did not include Scott Wade. A run scored in the fourth and two were on with two out, but Root stepped in. This was the worst case. Setup man Nate Goodman entered in the fourth inning. Root wasn’t bothered. He just hit the 2-run double off Goodman.

7-5 now, and the tension was suffocating. Bottom 5th. Goodman allowed a bloop single to Bailey, then an RBI double to Jackson. Gone was the command. Martinez entered, surrendered two hits, and gone was the lead.

Gone was the dignity, too. The Knights scored five runs in the inning and took a 10-7 lead. Lepore was now in for the Knights and surrendered two runs in the sixth. Osanai left the tying run (Reece) on when he fouled out, and Reece left Gonzalez at second base in the eighth.

The Raccoons entered the top 9th still trailing 10-9. Dawson struck out against Dye, before Osanai hit a double. Quinn grounded out, Osanai went to third. Now it was on Johnston, but he wiggled out of the decision with a walk. Higgins came to the plate, the only Coon (apart from part-time Reece) hitting over .300 in the series.

He popped out.

Knights won, 10-9. Series tied. Gonzalez 2-5, 2B; Reece 2-4, BB, RBI; Osanai 3-5, 2 2B, RBI; Higgins 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI;

Elsewhere: Wolves @ Blue Sox … 4-3 (11) … (Wolves win 4-2) … Ennio Sabre’s 2-out single scores Brandon Bailey to complete the upset over the mighty Blue Sox;