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April 27, 1981 | Phoenix Grounds | Phoenix, AZ
San Diego Seraphs vs. Phoenix Firebirds

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Let’s meet our teams:
The San Diego Seraphs have had a tumultuous start to the 1981 season, marked by a challenging 6-13 record and a -30 run differential. Their performance has been hindered by both pitching and defensive woes, with an alarming ERA of 5.66 and a total zone rating of -1.2. Offensively, they manage a .256 batting average but lack the power to convert opportunities into runs, highlighted by just seven home runs. Despite a roster that's relatively healthy, their struggles indicate deeper issues that need addressing if they hope to turn their season around. Key performers like Artur Vaulin and Robbie Kendall provide some hope, but the team needs more consistent contributions across the board .

Financially, the Seraphs are in a precarious position with a payroll nearly matching their revenue, leaving little room for significant player acquisitions. Fan interest is lukewarm, with a stadium fill rate of 74.72% and ticket prices kept low at $3.45, reflecting a cautious optimism among supporters. The coaching staff, led by seasoned professionals, faces the challenge of aligning their strategies to harness the potential within their lineup and pitching staff. As they navigate the season, the Seraphs must leverage their existing assets and address their weaknesses promptly to avoid another year of mediocrity and missed opportunities.

The Phoenix Firebirds have had a rocky start to the 1981 season, currently holding an 8-11 record and struggling to find consistency both on the mound and at the plate. Offensively, the team has been lackluster with a .249 batting average and an OPS of .666, highlighting their struggles to generate power and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Despite the individual efforts of standout players like Nick Perez, who boasts a .371 batting average and a .463 on-base percentage, the team overall has underperformed. Their pitching staff, while anchored by ace Stephen Grimes with a stellar 2.12 ERA, has been inconsistent, leading to a team ERA of 4.34. Injuries have also taken a toll, with five players on the disabled list, which has impacted their depth and performance significantly .

Defensively, the Firebirds have not fared much better, with a total Zone Rating (ZR) of -2.73 and nine errors, indicating fielding struggles that have cost them crucial games. Their fan base remains highly supportive, maintaining a high interest score and strong attendance, which keeps the financial side stable. However, this passionate support also means heightened expectations and pressure on the team to perform better. With a mix of seasoned veterans and promising young talent, the Firebirds have the potential to turn their season around, but they need to address their defensive lapses and pitching inconsistencies to improve their standings and make a serious playoff push.


Phoenix Firebirds lead the series 123 - 82 (includes post-season series 4-3 - 1974) | season series tied 0-0


Key players

Milestones:

SD – None
PHO – 1B Kevin Bell #29 needs 49 hits to reach 1500
LF Nick Perez #28 needs 18 stolen bases to reach 350.

All-Star Caliber:

Blue players:
SD - None
PHO - None

Green players:
SD - RF Leonardo Gonzalez #23 | Age: 30 | Bats: L | Throws: L


PHO - RHP Stephen Grimes #9 | Age: 29 | Bats: S | Throws: R




The Game:
Welcome baseball fans to Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Firebirds. Today’s featured contest pits the home team against the San Diego Seraphs of San Diego, California, who are striving to improve their standings in the NBC Western Division. Both teams have had a challenging start to the season, with the Firebirds holding an 8-11 record and the Seraphs trailing at 6-13. The Firebirds are looking to capitalize on their balanced approach and improve their standings, while the Seraphs aim to turn around their season by leveraging clutch hitting and key player performances.

According to early season predictions, both teams are hungry for wins and determined to climb the division ranks, despite a slow start. The Firebirds, with a modest 4.3% playoff probability, seek to build on their recent home performances. Meanwhile, the Seraphs, facing a 2.2% chance of making the playoffs, are eager to break their losing streak and gain momentum. This matchup promises to be a thrilling contest between two teams with much to prove, and their sights set on long-term success this season.

Today’s pitching matchup is LHP Barbu Nica #3 [0-0 0.00] for San Diego and for the Firebirds RHP Stephen Grimes #9 [1-1 2.12].


Hello, ABL fans, Big Earl here... coming to you live ... and in color from Phoenix AZ...! Welcome to Phoenix Grounds...! It's Weekday Series 4! Today we're witnessing an NBC Western Division matchup between... Dante Ramos and the San Diego Seraphs... versus... Nick Perez and the Phoenix Firebirds... This is Game One of a Four-Game Series

Attention! ... Attention please! ... ... Have your pencil ... and scorecards ready ... and I'll give you... the correct lineups ... for today's ball game.

First, for the visiting San Diego Seraphs... Managed by Jesse Wade... Batting first... playing center field... #11... Brandon Barclay... Batting second... playing left field... #4... Landon Keiter... Batting third... The designated hitter... #18... Jose Torres... Batting clean-up... playing second base... #49... Dante Ramos... Batting fifth... the catcher... #6... Artur Vaulin... Batting sixth... playing first base... #25... Edwin Avalos... Batting seventh... playing right field... #16... Elijah Wheat... Batting eighth... playing third base... #15... Masakuni Shiratori... Batting ninth... the shortstop... #38... Jason Stoker... The starting pitcher... for the San Diego Seraphs... Left hander ... #3... Barbu Nica...

And now here is the starting lineup for the home-standing Phoenix Firebirds... Managed by Bill Benisch... Batting first... The designated hitter... #28... Nick Perez... Batting second... the shortstop... #8... Gary Schuckman... Batting third... playing right field... #2... Jon Laflin... Batting clean-up... playing third base... #3... Frank Greene... Batting fifth... playing first base... #36... Justin Clayton... Batting sixth... the catcher... #50... Sam Ashworth ... Batting seventh... playing center field... #27... Josh Harrison... Batting eighth... playing second base... #13... Raul de la Torre... Batting ninth... playing left field... #16... Sergio Perez... The starting pitcher ... for the Phoenix Firebirds... Right hander ... #9... Stephen Grimes...

We are about to get underway here at Phoenix Grounds... where this years All-Star Game will be played this July... Today's attendance looks in excess of 23,000 fans... It's clear skies and 74 degrees at first pitch ... with the wind blowing in from center at 6 mph ...



Play Ball!!

⚾

ABL
SAN DIEGO SERAPHS @ PHOENIX FIREBIRDS
04/27/1981 Game 1 of 4
=================================================
TOP OF THE 1ST

San Diego Seraphs batting - Pitching for Phoenix Firebirds : RHP Stephen Grimes

Pitching: RHP Stephen Grimes

No Outs, Bases empty
Batting: SHB Brandon Barclay
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Swinging Strike
0-2: Ball
1-2: Ground out 3-1 (Groundball, 34S, EV 90.0 MPH)

1 Out, Bases empty
Batting: LHB Landon Keiter
0-0: SINGLE (Groundball, 34D, EV 103.1 MPH)

1 Out, Runner on 1st
Batting: LHB Jose Torres
0-0: Foul Ball, location: 2F
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: SINGLE (Line Drive, 9LS, EV 93.8 MPH)
Landon Keiter to second
Runner from 2nd tries for 3rd, SAFE, throw by RF made to third

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 3rd
Batting: LHB Dante Ramos
0-0: SINGLE (Groundball, 34D, EV 107.5 MPH)
Landon Keiter scores
Jose Torres to second
Runner from 2nd tries for 3rd, SAFE, throw by RF made to third

Seraphs 1, Firebirds 0

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 3rd
Batting: SHB Artur Vaulin
0-0: Ball
1-0: Ball
2-0: Ball
Wild Pitch!
Jose Torres scores
Dante Ramos to second

Seraphs 2, Firebirds 0

1 Out, Runner on 2nd
3-0: Base on Balls

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: LHB Edwin Avalos
0-0: Ball
1-0: Swinging Strike
1-1: SINGLE (Groundball, 4MD, EV 101.3 MPH)
Dante Ramos to third
Artur Vaulin to second
Runner from 3rd tries for Home, SAFE, throw by CF to home

Seraphs 3, Firebirds 0

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Elijah Wheat
0-0: Ball
1-0: Foul Ball, location: 9LSF
1-1: Swinging Strike
1-2: Strikes out swinging

2 Outs, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Masakuni Shiratori
0-0: Hit by Pitch
Artur Vaulin to third
Edwin Avalos to second

2 Outs, Bases loaded
Batting: RHB Jason Stoker
0-0: Swinging Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Fly out, F6 (Popup, 6MS, EV 76.9 MPH)


Top of the 1st over - 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on base; San Diego 3 - Phoenix 0
=================================================
TOP OF THE 3RD

San Diego Seraphs batting - Pitching for Phoenix Firebirds : RHP Stephen Grimes

No Outs, Bases empty
Batting: SHB Artur Vaulin
0-0: Ball
1-0: Swinging Strike
1-1: Ball
2-1: Ball
3-1: Base on Balls

No Outs, Runner on 1st
Batting: LHB Edwin Avalos
0-0: SINGLE (Groundball, 6MD, EV 102.5 MPH)
Artur Vaulin to second
Runner from 2nd tries for 3rd, SAFE, throw by CF made to third

No Outs, Runners on 1st & 3rd
Batting: RHB Elijah Wheat
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: SINGLE (Line Drive, 9S, EV 97.5 MPH)
Artur Vaulin scores
Edwin Avalos to second

Seraphs 4, Firebirds 0

No Outs, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Masakuni Shiratori
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: Swinging Strike
2-2: Strikes out swinging

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Jason Stoker
0-0: Ball
1-0: Ball
2-0: Called Strike
2-1: Foul Ball, location: 2F
2-2: Ball
3-2: Strikes out swinging

2 Outs, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: SHB Brandon Barclay
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: Ball
3-1: Foul Ball, location: 9LMF
3-2: SINGLE (Line Drive, 9S, EV 106.9 MPH)
Edwin Avalos to third
Elijah Wheat to second
Edwin Avalos scores
Elijah Wheat to third

Seraphs 5, Firebirds 0

2 Outs, Runners on 1st & 3rd
Batting: LHB Landon Keiter
0-0: Ball
1-0: Fly out, F5 (Line Drive, 5, EV 66.3 MPH)


Top of the 3rd over - 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base; San Diego 5 - Phoenix 0
=================================================
BOTTOM OF THE 3RD


Phoenix Firebirds batting - Pitching for San Diego Seraphs : LHP Barbu Nica

No Outs, Bases empty
Batting: RHB Nick Perez
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: SINGLE (Groundball, 34D, EV 109.4 MPH)

No Outs, Runner on 1st
Batting: RHB Gary Schuckman
0-0: Ball
Nick Perez steals 2nd base

No Outs, Runner on 2nd
1-0: Ball
2-0: Ground out 1-3 (Groundball, 13S, EV 63.8 MPH)
Nick Perez to third

1 Out, Runner on 3rd
Batting: RHB Jon Laflin
0-0: Foul Ball, location: 3F
0-1: SINGLE (Line Drive, 7S, EV 90.6 MPH)
Nick Perez scores

Seraphs 5, Firebirds 1

1 Out, Runner on 1st
Batting: RHB Frank Greene
0-0: Swinging Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: Foul Ball, location: 5F
2-2: Foul Ball, location: 7LSF
2-2: Foul Ball, location: 5FF
2-2: Ball
3-2: Foul Ball, location: 25F
3-2: Base on Balls
Jon Laflin to second

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Justin Clayton
0-0: Foul Ball, location: 5F
0-1: Ball
1-1: Fly out, F1 (Line Drive, P, EV 67.5 MPH)

2 Outs, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Sam Ashworth
0-0: Foul Ball, location: 3F
0-1: Foul Ball, location: 2F
0-2: Foul Ball, location: 9LDF
0-2: Ground out 4-3 (Groundball, 4, EV 81.3 MPH)


Bottom of the 3rd over - 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base; San Diego 5 - Phoenix 1
=================================================
TOP OF THE 4TH

San Diego Seraphs batting - Pitching for Phoenix Firebirds : RHP Stephen Grimes

No Outs, Bases empty
Batting: LHB Jose Torres
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Foul Ball, location: 3F
0-2: Ball
1-2: Ball
2-2: Ball
3-2: Base on Balls

No Outs, Runner on 1st
Batting: LHB Dante Ramos
0-0: Ball
1-0: DOUBLE (Line Drive, 8LXD, EV 110.6 MPH)
Jose Torres to third

Phoenix Firebirds skipper Bill Benisch is headed toward the mound...
He's asking Grimes for the ball... Pitching change here....
Pitching: RHP Ricardo Figueroa

No Outs, Runners on 2nd & 3rd
Batting: SHB Artur Vaulin
0-0: Swinging Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Ball
2-1: Called Strike
2-2: Strikes out swinging

1 Out, Runners on 2nd & 3rd
Batting: LHB Edwin Avalos
0-0: Ball
1-0: SINGLE (Line Drive, 8RS, EV 103.8 MPH)
Jose Torres scores
Dante Ramos to third
Runner from 3rd tries for Home, SAFE, throw by CF to home

Seraphs 7, Firebirds 1

1 Out, Runner on 1st
Batting: RHB Elijah Wheat
0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Called Strike
0-2: Ball
1-2: Foul Ball, location: 25FF
1-2: Foul Ball, location: 9LDF
1-2: Foul Ball, location: 25F
1-2: Ball
2-2: Ball
3-2: SINGLE (Line Drive, 34, EV 96.3 MPH)
Edwin Avalos to second

1 Out, Runners on 1st & 2nd
Batting: RHB Masakuni Shiratori
0-0: Foul Ball, location: 7LSF
0-1: Foul Ball, location: 9LMF
0-2: Grounds into double play, 3-6-3 (Groundball, 34, EV 84.4 MPH)


Top of the 4th over - 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base; San Diego 7 - Phoenix 1

=================================================


Well, there you have it... Let's take a look at the totals for the game. First for the victorious San Diego Seraphs, 7 runs, on 13 hits, One error, they left 9 men on base. They improve their record to 7-13. for the Phoenix Firebirds, One run, on 6 hits, No errors, they left 10 men on base. They fall to 8-12.

The San Diego Seraphs dominated the Phoenix Firebirds, with a decisive 7-1 victory. The Seraphs came out strong in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs. Landon Keiter singled, followed by Jose Torres' single, and both advanced on throws. Dante Ramos then singled, bringing in Keiter. A wild pitch allowed Torres to score, and Edwin Avalos' single drove in Ramos, setting a solid 3-nothing lead for San Diego. Despite Phoenix pitcher Stephen Grimes managing to strike out Elijah Wheat and get Masakuni Shiratori out to end the inning, the damage was done.

San Diego extended their lead with two more runs in the third inning and another two in the fourth. The Seraphs' batters consistently put pressure on Phoenix, with notable hits from Edwin Avalos and Elijah Wheat. Phoenix struggled against San Diego's pitching, with Barbu Nica keeping the Firebirds at bay. Phoenix's only run came in the bottom of the third, when Nick Perez singled, stole second, and was driven in by Jon Laflin's single. However, they failed to capitalize on further opportunities, leaving runners stranded. San Diego's bullpen maintained their lead, with Danny LaRocque closing out the game, ensuring a 7-1 win for the Seraphs.

The winning pitcher is... Barbu Nica... his record improves to... 1-0... Danny LaRocque gets the save... His first. Stephen Grimes gets the loss... His record falls to 1-2



The player of the game is Firebirds long-man Ricardo Figueroa.

The paid attendance was 23,548 faithful.

To recap...
The Phoenix Firebirds got a superb performance from pitcher Ricardo Figueroa, but the San Diego Seraphs still won the game, 7-1. Figueroa came in in relief and pitched to 19 batters. Barbu Nica, the winning pitcher, improved to 1-oh. He pitched 5 and a third innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 run, while striking out 4 and walking 5. Phoenix falls to 8-12. Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Dante Ramos? The San Diego second baseman had a run-scoring single in the top of the first inning to put the Seraphs on top, 1 nothing. For the game, Ramos had 1 double and 1 single in 4 at-bats. Ramos attributed the win to his team's "focus and intensity." San Diego improves to 7-13.

This is Big Earl signing off from Phoenix Grounds. Where today's final score is...

San Diego Seraphs 7 – Phoenix Firebirds 1..

Until next time... This is the Game!



WIN!!


Note: The Minneapolis at Chicago game was postponed due to weather and will be replayed on April 28, 1981 as part of a doubleheader.


Real. Fictional. ⚾.

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