The Pastime Baseball League

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League Friday, Oct. 1, 2010

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

SOUTHERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

New Orleans Knights (95-67) vs San Antonio Sheriffs (101-61)


NEW ORLEANS LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG J. Fournier .326 J. Rowe .314 S. Thompson .304 T. Hartsel .297 R. Barnes .293	Team Leaders HR S. Thompson 37 E. Longoria 28 G. Wright 26 P. Fielder 22 T. Hartsel 22	Team Leaders RBI S. Thompson 132 T. Hartsel 112 P. Fielder 104 E. Longoria 100 C. Granderson 95
Team Leaders W M. Prior 23 D. Willis 19 D. McJames 15 R. Nolasco 13 R. Harden 7	Team Leaders ERA D. Willis 3.16 M. Prior 3.21 D. McJames 3.89 R. Nolasco 4.78	Team Leaders K M. Prior 258 D. McJames 173 R. Nolasco 124 D. Willis 118 R. Harden 77

SAN ANTONIO LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG R. Furcal .333 S. Podsednik .313 H. Duffy .308 J. Williams .297 B. O'Neill .290	Team Leaders HR 2 tied with 16 W. Schang 16 J. Williams 16 H. Duffy 15 2 tied with 9	Team Leaders RBI B. O'Neill 109 H. Duffy 105 J. Williams 85 F. Parent 80 S. Podsednik 70
Team Leaders W T. Trent 21 J. McGinnity 20 D. Rudolph 16 N. Hahn 13 J. Whitney 12	Team Leaders ERA T. Trent 2.58 D. Rudolph 3.40 J. McGinnity 3.65 N. Hahn 5.17	Team Leaders K T. Trent 225 N. Hahn 134 J. McGinnity 118 B. Webb 112 D. Rudolph 92

While the Northern League has a repeat matchup, down South it's a duel between last year's division runner-ups.

When Memphis battled Arizona last season, the Strummers had a marked advantage in hitting and pitching, as was carried out in a 4-game sweep.

This is a bit different. New Orleans has the league's powerhouse offense, averaging an absurd 6 runs a game. They also have the Southern League's second-best team ERA, at 4.17. So what's the difference?

San Antonio leads all of baseball in team ERA, with a full .60 lower mark (3.57) than New Orleans. Of course, that's muted somewhat as Ted Trent is done for the year with surgery to relieve nerve pressure in his elbow. That move will shuffle the rotation, which now has sinkerballer Brandon Webb slated to start Game 1 against homer-happy New Orleans.

San Antonio's offense isn't poor, third in the Southern League at 5.1 runs per game. Still, New Orleans has five hitters who knocked more than 20 homers . San Antonio's leaders were two guys with 16.

Prediction: It's true that good pitching beats good hitting. But this is a situation where New Orleans' offense is so dominant that, even if San Antonio can keep them somewhat in check - and they may - New Orleans' staff is good enough to neutralize San Antonio as well. Add in the injuries to Furcal and Ted Trent and you have a good, close series, but the Knights have too much firepower to be held down over the longer series. New Orleans in 6.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Northern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 1: Bill Byrd (21-6, 3.18) takes the hill for Game One for the Heroes against Al Orth (17-6, 3.44). New York picks up two singles in the top of the first. But with first and third and two out, with 108-RBI man David Wright at the plate, Jesse Burkett is picked off first to avert the crisis. Sammy Strang bangs a leadoff single for Wichita, but he's thrown out going for two - costly when Frank Chance doubles two batters later.

David Wright leads off the second with a double down the third base line. Jim Viox singles hard to left, and Wright is held up. Ed McKean would loft one to left that Luis Terrero dropped, scoring Wright and putting runners on first and third. Viox would score on an Aaron Miles groundout to give New York a 2-0 lead.

In last year's postseason, this is a situation in which Wichita would score right away. Instead, the Brigade went in order. But they would answer, scoring two in the bottom of the third after two walks and then two singles from Frank Isbell and Frank Chance, knotting the game at 2.

Byrd and Orth matched zeroes until the top of the 6th, when Jesse Burkett led off with a triple. Wright singled him home to make it 3-2, and was sacrificed to second before scoring on another triple, this one from Ed McKean. Orth would intentionally walk Grady Sizemore to set up the double play, but Aaron Miles would loop an RBI single to make it 5-2. A Fielder Jones sac fly and a Dick Higham double would come before the inning ended - Joe Kennedy having relieved Orth - with New York leading 7-2.

Byrd would stay sharp, going the distance. In the interim, New York would tack on 3 more runs: an RBI single from Ed McKean in the 7th and a 2-run double from Grady Sizemore in the 9th, giving New York a tremendous game 1 victory.

New York 10, Wichita 2 (New York leads series 1-0)

Game 2: Down 1-0, Wichita turns to Rube Waddell (13-15, 4.14) to try and even the series. While nothing like the remarkable Waddell who took this mound a year earlier, there's a widespread belief he can do the job again. Bill Drake (9-9, 3.44) goes for the Heroes.

Through five innings, this one is scoreless, Drake showing his September form (he posted a 1.86 ERA for the month), while Waddell turned back to 2009, scattering hits but never breaking, getting big, inning-ending strikeouts three times.

In the top of the 6th, Dick Higham and Irish Meusel lead off with back-to-back singles. Waddell bears down to strike out Jesse Burkett and David Wright, setting himself up to escape the jam. But Jim Viox singled home Higham, putting New York up 1-0 before Waddell struck out Ed McKean to end the inning.

This time, Wichita did answer immediately, scoring a pair on a George Wright 2-run homer to give Wichita the 2-1 lead.

Oyster Burns homered off Drake in the 7th to make it 3-1.

In the top of the 8th, Irish Meusel led off with a double. But Waddell struck out Jesse Burkett before tying up David Wright and Jim Viox, busting them in and inducing a pair of weak tappers back to the mound to end the inning. It would be the last thread New York would muster, as Waddell would wrap up the complete game, evening the series at 1 apiece.

Wichita 3, New York 1 (Series tied 1-1)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Northern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 3: The series moves to New York tied at 1. Jay Hughes (15-7, 3.83) takes the hill for the Brigade against Outstanding Pitcher candidate Jim McCormick (24-12, 3.35).

The Heroes didn't miss injured star Roger Connor in Game 1, when they put up 10 runs. But Game 2 was a much different story, mustering only a single run. Connor's replacement, Aaron Miles, is hitting .300 for the series but hit .196 in 46 ABs in the regular season.

In the bottom of the first, Fielder Jones led off the game for the Heroes with an absolute bomb, a 448-foot shot to right-center on a 1-2 fastball, putting New York up 1-0.

That's how things stayed until the top of the 6th, when Wichita got singles from Frank Chance and Mike Moynahan to start things off. George Davis hit a sac fly to score Chance from third and tie things up at 1. A two-out single from Oyster Burns would get Moynahan to third, where he would be stranded when David DeJesus flied to center.

New York pulled a Wichita hallmark, answering back immediately. Dick Higham slapped a 1-out single, scoring on a 2-out double into the gap from Jesse Burkett to put New York back in front 2-1.

Hughes was good, but McCormick was better through 8 innings. Still, McCormick came out, having thrown 126 pitches, and closer Jonathan Papelbon came in to try to close it out.

Oyster Burns singled to left to start the inning for Wichita, coming out for the fleet Hub Collins. But Collins was erased when DeJesus hit into a force. Eric Byrnes pinch hit for the struggling Ollie Beard - last year's PBL Championship Series MVP. Byrnes would fly out to shallow right. Sammy Strang flew out to medium right to end it, putting New York up 2-1 in the series.

New York 2, Wichita 1 (New York leads series 2-1)

Game 4: Down 2-1, Wichita refuses to temp the fates, sending Al Orth back out there on three days rest. New York counters with Bill Byrd, also on short rest, as they look to put Wichita in a tough hole.

As they had in Game 3, New York struck in the first. Fielder Jones led off with a double, moved to third on Irish Meusel's one-out single and scored on Jesse Burkett's sac fly.

Byrd, meanwhile, retired the first 10 to face him. Frank Isbell reached on an error by Ed Mckean with one out in the fourth, but was thrown out stealing. Frank Chance singled, but was stranded.

The Heroes would tack on another in a 4th inning in which they would make Orth throw 29 pitches, starting with Jesse Burkett's leadoff walk. David Wright singled before Jim Viox popped out. Ed McKean followed with a single to score Burkett. With Grady Sizemore up, David Wright tried to steal third but was thrown out. Sizemore would pop to second to end the inning.

George Davis doubled to lead off the fifth, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Byrd struck out Luis Terrero, but walked Oyster Burns on four pitches to put first and third. He would strike out David DeJesus before getting Ollie Beard to ground to Wright to end the inning, and the threat.

In the fifth, Fielder Jones and Dick Higham hit back-to-back singles, with Jones moving to third. That enabled him to score on Irish Meusel's groundout to give New York a 3-0 lead.

Byrd gave out a one-out double to Frank Isbell in the 6th, but stranded him at second. In the bottom of the innings, the Heroes got back-to-back two-out hits: a single from Ed McKean and an RBI double from Grady Sizemore, to put New York up 4-0.

Byrd allowed a leadoff single to George Davis in the 7th, but struck out Terrero, Burns and DeJesus in succession. He would strike out two more in the 8th and another in the 9th to close it out, setting Wichita aside and putting the Heroes one game from the PBL Championship.

New York 4, Wichita 0 (New York leads series 3-1)

[Jeff1787]

I really like the format you use. How do you post your pictures? Do you use ImageShack or a similar site?

Thanks, Jeff

PS I voted in your polls.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Northern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 5: Facing elimination, the defending champion Wichita Brigade send Rube Waddell to the hill, confident after his complete game 1-run, 7 K performance in Game 2. New York elects, despite the 3-1 advantage, to go with Bill Drake to duel Waddell on three days rest again, hoping to close out the series.

Each team strands a runner in the first, and Wichita repeats the feat in the top of the second.

David Wright, having a rough series despite New York's success, strikes out to start the second. Jim Viox singles, and goes to third when the next batter, Ed Mckean, singles to right. The ill-advised throw to third by Oyster Burns allows McKean to advance to second. Aaron Miles, who if you recall is playing because of Roger Connor's broken arm, blooped a single into right center to bring bother runners home and give New York a 2-0 lead.

Waddell comes with straight cheddar to the next batter, Martin Dihigo. As fast as it came in, though, it went out, Dihigo blasting a two-run shot to right to put New York up 4-0 and bring the raucous crowd to its collective feet.

New York would tack on another off Waddell in the 4th, when Aaron Miles walked and scored on Fielder Jones' double.

Meanwhile, Bill Drake was cruising. He retired the side on 7 pitches in the 5th, struck out the side in the sixth and allowed only a 1-out walk in the 7th.

Ollie Beard stroked a one-out double in the 8th and would come around two batters later when Frank Isbell went down the right field line. But that would be all Wichita would muster, stranding Isbell before a throw-in-the-towel four-pitch inning in the 9th.

The New York crowd exploded with cheers as Drake was mobbed at the mound by his teammates. Despite Irish Meusel and David Wright only driving in one run apiece in Roger Connor's absence, the Heroes are the 2010 Northern League champions.

New York 5, Wichita 1 (New York wins series 4-1)


Series MVP: Bill Byrd (2-0, 1.00 ERA, 20 Ks in 18 IP)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by Jeff1787

I really like the format you use. How do you post your pictures? Do you use ImageShack or a similar site?

Thanks, Jeff

PS I voted in your polls.

Thanks a lot on both counts, Jeff. For the pictures and logos, I just link to the images on my Web site using the insert image tab above.

[NYY #23]

New York really rolled that series. I'm a little surprised not only that they pulled it off, but they didn't seem to have much difficulty doing it.

Now let's go San Antonio!

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

New York really rolled that series. I'm a little surprised not only that they pulled it off, but they didn't seem to have much difficulty doing it.

Now let's go San Antonio!

I was stunned it went down like it did, especially after I realized Connor was out for the season. I don't know how I missed that. All of a sudden, I'm looking through the Game 3 log, which is how I do my writeups, wondering "Man, Connor hasn't done a thing." Then I realize he's out for the season.

Lame, but I changed my prediction to Wichita at that point...it was after the fact, but I never would have picked New York to win had I realized Connor was hurt.

The Southern League series is up next.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

I was stunned it went down like it did, especially after I realized Connor was out for the season. I don't know how I missed that. All of a sudden, I'm looking through the Game 3 log, which is how I do my writeups, wondering "Man, Connor hasn't done a thing." Then I realize he's out for the season.

Lame, but I changed my prediction to Wichita at that point...it was after the fact, but I never would have picked New York to win had I realized Connor was hurt.

The Southern League series is up next.

It goes to show you never really know what will happen once you get into the playoffs. Makes predictions tough, but fun none the less.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Southern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 1: Hoping the neutralize the power bats of the New Orleans Knights, San Antonio decided to send sinkerballer Brandon Webb (10-7, 3.06) to the hill in the opener opposite New Orleans ace Mark Prior (23-8, 3.21).

Webb allowed only five homers in 141 innings pitched this season, and it took Webb only six pitches to induce three grounders in the opening inning.

The broken wrist suffered by shortstop Rafael Furcal in early September shifted everything around for San Antonio. The defensively challenged Mike Lamb played third, with Jimmy Williams moving over to second and Freddy Parent playing short.

Lamb, though, singled with one out in the first. Williams reached on an error by George Wright. Then, after Prior struck out Buck O'Neil, Hugh Duffy singled up the middle to plate Lamb and give San Antonio a 1-0 lead.

That's how it stayed until the top of the third, when Webb - who had set down the first six to face him - walked leadoff man Prince Fielder on four pitches. Webb got Curtis Granderson to pop up to third, then struck out Jack Rowe. But Ross Barnes, who hit 8 homers on the year, would take Webb deep for 2-run homer to give New Orleans a 2-1 lead.

The Knights would tie it in the fourth, when Topsy Hartsel drew a 1-out walk and went to third on Evan Longoria's single. George Wright would knock a sac fly to put New Orleans up 3-1.

There were three hits combined between Longoria's one-out single that inning and when Jimmy Williams came up for San Antonio in the bottom of the 8th. With the score still 3-1, Williams took a hanging 1-1 curveball deep to center for a solo homer to bring the Sheriffs within 3-2.

Webb stayed in to start the 9th, and he'd finish it, too. But not before allowing a Topsy Hartsel double and a 2-run shot to George Wright, giving New Orleans a 3-run cushion.

Prior closed it out himself in the bottom of the ninth. New Orleans got only five hits off of Webb, but with two of them being homers, managed to touch him for five runs, making his line look far worse than he truly pitched.

Regardless, the Knights struck first.

New Orleans 5, San Antonio 2 (New Orleans leads 1-0)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Southern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 2: With New Orleans leading after a hard-fought Game 1 win, the Knights send Dontrelle Willis (19-7, 3.16) to the hill against rookie Dick Rudolph (16-8, 3.40).

New Orleans would go down in order in the top of the 1st. But in the bottom of the inning, San Antonio got a 1-out single from Michael Young and a 2-out blast from Hugh Duffy, whose terrible 2009 seems like a lifetime ago now.

In a half inning, Rudolph's easy first inning would feel like a lifetime ago as well.

Topsy Hartsel walked to start the second, and Evan Longoria followed with a single. George Wright then doubled to left to score Hartsel, while Longoria held at third. Prince Fielder would follow by lining a single to left that would score both Longoria and Wright to give New Orleans a 3-2 lead. After Curtis Granderson grounded out and Jack Rowe flew out to center, it seemed Rudolph would be able to minimize the damage. But Ross Barnes lined a single to left-center to tack on another, putting New Orleans up 4-2. Jack Fournier would walk, bringing up the powerful Sam Thompson. But Thompson would hit a lazy fly to left to end the inning.

San Antonio answered, though. Freddy Parent tripled to lead off the bottom of the second, and scored when George Pinkney slapped the first pitch to second for an RBI groundout, cutting the Knights' lead to 4-3.

New Orleans would strand two against Rudolph in the top of the third, and Michael Young would spark San Antonio in the bottom of the inning with his own leadoff triple, as Parent had done the inning before. Jimmy Williams grounded to second to bring Young home and tie the game at four, as both pitchers look as though a shower will be in their near future.

Rudolph would take his first. Jack Rowe led off the fourth with a single, and scored when Ross Barnes doubled him home. Barnes would move to third on the throw home, and score on Jack Fournier's groundout two pitches later. The groundout gave the Knights a 6-4 lead and ended Rudolph's day.

It's amazing to consider that last year's Southern League Outstanding Pitcher, Noodles Hahn, is relegated to bullpen duty in this year's postseason. But, despite a season best 3.65 ERA in September, Hahn (13-15, 5.17) was put in the pen by Sheriffs skipper Bobby Cox. Here, though, San Antonio hoped he could find his old magic and keep them in what had become a slugfest.

Hahn's third pitch to Sam Thompson, the first batter he faced, left the yard in dynamic fashion, a solo homer to put New Orleans up 7-4. Two batters later, Evan Longoria put a ball out of domestic airspace - a 450-foot bomb to left that put the Kights up 8-4.

Willis got through the bottom of the 4th unscathed, and Hahn took the mound for San Antonio again in the fifth, when Jack Rowe would hit the third homer off Hahn in seven batters, putting New Orleans up 9-4.

Hahn struck out Barnes and Fournier to end the inning, but the damage was done.

San Antonio had more in the tank, though. After Scott Podsednik struck out to open the 5th, Michael Young singled and Jimmy Williams smashed a 2-run homer to narrow the deficit to 9-6. Hugh Duffy followed with a single, moved to second on a groundout and scored when Freddy Parent lined a triple into the right-center gap, making it 9-7.

That was all for Willis, who was replaced by Josh Towers (2-8, 5.55). George Pinkney popped up the first pitch, which Jack Fournier grabbed to end the inning.

Towers would throw 2 1/3 hitless innings of relief, while San Antonio's Deacon Phillippe (2-0, 2.25) matched zeroes in the run department until the top of the 9th, when Curtis Granderson singled home George Wright to make it the ultimate final, 10-7.

San Antonio has dropped the first two games of the series, and dropped both at home, placing New Orleans firmly in the driver's seat.

New Orleans 10, San Antonio 7 (New Orleans leads series 2-0)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Southern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 3: Desperation has set in for San Antonio, which knows coming back from a 3-0 deficit will be virtually impossible. They dropped both games at home, as bad a situation as they could have imagined. They sent Joe McGinnity (20-12, 3.65) against Doc McJames (15-12, 3.89).

McJames retired the Sheriffs in order in the top of the 1st. In the bottom of the inning, Ross Barnes smacked McGinnity's first pitch into left for a clean single. Jack Fournier would fly out to left before Sam Thompson doubled to deep right. Jimmy Wolf played it off the wall perfectly, and Barnes ended up holding at third. But Topsy Hartsel hit a sac fly to score Barnes, putting the Knights up 1-0.

Buck O'Neil walked to lead off the second. After Hugh Duffy flied out, Freddy Parent tripled into the gap, scoring O'Neil and making it a 1-1 game. Yorvit Torrealba then grounded to short to score Parent and give the Sherrifs a 2-1 lead.

The road for McJames would get rocky again in the 4th. O'Neil led off with a single, which Duffy repeated before Freddy Parent walked to load the bases. Yorvit Torrealba grounded into a force, scoring O'Neil to make it 3-1. Bobby Veach then drove Duffy home with a single of his own to make it a 4-1 ballgame.

With a cushion, Joe McGinnity started the 4th well, retiring the first two to face him. But George Wright singled, and the next batter - Prince Fielder - homered to right to make it 4-3.

McJames buckled down and threw zeroes the rest of the way, through 8 innings. In the meantime, though, McGinnity did the same. After Josh Towers threw a scoreless 9th for New Orleans, Hideki Okajima came on to close it out for San Antonio.

Evan Longoria struck out looking for the first out, but George Wright singled on an 0-2 slider. Lave Cross ran for Wright. Prince Fielder saw nine pitches before striking out. Curtis Granderson would walk to make it first and second, with the winning run on first. But Jack Rowe drove Okajima's first pitch into the ground to first for a routine play, Buck O'Neil took it to the bag and San Antonio was back in business.

San Antonio 4, New Orleans 3 (New Orleans leads 2-1)

[NYY #23]

About time San Antonio won a game! I hope it is the start of a comeback.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

About time San Antonio won a game! I hope it is the start of a comeback.

Missing Ted Trent is killing them, though. New York survived losing Connor. Asking San Antonio to survive missing Rafael Furcal and Trent is a tall order.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Southern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 4: San Antonio got good news with the desperately needed win in Game 3. The Sheriffs elect or bring Brandon Webb back on three days rest to try and even the series, despite a rested and healthy Jim Whitney. New Orleans counters with Mark Prior in an equally surprising move.

As it seems much of the postseason has gone, scoring begins in the bottom of the first, when Jack Fournier draws a 1-out walk and Sam Thompson follows with a double. Fournier is held at third, but scores when Topsy Hartsel hits a sac fly, making it 1-0 New Orleans.

Prior needed 8 pitches in the 2nd; Webb needed 12, and it looked like hits could again be at a premium. San Antonio tied it in the third, though, as Bobby Veach hit a one-out double before scoring on Scott Podsednik's single. Jimmy Williams would put one down the left field line for a single, but a perfect throw from Hartsel cut down Podsednik at third to end the inning.

Webb needed 8 pitches and 3rd and 8 more in the 4th, while Prior stranded a pain in the third and cruised his way through innings number 4 and 5.

Curtis Granderson singled off Webb in the 5th. Jack Rowe squared to move him over but bunted it foul. He squared a second time and bunted it foul again. Behind 0-2, Rowe took a ball, fouled two more pitches back and then took two more balls. He then hammered a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield wall for a 2-run homer, giving New Orleans a 3-1 lead.

Webb was visibly shaken on the mound, stretching his arm after taking a fresh ball from the ump. Ross Barnes flew to left before Fournier singled. But Sam Thompson bounced back to the mound, and it seemed Webb would be through the bump. Instead, he'd be through for the game.

Webb was pulled with what would ultimately be diagnosed as an impingement in his shoulder and revealed to be a condition he had fought off and on.

Deacon Phillippe relieved Webb to get Hartsel to bounce to first and retire the side.

Prior was still in a groove, needing 8 pitches again in the 6th.

Phillippe allowed a 1-out single to George Wright and a double to Prince Fielder. Wright would hold, which would prove irrelevant as Curtis Granderson tripled down the first base line, making it 5-1.

Backing up third, Phillippe rolled his ankle awkwardly and would be removed from the game. Jose Contreras relieved him, and summarily gave up a single to Rowe to make it 6-1.

Prior would cruise the distance, while the Knights picked up three more runs in the 8th on a solo homer by Fielder, a wild pitch and an RBI single from Sam Thompson, all part of the onslaught that puts San Antonio on the edge of elimination.

New Orleans 9, San Antonio 1 (New Orleans leads 3-1)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

Southern League Championship Series Review
at

Game 5: Dick Rudolph and Dontrelle Willis lock up again, as 3-man rotations are the norm this postseason it seems.

George Pinkney smacked the first pitch from Willis into center, and San Antonio quickly hoped for a fast start. Jimmy Williams hit an RBI double to score Pinkney, but Knights catcher Jack Rowe would fire a strike to third to nab Williams trying to advance. Still, San Antonio was up 1-0.

Rudolph, who struggled in Game 2, hit Ross Barnes to open the bottom of the first. But Jack Fournier and Sam Thompson would each swing at the first pitch. Each would fly out meekly. Topsy Hartsel then hit a grounder in the hole between first and second that a diving Michael Young knocked down but couldn't make a play on. Then, with two runners on, Evan Longoria slammed a 3-run homer to straight left.

Down 3-1, San Antonio fought back with a run in the top of the second. Freddy Parent led off with a double. Michael Young hit a grounder to third that Longoria let go through the wickets. A hustling Parent came all the way around the score, making it a 3-2 game.

It was New Orleans' turn again in the bottom of the second. Jack Rowe led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Ross Barnes sac fly to put the Knights up 4-2.

Dontrelle Willis retired Ryan Spilborghs to start the inning with a groundout to short. Jimmy Williams followed with a single to left. Hugh Duffy would take a fastball away before yanking the next pitch down the first base line into the corner. Williams would score and Duffy would dive into third with a triple. Buck O'Neil would then fly to right, allowing Duffy to score when Sam Thompson's throw went up the third base line, tying the game at 4.

And then it was done. The third went by...scoreless. Then the fourth. And so it continued, neither team getting anywhere near a threat, let alone a run. And after 8 innings, the score remained 4-4, with Rudolph and Willis having acquitted themselves well.

Josh Towers took the hill for New Orleans in the top of the 9th, and would walk Scott Podsednik on four pitches. George Pinkney would lay down a sacrifice to move Podsednik to second. Ryan Spilborghs then grounded one in the hole that Ross Barnes dove and smothered but couldn't find the handle on. With runners at the corners, Jimmy Williams grounded a single up the middle to give San Antonio a 5-4 lead. With two on, Towers would retire Hugh Duffy and Buck O'Neil to close out the inning.

San Antonio's 5-4 lead brought closer Hideki Okajima to the mound. Fred Carroll, pinch hitting for Curtis Granderson, singled on the first pitch he saw, drilling a fastball into center. Jack Rowe would drop a bunt between the mound and first, but Okajima dropped it after picking it up, keeping both runners safe. Ross Barnes followed with a perfect sacrifice, putting the tying run on third and the series-winning run on second.

Jack Fournier struck out, bringing up the feared Sam Thompson. Amazingly, Okajima pitched to Thompson with first base open. Thompson promptly singled to right, bringing Carroll home. Jack Rowe followed, but a perfect throw from Ryan Spilborghs cut him down, keeping the game at 5-5 and the series for San Antonio alive.

Towers retired the Sheriffs in order in the top of the 10th.

Okajima stayed in for a second inning of work as well, and this one would start as his first did, with a leadoff single - this time to Topsy Hartsel. With the count 2-0 to Evan Longoria, Hartsel broke for second, stealing the bag and putting the Knights' PBL Championship Series berth 180 feet away. He'd knock 90 feet off that, moving to third on Longoria's groundout.

George Wright was intentionally walked to set up a double play possibility, and Prince Fielder was essentially pitched around, walking as well to load the bases.

Fred Carroll came up with a chance to win it, but popped his chance straight up, with Yorvit Torrealba squeezing it for out number two.

Jack Rowe stepped in. With Fred Carroll already in the game, Carroll could have gone to catch had Rowe been pinch hit for. Rowe had only 41 ABs against lefties on the season and hit .220. Righty outfielders Rocco Baldelli and Xavier Nady were both available to hit.

But skipper Walter Alston left Rowe in to face Okajima. The first pitch missed high. The second was smacked on the ground to the right side. Buck O'Neil and Michael Young each dove though it wouldn't have mattered, a double play an impossibility. But the ball rolled into right, Hartsel scored and bedlam ensued.

A year after the storybook comeback that wasn't, the New Orleans Knights were ready to battle in their first PBL Championship Series.

New Orleans 6, San Antonio 5 (10 innings) (New Orleans wins series 4-1).

Series MVP: Mark Prior (2-0, 2 CG, 16 Ks)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

PBL Championship Series Preview

New Orleans Knights (95-67) vs New York Heroes (98-64)


NEW ORLEANS LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG J. Fournier .326 J. Rowe .314 S. Thompson .304 T. Hartsel .297 R. Barnes .293	Team Leaders HR S. Thompson 37 E. Longoria 28 G. Wright 26 P. Fielder 22 T. Hartsel 22	Team Leaders RBI S. Thompson 132 T. Hartsel 112 P. Fielder 104 E. Longoria 100 C. Granderson 95
Team Leaders W M. Prior 23 D. Willis 19 D. McJames 15 R. Nolasco 13 R. Harden 7	Team Leaders ERA D. Willis 3.16 M. Prior 3.21 D. McJames 3.89 R. Nolasco 4.78	Team Leaders K M. Prior 258 D. McJames 173 R. Nolasco 124 D. Willis 118 R. Harden 77

NEW YORK LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG R. Connor .319 D. Higham .313 J. Viox .303 J. Burkett .295 F. Jones .293	Team Leaders HR R. Connor 26 D. Wright 23 J. Burkett 17 F. Jones 15 I. Meusel 12	Team Leaders RBI 2 tied with 108 I. Meusel 108 D. Wright 108 J. Burkett 96 F. Jones 84
Team Leaders W J. McCormick 24 B. Byrd 21 H. Howell 20 B. Drake 9 2 tied with 6	Team Leaders ERA B. Byrd 3.18 J. McCormick 3.35 B. Drake 3.44 H. Howell 4.21	Team Leaders K B. Byrd 221 J. McCormick 166 H. Howell 158 B. Drake 150 B. Fuentes 71

It's a hard way to into a series if you're a New York fan, and a disappointing one if you're simply a baseball fan. But the absence of Roger Connor in the lineup is very real and something the New York Heroes have to cope with.

His replacement, Aaron Miles, hit .278 with 4 RBI in the five-game win over Wichita. Will that be enough against New Orleans? Perhaps not, but given Miles' .196 average during the season, the Heroes will take it.

As for New Orleans, their lineup beat the PBL's bet staff, but did it with the major caveat that San Antonio was without its ace. New York his its ace - two in fact. There will be a heavy load on Jim McCormick and Bill Byrd to carry New York through here.

As for New Orleans, they ride ace Mark Prior into the Championship. Prior will be given a full four days rest, meaning Doc McJames will start the opener against McCormick. Prior will go in Game 2 against Bill Byrd.

Season Series: New Orleans won 3 of 4

Prediction: New Orleans is flying high right now. New York shocked many with the ease by which they dispatched of Wichita in the Northern League Championship, considering they are without Outstanding Hitter candidate Roger Connor. It's too much to ask New York to do that again. New Orleans in 6.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

PBL Championship Series Review

New Orleans Knights (95-67) vs New York Heroes (98-64)
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Game 1: The crowd in New York is bursting as only a New York crowd can, ready for Jim McCormick to fire the first pitch of the PBL Championship series, where he'll duel Doc McJames.

Ross Barnes - who hit .333 in the Southern League Championship Series - dunked a single into center to lead off the game for the Knights. But Jack Fournier and Sam Thompson would each be retired on one pitch before Topsy Hartsel popped up to short to end the inning.

McJames walked Fielder Jones to open things up for New York, but Dick Higham erased that by grounding into a 6-4-3 double play. Irish Meusel singled, but Jesse Burkett hit a lazy fly to left, and the first inning was complete.

Evan Longoria walked for New Orleans to open the second. George Wright flew to right, but Prince Fielder singled through the hole into right, Longoria racing safely to third. Curtis Granderson then walked to load the bases. Jack Rowe, who hit .476 in the SLCS, chopped one toward short. David Wright cut it off and made the play at first, but Longoria scored to make it 1-0. Ross Barnes then singled to left to score both runners, making it a 3-0 game.

David Wright, who hit .300 but drove in only one run in the NLCS, grounded the first pitch to short, putting McJames on his way to a 1-2-3 inning.

New Orleans returned to the plate in the top of the third and, after Sam Thompson bounced back to the mound, Topsy Hartsel hit a solo shot to straight left to make it 4-0. Evan Longoria doubled on the next pitch, and George Wright followed that with an RBI triple before scoring himself on Prince Fielder's groundout.

McJames was great. While Brian Fuentes and Red Ehret followed Jim McCormick and threw gooseeggs in the process, McJames didn't allow a hit after Irish Meusel's first-inning single until, with one out in the 8th, Jim Viox stroked a double. Ed Mckean singled to left to score Viox and make it a 6-1 ballgame.

When New York came up in the 9th, McJames retired the first two before Dick Higham and Meusel hit back-to-back doubles to bring us to the final score of 6-2.

New Orleans 6, New York 2 (New Orleans leads series 1-0)

Game 2: Mark Prior and Bill Byrd go in this one, a pair of 20-game winners.

Through four and a half innings, this one is exactly as you would expect. Each team had one hit: Dick Higham singled in the first for New York and Jack Fournier singled in the fourth for New Orleans.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jim Viox led off with a single off of Prior and was moved to second on a perfect sacrifice from Ed McKean - asked to bunt despite his .500 postseason average. Surprisingly, Prior intentionally walked Grady Sizemore to reset the double play, though it was only the fifth inning. Aaron Miles flew to left, setting up Prior to get out of the inning. But Fielder Jones singled through the hole into left to give New York its first lead of the series, 1-0.

Dick Higham would ground out to end the fifth, but New Orleans would strike back in the sixth.

Curtis Granderson slipped one inside the first base bag, and made it to third with a triple when it rattled around in the corner. Jack Rowe flew to shallow left, but Granderson couldn't tag. That was moot, though, as Ross Barnes singled to drive the run in and tie the game at 1. Jack Fournier flew to left, but Sam Thompson doubled into the left-center gap to score Barnes and put New Orleans up 2-1.

In the top of the 6th, Irish Meusel led off with a single. Jesse Burkett struck out and David Wright flew to shallow center, the heart of New York's order continuing to struggle mightily. JiM Viox grounded to third, but Evan Longoria muffed it and everyone was safe. The red-hot Ed McKean would make the error costly, doubling down the rightfield line to score both runners and give New York the lead again 3-2. Grady Sizemore bounced back to Prior to end the inning.

Byrd and Prior matched zeroes in the 7th.

Curtis Granderson, who tripled down the line his last time up, doubled to lead off the inning this time. Jack Rowe bounced the next pitch to first, but Aaron Miles couldn't make the play, a costly error. Ross Barnes hit a sac fly to score Granderson and tie the game 3-3. A wild pitch moved Rowe to second, and Jack Fournier's single brought him home ahead of the throw to put New Orleans up 4-3.

Sam Thompson then singled, a hustling Fournier making it all the way to third. Topsy Hartsel then doubled down the line, scoring Fournier, though Thompson was held at third. Byrd stayed in, striking out Longoria and getting George Wright to pop up to end the inning. But the damage was done, and New York trailed 5-3.

Prior retired the side in the 8th, and Byrd and Jack Taylor combined to shut down the Knights in the top of the 9th.

After 126 pitches, Prior's day was done after 8. Jack Chesbro came in to close it out. Ed McKean, who has done everything right this postseason, struck out to start the inning. Grady Sizemore watched strike three pass him by. Aaron Miles, hoping to make up for his error, hit one on the screws but right to first to end the game and put New Orleans in the driver's seat as the series heads to Louisiana.

New Orleans 5, New York 3 (New Orleans leads series 2-0)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

PBL Championship Series Review

New York Heroes (98-64) vs New Orleans Knights (95-67)
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Game 3: Jim McCormick had nothing in Game 1, and threw only 66 pitches. Still, it was shocking to see New York call on him to start Game 3, desperate times calling for the desperate measure of a 20-game winner on two days of rest. Dontrelle Willis starts for New Orleans.

Willis gets through the first without incident. McCormick, however, walks leadoff man Topsy Hartsel and gives up a single to Ross Barnes. With two on and Sam Thompson at the plate, danger looms. Thompson creams a ball, but hits it right at Jim Viox, who catches the screaming liner and throws to first for the inning-ending double play.

Willis needed 10 pitches to get through the second. McCormick needed 6.

There have been a seeming abundance of triples this postseason, many of them leading off an inning. Aaron Miles repeated the feat to open the third. Martin Dihigo hit a medium fly ball to center, deep enough to score Miles and put the Heroes on top 1-0.

McCormick allowed a 1-out double in the third but got out of it. Then Jesse Burkett, who until this point was hitless in the series, led off the top of the 4th with a solo homer to make it a 2-0 game.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Sam Thompson singled. He then stole second and scored when Evan Longoria singled on the next pitch. The next pitch McCormick threw went down the rightfield line, barely clearing the fence for a 2-run homer off the bat of George Wright, giving New Orleans a 3-2 lead.

New York bounced back, though, getting back-to-back one-out singles in the 5th from Dihigo and Fielder Jones. Dick Higham popped up to third. But Irish Meusel stroked a single to left to tie the game back up at 3.

In the bottom of the fifth, it was another triple, this time off the bat of Topsy Hartsel, that did the damage, driving in Jack Rowe, who had led off the inning. Jack Fournier then grounded to first to bring Hartsel home for a 5-3 New Orleans lead.

From there, both pitchers settled in. Unfortunately for McCormick, his was an inning too late. And so, down 5-3, New York faced New Orleans closer Jack Chesbro in the top of the 9th.

Ed McKean grounded to first to lead off the inning. But Grady Sizemore ripped a double to the gap, bringing the tying run to the plate. Martin Dihigo grounded to first, moving Sizemore to third. But Fielder Jones smacked the first pitch right to Ross Barnes at second for a routine groundout to end the game and put New Orleans up 3-0 in the series, a game away from the championship.

New Orleans 5, New York 3 (New Orleans leads series 3-0)

[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League

PBL Championship Series Review

New York Heroes (98-64) vs New Orleans Knights (95-67)
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Game 4: The New York Heroes went to Jim McCormick on two days rest in Game 3. They wouldn't try the same with Bill Byrd here. Bill Drake gets the start against Doc McJames, who was excellent in Game 1.

Scoring began in the bottom of the second. Sam Thompson doubled on the first pitch he saw, but Drake got Evan Longoria to ground to short the next batter. No matter, though, and George Wright hit his third homer of the postseason, a 2-run shot to left.

It would get worse for New York, as the Knights sent eight men to the plate in the third. And RBI single from Ross Barnes and a SAC Fly from Evan Longoria made it 4-0 New Orleans in an inning that could have been far worse.

In the fourth, Curtis Granderson walked to start the inning. Jack Rowe flew out to the wall in right and the fleet-footed Granderson tagged up, making it to second. After Drake struck out Topsy Hartsel, Jack Fournier lined a single to center that Grady Sizemore booted, allowing Granderson to score to make it 5-0 before a jubilant New Orleans crowd.

Granderson would do it again in the 6th, hitting a solo homer to lead off the inning. The bullpen got going, but not quickly enough. Jack Rowe doubled and Topsy Hartsel hit a 2-run homer for an 8-0 lead, ending Drake's day.

Red Ehret was stellar in relief, but it was irrelevant. For Doc McJames didn't need all this support he was getting.

Dick Higham hit a one-out single in the first. McJames didn't allow another hit until David Wright singled to lead off the 8th - his only hit of the series. The next batter, Grady Sizemore, hit a double play.

Higham would single with one out in the ninth, but Jesse Burkett would end the game, and the season, with a 6-4-3 double play that led to a dogpile on the mound, fireworks in the sky and the New Orleans Knights as the Pastime Baseball League's 2010 Champions!

New Orleans 8, New York 0 (New Orleans wins series 4-0)

Series MVP: Doc McJames (2-0, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 1.00 ERA)