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April 17, 1981 | Gamblers Park | Las Vegas, NV
Cincinnati Cougars vs. Las Vegas Gamblers


Let’s meet our teams:
The Cincinnati Cougars won the ABC Central Division last year by five games over the Houston Mavericks with a record of 97-65, the American conference’s best mark. They’ve appeared in the playoffs four times in 1976, 77, 79, and 80. Last season the Cougars lost in six games to the Houston Mavericks in the division series. As a matter of fact, the Cougars have been eliminated each time by the Houston Mavericks! In 1976 they lost in seven in the DCS, in 1977 after sweeping Portland in the DCS, they lost to Houston in six in the Conference Championship Series. In 1979 they lost in seven to Houston in the DCS. The Cincinnati – Houston rivalry has been very one-sided in the postseason. Something the hometown faithful hope the team corrects!

The Las Vegas Gamblers are off to a surprise start. While the pundits may have predicted a Seattle ABC Western division coup, Las Vegas has started quickly. The Gamblers had a record of 89-73 last season finishing ten games ahead of the Portland Lumberjacks winning the ABC Western Division for their second playoff appearance. They defeated the Pittsburgh Express in the 1980 DCS in 5 only to succumb to the eventual conference champ Houston Mavericks by the same tally. Their previous playoff appearance was in the inaugural season of 1972 where they were the wild-card and lost to the eventual conference champ Denver Rocketeers.

Cincinnati Cougars lead the series 67 – 41

Key players:
Cincinnati – Four-year reigning MVP CF Scott Reis #19 needs 37 hits to reach 1500, 14 home runs to reach 250, and 23 runs to reach 1000 for his stellar career. Teammate LF Victor Torres #22 needs 65 hits to reach 1500, 14 homers to reach 200, and 85 runs to reach 1000.

Las Vegas – No player near a milestone.

The Game:
Welcome baseball fans to the ballpark in the desert, Gamblers Park home of the Las Vegas ballclub of the same name as the hometown faithful are here to see the Cougars of Cincinnati come to town for a three-game weekend set.

Today’s pitching matchup is RHP Gil Medina #4 [1-1 4.94] for Cincy and for the Gamblers right-handed phenom RHP Bobby Rodriguez #5 [1-0 2.52].

Bottom of the 1st – Cincinnati pitcher Gil Medina walks the first three men he faces. Then Las Vegas RF Jon Martinez #17 hits a sacrifice fly scoring CF Charles Crane #29 |Cin 0 – LV 1|

Top of the 4th – Cincinnati CF Scott Reis #19 hits a leadoff double and scores on the single by LF Patricio Cogumbreiro #50. Las Vegas pitcher Bobby Rodriguez walks the bases loaded and walks in the go-ahead run. |Cin 2 – LV 1|

Bottom of the 8th – LF Mario Smithson #4 hits a base-clearing triple scoring two to give the Gambles the lead. |Cin 2 – LV 3|


The final score was Cincinnati Cougars 2 – Las Vegas Gamblers 3.

Here are the totals for today's game:
For The visiting Cincinnati Cougars 2 runs on 6 hits, no errors, and eight men left on base.
For the victorious Las Vegas Gamblers 3 runs on 3 hits, no errors. They left seven men on base.

SP Gil Medina #4 gets the loss (1-2),
SP Bobby Rodriguez #5 gets the win (2-0), and
RP Derrek Sanders #24 collected save number 4.

"The key at this level is throwing strike one," said Rodriguez. "Successful pitchers do it."




Player of the Game: SP Bobby Rodriguez #5 LV (ABC West)
Ballpark: Gamblers Park
Weather: Clear skies (60 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 9 mph
Time: 2:38
Attendance: 20,702


Real. Fictional. ⚾.

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