THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 8, 2050
2050 IPA PRO CUP SERIES - Game 1
GRAJEK GEM IN OPENER, VIPS TOP RASCALS 6-2
The streak continues... Valmara won its ninth consecutive game in this postseason and 11th straight over the last two years... they stung White River 6-2 in the opening game of the 2050 Pro Cup Series at White River Stadium... the defending Pro Cup champion got a mound gem from Darus Grajek (4-0/2.25), who held White River to just two runs on five hits in his eight and one-third innings... after a short rain delay in the ninth, Zak Reeder finished up for him and got the final two outs on just three pitches.
Valmara socked 10 hits off of two White River hurlers and were led by C Karol Koska (.316) with three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored... Koska hammered his fifth playoff homer in the second inning to tie the score at 1-1... White River got a run in the first frame when 3B Kenny Yarbrough (.292) scored on a sacrifice fly by RF Ryne Hyland (.211)... the Rascals went in front 2-1 in the fifth with an unearned run... the Vipers erupted for three runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double by 2B Arnie Pliska (.280) and a base hit by LF Tomek Abramczyk (.343)... then added single scores in the seventh and eighth on Koska's RBI single and SS Ken Jensen's (.308) two-bagger.
The losing pitcher was White River starter Butch Slattery (1-2/2.82), who allowed five runs on eight hits in seven innings... Slattery totaled 8 Ks and walked four in a mediocre outing.
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