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Islandian Pro Alliance
Sunday, May 27, 2001
Tycobbian Union - East Division
Ninjas End Z's Steak at 6
It took them 14 innings to do it, but Ginza ended Luxora's 6-game winning with an exciting 7-5 victory in the first game of the doubleheader at De la Vega Stadium. Catcher Howard Mitchell (.261) stroked a two-run homer off losing pitcher Andy Stevens (2-1 4.26) for the win. The two clubs set several IPA records for an extra-inning contest. The Ninjas totaled 22 hits for a new mark. Luxora added 16 hits, giving them a new record of 38 for the game. For Ginza Mitchell and first baseman Kenshin Yamamoto both went 5-for-7 with Yamamoto tying the game with a dramatic 3-run ninth-inning home run. Shortstop Kaz Ojima (.310) chipped in 4-for-8 for the winners. Topping the Zorros were first baseman Paul Hallenbeck (.326) with four hits and two RBIs and left fielder Tom Fortunato (.273) with two hits and two RBIs. Closer Ken Watkins (3-1 2.25) captured the win. He allowed only one run in five innings and fanned three.
Ginza Wins Nightcap 5-3, Takes Pair from Zorros
The Ginza Ninjas won the nightcap 5-3 and swept a pair from the first place Luxora Zorros. 34-year-old righty, Kazuhiro Nakayama (4-5 2.75) pitched the entire game and scattered nine hits with six strikeouts and zero walks. Keith Callahan (4-3 2.25) absorbed the defeat by being touched for three runs, eight hits and four walks in six innings. Sparking the Ninjas 12-hit attack, right fielder Charlie Campbell (.298) ripped four base hits, with a double and homer included, and had a pair of RBIs.
Ginza (19-19) got back to the .500 mark with the two triumphs. The Ninjas are now in the fourth spot in the TU East Division. Luxora's record dipped to 21-15 on the year.
Nats Nip CC 5-4 in Opener
The Ozarka Naturals were outhit 10-6 by Cape Coral, but three homers made the difference. The Nats won the first game of the twinbill 5-4 with solo homers from first baseman Poochie Kramer (.286), center fielder Teddy Braun (.319) and shortstop Gil Lantz (.265). Third baseman Doug Cunningham (.243) added a two-run double to the attack. Heading the Hurricanes was left fielder Rod Kelly (.333) with his 8th home run of the year. Little righthander Luther Hatch (6-3 3.03) went the distance and held off Cape Coral in a gutty performance. He fanned four, walked only one and allowed 10 hits. Starter Owen Pruitt (2-3 3.46) gave up five runs and four hits in three innings and suffered the defeat.
Nats Sweep Hurricanes
Ozarka took both ends of the doubleheader with Cape Coral, taking the nightcap in a 12-1 rout. The sweep enabled the Naturals to move ahead of the Hurricanes into sole possession of second place in the RU South Division. Ozarka had the firepower and the pitching. They slammed 14 hits and were paced by first baseman Floyd Snow (.276) with four RBIs, third baseman Doug Cunningham (.255) with three and center fielder Teddy Braun (.322) with a pair of RBIs. Left fielder Ronnie Patterson (.248) whacked his 8th roundtripper and scored three times. Yasuyuki Nakagawa (5-2 2.20) limited Cape Coral to six hits, struck out six and walked four for the victory. Kaz Hayagawa (3-5 4.23) caught the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.
The Nats (21-17) now trail first place Luxora (21-15) by just one game. The Hurricanes (19-18) are third, 2.5 games off the pace.
Hellcats Captured First Game 5-0 from Stallions
The Hartsdale fans got more than they bargained for -- a good baseball game and an old old-fashioned donnybrook. A fight broke out between the two managers when they were turning in the starting lineups. Hellcat manager, Zim Donner, and South Fork manager, Lips Leon, started swinging at one another and had to be restrained by the umpires. Both skippers were ejected. Donner seemed to get the best of the altercation. There was already bad blood brewing between the two clubs. Donner was quoted as saying he would kick Leon's behind, if he didn't keep his mouth shut. Apparently Lips couldn't curb his tongue.
As far as the baseball game was concerned, the Hellcats won that contest, too. They blanked the Stallions 5-0 in the first game of the twinbill behind the combined efforts of Phil Reed and Roger Graves. Reed's arm tightened up in the fifth and he had to be taken out. He allowed six hits, but no runs. Graves (2-3 7.09) notched the win with five strikeouts and no walks. He gave up four hits the rest of the way. Keith Olson (2-4 3.11) was the loser, allowing four runs and seven hits in the first three frames. Leading the Hartsdale 12-hit offense was shortstop Mike Burke (.352) with two hits and three RBIs. Left fielder Jay Luna (.299) smacked three hits and scored twice. Center fielder Greg Reynolds (.233) homered and scored twice for the Hellcats.
SF Gets Split Decision, Top Hellcats in Game Two
All was quiet on the eastern front for game two -- neither manager put up his dukes this time -- and South Fork got a split decision with a win in the nightcap 4-2. First baseman Rod Reed (.208) delivered the key hit -- a three-run homer in the sixth off Danny Griffin to put the Stallions in the lead 3-2. Center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (.264) chipped in another home run in the top of the ninth. Flint Battle (5-4 2.99) claimed the victory, but needed help from Billy Joe Gordon. Battle yielded two runs and six hits over seven innings. Manager Lips Leon said he had thrown too many pitches and was tiring. Gordon came in and got his third save, striking out three in two innings and permitting a pair of hits. Hellcat starter Danny Griffin (4-6 3.23) took the loss, giving up four hits and three runs in six innings. Hartsdale had an 8-6 edge in base hits. Shortstop Mike Burke (.365) had three hits, including a roundtripper, to lead the Hartsdale batters.
Hartsdale (17-21) hung on to fifth place in the TU East standings with the split of the doubleheader, while South Fork (16-23) is last in the division.
Duroche "Lips" Leon, never at a loss for words, told reporters that he will demand a rematch with Donner. "Next time I will floor him. He is as puny as his ballclub. Donner would have gotten the worst of it, I guarantee. He's lucky the umps kept me off of him."
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