The Pastime Baseball League

[kenyan_cheena]

Just caught up on everything, EM. That 2015 championship series was amazing! Also, to the Hitmen's September choke job.

Great stuff.

In regards to your post where you said you're going to speed things up, I think it's a good idea. Although chronicling the journey through a season can be fun IMO it's really not worth it when everything is taken into account. It's best to focus on the most interesting aspects of a season, to be choosy and particular about what you cover.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Just caught up on everything, EM. That 2015 championship series was amazing! Also, to the Hitmen's September choke job.

Great stuff.

In regards to your post where you said you're going to speed things up, I think it's a good idea. Although chronicling the journey through a season can be fun IMO it's really not worth it when everything is taken into account. It's best to focus on the most interesting aspects of a season, to be choosy and particular about what you cover.

Glad to see you stop in, KC. Yeah, the 2015 series was great, even only going 6, because the idea of Veale hanging out there for Game 7 made game 6 so important for New Orleans. Liking the new blood in this postseason, though. Should be a fun one.

Chicago has now lost 2 September pennant races. That batting order is incredible, though. Will have to see what they can do in free agency this season, though Johan Santana can walk.

As for pace, it's more a matter of me wanting to get through the whole plan...I want to do all the draft classes, let everyone run their course in this concept. To do that, I need to pick up the pace a bit. I like the September day-by-day pennant race coverage though.

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2016 STANDINGS

Northern League Standings
East	W	L	PCT	GB
Louisville Racers	96	66	.593	-
Boston Riders	88	74	.543	8.0
New York Heroes	88	74	.543	8.0
Charlotte Cougars	84	78	.519	12.0
Philadelphia Ringers	73	89	.451	23.0
West	W	L	PCT	GB
Sacramento Stingers	85	77	.525	-
Chicago Hitmen	83	79	.512	2.0
Wichita Brigade	80	82	.494	5.0
Indianapolis Engines	77	85	.475	8.0
Milwaukee Bangers	73	89	.451	12.0

Southern League Standings
East	W	L	PCT	GB
St. Louis Tides	87	75	.537	-
Memphis Strummers	86	76	.531	1.0
New Orleans Knights	81	81	.500	6.0
Alabama Airmen	69	93	.426	18.0
Orlando Orcas	66	96	.407	21.0
West	W	L	PCT	GB
Los Angeles Idols	96	66	.593	-
San Antonio Sheriffs	89	73	.549	7.0
Arizona Sandmen	79	83	.488	17.0
Oklahoma City Scorpions	73	89	.451	23.0
Las Vegas Bosses	67	95	.414	29.0

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2016 LEADERS

[EMSoccerCoach]

FINAL 2016 LEADERS

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES PREVIEWS




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Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

SACRAMENTO LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG H. Walker .290 A. Fletcher .267	Team Leaders HR T. Kluszewski 21 J. Morneau 16 S. Seybold 16 J. Clark 13 2 tied with 12	Team Leaders RBI T. Kluszewski 78 H. Walker 72 S. Seybold 63 A. Zarilla 58 J. Morneau 50
Team Leaders W R. Marquard 19 B. Veale 16 C. Marmol 12 D. Stewart 11 B. Shawkey 8	Team Leaders ERA B. Veale 2.66 R. Marquard 3.10 C. Marmol 3.90 D. Stewart 4.25 B. Shawkey 4.54	Team Leaders K C. Marmol 229 B. Shawkey 127 R. Marquard 126 B. Veale 109 D. Stewart 87

LOUISVILLE LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG G. Richards .384 J. Jackson .357 J. Mumphrey .320 J. Lefebvre .293 B. Leonard .272	Team Leaders HR R. Petrocelli 31 J. Lefebvre 15 B. McCann 11 B. Leonard 10 2 tied with 8	Team Leaders RBI R. Petrocelli 104 J. Lefebvre 103 J. Jackson 91 J. Mumphrey 85 B. Leonard 79
Team Leaders W M. Harris 19 M. Lolich 16 B. Hands 14 E. Volquez 13 R. Foster 9	Team Leaders ERA M. Harris 3.47 M. Lolich 3.55 B. Hands 4.34 E. Volquez 4.65	Team Leaders K M. Harris 188 E. Volquez 131 M. Lolich 106 B. Hands 88 R. Foster 78

SEASON SERIES: Louisville won 4 of 6



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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

ST. LOUIS LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG T. Speaker .376 F. Lynn .317 J. Evers .307 J. Manning .274 P. Suder .271	Team Leaders HR F. Lynn 23 P. Suder 13 D. Snider 10 R. Staub 9 2 tied with 7	Team Leaders RBI F. Lynn 117 J. Manning 81 T. Speaker 72 P. Suder 69 R. Staub 62
Team Leaders W T. Bond 22 F. Smith 13 H. Pennock 10 C. Sabathia 10 C. Radbourn 8	Team Leaders ERA F. Smith 3.83 T. Bond 4.28 C. Sabathia 4.28	Team Leaders K T. Bond 150 F. Smith 100 C. Sabathia 83 H. Pennock 79 A. Rusie 74

LOS ANGELES LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG D. Brouthers .308 Y. Berra .301 L. Easter .285 D. Winfield .278	Team Leaders HR D. Brouthers 26 L. Easter 21 Y. Berra 18 R. Kiner 16 O. Charleston 15	Team Leaders RBI D. Brouthers 105 L. Easter 104 Y. Berra 80 H. Thompson 65 O. Charleston 60
Team Leaders W E. Summers 18 E. Santana 16 J. Clarkson 11 J. Pineiro 10 J. Lackey 7	Team Leaders ERA E. Santana 3.80 E. Summers 4.03 J. Clarkson 4.91 J. Pineiro 5.24	Team Leaders K E. Summers 84 E. Santana 81 J. Clarkson 80 J. Pineiro 74 B. Fuentes 69

Season Series: Los Angeles won 5 of 6

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




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Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game One: Bob Veale (16-2, 2.66) goes for Sacramento here to kick off the series. Mickey Lolich (16-7, 3.55) goes for Louisville, as 19-game winner Mickey Harris will be held back after complaining of a back strain during his last outing.

The Stingers have been through this war before, and it didn't take long before they let Louisville know it. Roy White hit a leadoff single and two batters later Ted Kluszewski - who hit 9 homers down the September stretch drive - went deep for a 2-run shot. Harry Walker would then single, steal second, move to third on an error and score on Joel Youngblood's RBI single.

Veale allowed a one-out double to Rico Petrocelli but nothing else the first time through the order. And in the top of the fourth, Bill Yancey's second error of the game let Hughie Jennings reach. He would ultimately score on a Jack Clark RBI single to put Sacramento up 4-0.

After retiring the first two in the bottom of the fourth, Veale allowed a single to Jim Lefebvre. Petrocelli then drove a 3-1 fastball over the leftcenter field fence to bring the game to 4-2.

Clark would drive in Jennings again in the top of the 6th for a 5-2 Sacramento lead. But the Racers answered as Petrocelli drove in Smokey Burgess in the bottom half for a 5-3 game.

Lolich needed only 7 pitches in the top of the 7th, but Veale stranded two men on in the bottom half, keeping things 5-3.

Youngblood would double to start the 8th, move to third on a wild pitch and score on a Roy White SAC Fly to make it 6-3 and set the Stingers poised to take the opener.

Veale allowed a one-out single to Lefebvre in the bottom of the 8th, and that was Veale's day. Dave Stewart and Ed Siever got through the rest of the inning as they went to the 9th, where Lolich threw a 1-2-3 inning.

Siever stayed on to start the ninth. Jerry Mumphrey reached on an infield hit. Yancey, who had made two costly errors early on, then singled to send Mumphrey to third. After falling behind 2-0 to Hans Lobert, Siever grooved a fastball. Lobert, who had three homers all season, yanked one down the leftfield line and into the stands for a sudden, stirring 3-run shot and a 6-6 tie.

Bob Shawkey came in to relieve Siever, and Burgess roped a single. He would leave for Bill Monroe to pinch run, as Joe Jackson came to the plate. On a first pitch fastball, Jackson roped it down the third base line. Monroe raced around third after ball knocked around the corner, scoring standing up as the Louisville crowd burst into cheers. The Racers had won the franchise's first postseason game in stirring fashion, surviving Bob Veale and putting pressure squarely on the Stingers.

Louisville 7, Sacramento 6: Louisville leads series 1-0.

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game One: The Tides go with Frank Smith (13-14, 3.83) over 22-game winner Tommy Bond in Game One, surprising some. But remember, Smith had the lower ERA to Bond's 4.28 mark. The Idols, back in the postseason for the first time since 2011, send Ed Summers (18-11, 4.03) to the hill.

The Idols come in banged up by injuries. The most notable is Ty Cobb, out with a severe ankle sprain that now looks as though it will end his season. With that, Oscar Charleston moves to center. Dave Winfield, recovering from a torn thumb ligament, is out for the series, but could be back for the PBL Championship Series if the Idols advance.

Note that, while the Idols are traditionally thought of as a banging ballclub, the Tides are actually the Southern League's top offense, outscoring the Idols 835 to 826.

Scoring began in the first, as Johnny Evers hit a one-out single. Batting champ Tris Speaker followed with a single that sent Evers to third. Duke Snider then followed with his own single to score Evers and give the Tides a 1-0 lead. Speaker and Snider then pulled a double steal, which enabled Speaker to score on Rusty Staub's groundout. Jack Manning would then single to score Snider, ending the inning's scoring with a 3-0 St. Louis lead.

Jerry Turner hit a one-out single in the bottom half, followed by a Dan Brouthers walk. They, too, pulled a double steal. Luke Easter then hit a SAC Fly to score Turner and make it 3-1. But Hank Thompson would ground out to end it.

In the top of the second, Doggie Miller hit a one-out triple. Billy Hamilton bounced one back to the mound, but Summers botched it and Miller raced home to score, making it 4-1.

L.A. answered in the bottom half, with a Wally Post double to lead it off. He moved to third on a SAC Fly and scored on a Vern Stephens single to make it 4-2.

Fielding proved elusive for the pitchers today, as following Summers' costly error in the second, Smith made two in the third, leading to a run when Jerry Turner scored on a groundout to cut the Tides' lead to 4-3.

The scratch back was complete in the bottom of the fourth, when Stephens singled, went to third on Berra's single, then scored on Turner's SAC Fly to knot things at 4-4.

St. Louis wouldn't relent, though, as Speaker drove in a pair with a single in the top of the 6th to make it 6-4, capitalizing on yet another error.

Summers surprisingly stayed in, and in the top of the 8th an Evers SAC Fly would score Miller for a 7-4 St. Louis lead. Summers' day was done, but unfortunately for him, so was the Idols' scoring, as Smith would stay settled in and finish the game on the hill.

St. Louis 7, Los Angeles 4: St. Louis leads series 1-0

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




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Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Two: Carlos Marmol (12-13, 3.90) gets the surprising start over Rube Marquard, who is being held for Game 3, seemingly taking long to recover over hurling the end of the stretch run. Edinson Volquez (13-12, 4.65) goes for Louisville.

Jim Lefebvre would bring in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first with a double that scored batting champ Gene Richards, who had opened the game with a great 9-pitch at-bat.

But Sacramento would knot it in the third when Hughie Jennings tripled into the gap and scored on Al Zarilla's groundout.

Volquez threw 31 pitches in the 4th, but not before he had surrendered a two-run homer to Wayne Gross to put Sacramento up 3-1.

The Racers would strand a pair in the 4th, then do the same in the 5th. And those missed opportunities hurt enough with the game close, but were made worse when Sacramento added two in the 6th on a Harry Walker SAC Fly and a Socks Seybold homer to make it 5-1.

Richards drove in Roy Thomas in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-2. But Richards got a bad break on Smoky Burgess' double down the first base line that followed, and would be left stranded on third when Joe Jackson flew out to center.

Marmol went 7 1/3 before being relieved by Ed Siever, while Volquez went 7 2/3 before being relieved by Roy Patterson, the score remaining 5-2.

In the bottom of the eight, Siever surrendered a leadoff single to Jerry Mumphrey. Jim Rice grounded into a force before being relieved by Dave Stewart. Hans Lobert would reach on an infield single, and Stewart was gone in favor of Wilbur Cooper. Cooper would allow a single to Richards that loaded the bases, then walk Smoky Burgess to force Rice home and make it a 5-3 game. Jackson hit a SAC Fly to make it 5-4 as the Louisville crowd's frenzy grew. But Lefebvre fouled out to catcher to end the threat, and the inning.

After a scoreless top of the ninth, Bob Shawkey came on to throw the bottom of the ninth, his rotation spot bumped for the postseason. He would surrender a leadoff single to Rico Petrocelli, and the Racers' fans thought they were surging again. As happened in Game One, Bill Monroe came on the pinch run. Buck Leonard fouled out to third. Then, with a 1-1 count and Mumphrey at the plate, Shawkey fired to first to pick off Monroe, in a flash deflating the crowd.

Mumphrey grounded to short, and just like that the Stingers had evened the series.

Sacramento 5, Louisville 4: Series tied 1-1

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game Two: Up 1-0 in the series, the Tides sent 22-game-winner Tommy Bond to the hill against Shawn Chacon (5-5, 4.53), a day after he was given a 3-year, $18.69M deal to stay in Los Angeles.

It appeared Chacon would earn it through five, holding a 1-0 lead gotten in the fourth when Hank Thompson singled home Oscar Charleston.

But in the top of the sixth, Billy Hamilton hit a one-out single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Johnny Evers' single to tie it up. Tris Speaker would then single as well before Duke Snider unloaded with a bomb to center, a 3-run homer that put the Tides up 4-1.

Chacon finished the inning, and the Idols got one back when Dan Brouthers hit a solo shot in the bottom half to make it 4-2.

But St. Louis would get another run in the 7th when a Hamilton SAC Fly scored Pete Suder, who led off the inning with a double.

From there it was Bond's show, as he would go the distance, striking out 8 and putting the underdog Tides up 2-0 in the series, with the matchup heading to St. Louis and what should be a wild crowd.

St. Louis 5, Los Angeles 2: St. Louis leads series 2-0

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




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Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Three: The series heads to Sacramento, where a pair of 19-game winners lock up: the Stingers start Rube Marquard (19-9, 3.10) against Louisville ace Mickey Harris (19-9, 3.47).

It should have been a pitcher's duel. It wasn't.

Sacramento got RBI hits from Jack Clark and Socks Seybold in the bottom of the first, but the Racers stormed back with single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth for a 4-2 lead.

Then came Joel Youngblood, who hit .400 in September, and slammed a 3-run homer off Harris to give the Stingers a 5-4 lead.

A scoreless sixth led to the top of the 7th, and Marquard went back to work. Unfortunately for him, so did the Racers. Jerry Mumphrey singled and Bill Yancey doubled. Mumphrey held at third, but scored on a wild pitch to knot the game at 5. Hans Lobert then walked and Smoky Burgess doubled down the first base line past a diving Justin Morneau, a 2-run double making it 7-5.

That ended Marquard's day, as Ed Siever came in to relieve. He retired Joe Jackson, but allowed a single to Jim Lefebvre and then walked Rico Petrocelli to load the bases. Jim Rice then flew out to shallow right. But Buck Leonard walked to score Burgess, and Mumphrey - up for the second time in the inning - blooped a single to right. Lefebvre and Petrocelli scored, but Leonard was thrown out at third to end the onslaught that hushed the Sacramento crowd and left the Stingers with a 10-5 deficit to overcome.

Roy Patterson, who got the last out in the bottom of the sixth, stayed on for Louisville in the 7th and needed only 7 pitches to get out of the inning.

Both sides came up empty in the 8th, and Louisville tacked on three more in the top of the ninth to cap it. Sacramento scored a pair in the bottom, but in the end of an ugly affair, found themselves staring at a 2-1 deficit. The only comfort coming from Bob Veale taking the hill tomorrow.

Louisville 13, Sacramento 7: Louisville leads series 2-1

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game Three: The Idols head to St. Louis down 2-0 in the series, everything working against them. They call on Ervin Santana (16-8, 3.80) to right the ship against a potent Tides lineup. St. Louis puts Fergie Jenkins (7-5, 4.42) on the hill.

Each team had a single that yielded nothing in the first, and Oscar Charleston's leadoff single in the second was erased when he was thrown out stealing by Dick Higham, who would contribute in the bottom half as well when he doubled home Jack Manning to open the scoring.

It stayed 1-0 until the top of the 5th, which Luke Easter began with a homer to tie the game. The Idols would load the bases with two outs, but Jerry Turner struck out swinging to end the inning, and the threat.

Billy Hamilton hit a one-out single in the bottom half of the inning. Then the PBL's #5 alltime thief stole second...then he stole third. Then a Johnny Evers single drove him in to make it 2-1 Tides.

A Duke Snider single would move Evers to third, and a Rusty Staub single would drive him home, making it 3-1.

Fortune seems to smile upon the Idols in the top of the 6th. Dan Brouthers singled to start the inning. Then Oscar Charleston popped one up on the infield. But third baseman Doggie Miller and shortstop Pete Suder looked at each other as the ball dropped to the ground. Easter then hit a grounder that was knocked down but couldn't be played, and the bases were loaded with none out.

Hank Thompson popped up to Evers and Wally Post hit a SAC Fly to left to make it 3-2 as Brouthers scored. But Roy Sievers popped up to Suder to end the inning, a missed opportunity lingering.

The Tides blew their own chance in the bottom half, a one-out second and third opportunity bringing nothing.

The two teams needed 11 pitches...combined...to end the 7th.

Brouthers singled to lead off the top of the 8th for a desperate Idols team. He was then pinch-run for by Ellis Valentine, the Idols in position to need that lone run given their 2-0 series deficit. Charleston then double to rightcenter...but Valentine held at third, which Brouthers surely could have done as well. That discussion would be made moot, though, as Easter singled up the middle to score both men and put the Idols up 4-3.

Easter would move up on an error and a walk, ultimately scoring on Siever's single for a 5-3 L.A. lead.

Santana would stay on to pitch the 8th, and after retiring the first two batters, he'd give up singles to Dick Higham and Fred Lynn. But Billy Hamilton would ground out to end the threat.

L.A. would go quietly in the top of the 8th, and closer Johnathan Papelbon would come on to hurl the 9th.

Evers, Speaker and Snider went down 1-2-3, and the Idols could breathe for a moment, though they knew there was much more work to do.

Los Angeles 5, St. Louis 3: St. Louis leads series 2-1

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




vs

Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Four: Mickey Lolich and Bob Veale do battle again here in a pivotal Game Four.

You would think that baseball's best pitching staff, having had leads in each game, would not be trailing the series. Yet that's what happened to Sacramento here. And again they would lead, 2-0 after two, courtesy of a 2-run shot from Brian Downing.

Each team scratched one across in the third, making it 3-1 as they went to the top of the 5th. Then the Racers did what's been so hard for three seasons...they got to Veale.

Singles from Jerry Mumphrey and Bill Yancey were followed by a wild pitch after a Hans Lobert sacrifice bunt, scoring Mumphrey to make it 3-2. Smoky Burgess then walked, and Joe Jackson would rip a triple to the gap scoring a pair and giving Louisville a 4-3 lead. Jim Lefebvre followed with a SAC Fly to make it 5-3 before a stunned Sacramento crowd.

Yancey came up again in the top of the 6th with a man on and Veale out of the game. Off Ed Siever, he sent a two-run shot into the leftfield bleachers, making it a 7-3 game.

Joel Youngblood struck again for the Stingers, an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth making it a 7-4 game. That's how it would stay until the bottom of the 9th.

Lolich stayed in for Louisville despite 117 pitches. His 118th left the yard, as Youngblood went deep to make it 7-5. Randy Hundley walked between two groundouts, and Jack Clark singled him home to make it 7-6, and make things very interesting.

With one out left and having thrown 135 pitches, Lolich was done. Brad Lidge came on to face September powerhouse Ted Kluszewski.

He hit a 1-1 fastball deep to center. But it wasn't deep enough, as Mumphrey caught it shy of the track, ending the game and putting the Louisville Racers one win away from their first PBL Championship Series.

Louisville 7, Sacramento 6: Louisville leads series 3-1

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game Four: The Tides elected to hold Frank Smith another day, giving Steve Hargan (4-3, 3.00) the start. Ed Summers would try to bounce back after a Game One defeat.

Instead, he'd be bounced.

The Tides scored six runs in the bottom of the first: 7 hits and a hit batsman will do that to you. Summers would make it through 2 2/3, leaving down 7-0 in the third.

The Idols would scratch back to within 7-4, but RBI singles for St. Louis from Tris Speaker and Jack Manning in the bottom of the 7th made it 9-4 and put it out of reach, putting the underdog Tides one win away from a chance at the title.

St. Louis 9, Los Angeles 4: St. Louis leads series 3-1

[EMSoccerCoach]

Spreadsheet just spit out the next draft class...guys who debuted between 1979 and 1981. Leader of the class: Rickey Henderson!

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




vs

Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Five: Up 3-1 in the series, the Racers elect to give starters their full rest and use the #4, Bill Hands (14-13, 4.34) against Sacramento and Carlos Marmol on three days rest.

On the short rest, Marmol only had 91 pitches in his tank. But that lasted him through 5 2/3 shutout innings, by which point the Stingers were up 5-0, a six-hit, four-run fourth providing all the cushion Marmol and reliever Joe Benz - who would work 3 1/3 of 1-run relief - would need.

Rico Petrocelli hit an RBI double in the 9th to account for Louisville's only run.

The Stingers live to fight another day, while the Racers return home still needing just one out of two to move on to the PBL Championship Series.

Sacramento 5, Louisville 1: Louisville leads series 3-2

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game Five: The Tides hope to put the series away at home, sending Frank Smith to the hill again against Shawn Chacon.

In the top of the 2nd, the Idols scored when a Hank Thompson double scored Luke Easter, and a Roy Sievers single scored Thompson for a 2-0 lead.

Rusty Staub hit a leadoff double in the bottom half, moved to third on a groundout and then scored on Pete Suder's groinder to short to make it a 2-1 game.

The Idols got some insurance though in the top of the third, when Easter hit a 2-run single scoring Dan Brouthers and Oscar Charleston for a 4-1 Los Angeles lead.

Chacon cruised into the bottom of the 7th, when Duke Snider led off with a first-pitch single and scored on a Staub double into the gap to make it 4-2 Los Angeles. Dick Higham then hit a two-out single to score Staub, and L.A. was restless once more, up only 4-3.

But Vern Stephens would double home Wally Post in the top of the 8th to give L.A. its two-run lead again.

But again, back stormed the Tides. Johnny Evers hit a one-out triple as bullpen action got going. Tris Speaker then hit an RBI single to make it a 5-4 game. Snider then singled, the runner moving to third to put them at the corners. Staub came up as the fourth straight lefty, with Brian Fuentes in the pen, but Chacon stayed in. L.A. would pay, as Staub hit a SAC Fly to even it up.

We've seen it happen in prior postseasons, and it happens here again, as starters are left in too long. Smith starts the top of the 9th, surrendering a single to Jerry Turner, a double to Brouthers and a two-run double to Oscar Charleston for a 7-5 L.A. lead. Victor Zambrano came in and would get two groundouts, the second of which would score Charleston to make it 8-5.

Fuentes would allow a SAC Fly to Doggie Miller in the 9th, but the Idols would, despite the mishandling of its pitching staff, hold on and now make it a 3-2 series. L.A. holds on to bring it back to Los Angeles, but there's lots of work left to do.

Los Angeles 8, St. Louis 6: St. Louis leads series 3-2

[EMSoccerCoach]

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEWS




vs

Sacramento Stingers (85-77) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Six: It's a familiar story here for Sacramento, harkening back to the PBL Championship Series a year ago. Game 6, down 3-2, ace Bob Veale looming over the opposition to start Game 7 if the Stingers can just pull of the Game 6 win.

Here, Rube Marquard goes against Louisville's ace Mickey Harris before the Louisville crowd.

Harry Walker hit a one-out triple off Harris in the top of the first, and a SAC Fly from the quiet Ted Kluszewski brought him home for the game's first run.

The momentum was short-lived, though, as back-to-back doubles from Hans Lobert and Smoky Burgess to start the bottom half evened the game at 1.

Harris breezed through the second, but Marquard wouldn't be so lucky. He hit Jim Rice with a pitch to start the inning, then with one out Jerry Mumphrey reached on an error by first baseman Jack Clark. Bill Yancey singled to load the bases for Lobert, who hit a 1-1 fastball up the middle for a 2-run single and a 3-1 Louisville lead. With Yancey on third, Burgess skied to right. Yancey tried to tag, but Socks Seybold threw him out at the plate to end the inning.

Things got worse for Sacramento in the third, as Joe Jackson led off with a double. Rice would single him home for a 4-1 lead, with Harris cruising and Sacramento's return trip to the PBL Championship Series in doubt.

His costly error hurting earlier, Clark would struggle again in the top of the fourth as he made the final out trying to go first to third on a single.

A steady rain was falling and gradually increasing. By the top of the 5th, the stadium looked like an umbrella shop. Meanwhile, there was a game going on. Paul Molitor singled, but the next two were retired. A wild pitch moved Molitor to second, and Walker walked to make it first and second. With that, the umpiring crew called a halt, and a rain delay ensued.

A half hour later, the game resumed. Shocking many, Harris was gone, and Roy Patterson was left to try and soldier on for the Racers. Kluszewski would reach on an infield single to load the bases, and Clark would come up with a chance to redeem himself. A line drive into right-center would score one, and Walker would try to follow. But Jackson made a strong throw from the gap to cut him down and end the inning, and the threat, with it 4-2 Louisville.

Marquard stayed in and threw an easy fifth. In the top of the sixth, Sacramento chipped away some more, a Seybold double followed two batters later by yet another clutch hit from Joel Youngblood to make it 4-3.

Marquard had locked in, but Patterson gathered himself to match him in the 7th, bringing us to the top of the 8th.

Clark got another chance to make up for his earlier gaffes, and he did so with a laser into the leftfield stands, tying the game at 4-4. Two baserunners would reach afterward, but Rube Foster would relieve Patterson and escape the jam.

Ed Siever relieved Marquard, and Foster remained in for Louisville through the 9th and into extras. Bob Shawkey replaced Siever with one on in the 10th and escaped, while Foster made it into the 12th.

Kluszewski singled, moved to second on a groundout, then third on a SAC Fly. Brad Lidge came on to face Brian Downing and, on 1-1 slider, sent it in the dirt and to the backstop, letting Kluszewski come home with the lead run before a hushed Louisville crowd. Downing would ground to short, but it seemed a Game 7 would be here tomorrow.

Shawkey retired Burgess to start the inning. But Joe Jackson doubled into the gap to heighten the tension. Bill Monroe, who had come on as a pinch runner earlier, flew out to right for the second out. But Shawkey was done, and Dave Stewart was brought in to face Nellie Fox - now at third after Claudell Washington ran for Rico Petrocelli in the 10th.

Fox bounced the first pitch to second base. But Molitor, Game 7 in his eyes, booted the grounder and Fox beat the play to first, keeping the game alive. Molitor's face was indescribable, and Stewart was now left to face Rice with the tying run 90 feet away.

The winning run was 270 feet away, and when Rice scalded a ball down the third base line the race was on. Manny Mota dug the ball out of the corner, and Fox tore around third. The throw home was up the line, Fox slid in safely and the Louisville Racers were Northern League champions in astonishing fashion, Veale again left wishing for a Game 7 clincher that would never arrive.

Louisville 6, Sacramento 5: Louisville wins series 4-2

SOUTHERN LEAGUE GAME SIX REPORT TO COME LATER

[EMSoccerCoach]

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

Game Six: It always sounds much easier as the road team up 3-2 in a series to say "oh, they just have to split." But anyone who's been in the situation knows there's more to it than that, because nobody wants to play Game 7 on the road.

With that in mind, St. Louis sends 22-game winner Tommy Bond to the hill to wrap this up against 18-game winner Ed Summers, as the Idols fight to live another day.

They would be the only pitchers to throw on the day. The difference: Bond gave up five runs, Summers gave up five hits.

Yogi Berra led off the game with a homer. Two batters later, Oscar Charleston went deep. Just like that it was 2-0.

Luke Easter hit an RBI single for L.A. in the third to make it 3-0.

The Tides got a run in the top of the 4th when Jack Manning hit an RBI single. But when the Tides ended that inning leaving the bases loaded, it seemed bound to buoy the Idols.

Wally Post would homer in the bottom of the 4th to make it 4-1 L.A., and Summers ruled from there. Tris Speaker hit an RBI double in the 5th to make it 4-2, but they wouldn't threaten again. Berra hit an RBI single in bottom of the 8th to make it 5-2, and that completed the scoring, forcing what will incredibly be the first Game 7 in the PBL's 8-year postseason history - an affair sure to bring a wild crowd of 52,000-plus out to MGM Field.

Los Angeles 5, St. Louis 2: Series tied 3-3

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St. Louis Tides (87-75) vs Los Angeles Idols (96-66)

GAME 7

The PBL has seen memorable series. A lot of six-game nailbiters have gone down during the league's 8-year existence. And while we have been at the brink of Game 7 several times, there has never been a Game 7...until now.

Fergie Jenkins toes the slab for St. Louis. Ervin Santana did the same for Los Angeles.

Between the two of them, they would allow 17 runs on 21 hits over 5 1/3 innings, including four homers. And incredibly, it was a reliever who allowed 1 run in four innings of work who would take the loss.

As he did in Game Six, Yogi Berra led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer, putting the Idols up 1-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Idols turned it on. Roy Sievers hit a two-run shot, and Vern Stephens went back-to-back to make it 4-0 Idols. Dan Brouthers' RBI single would make it 5-0, and the Tides seemed to be receding.

But in the top of the third, Doggie Miller and Billy Hamilton started with singles. After Johnny Evers popped out to catcher, Tris Speaker walked to load the bases. Duke Snider dug in his spikes, but failed to produce, striking out on three pitches. Rusty Staub would dig in as well, only he would produce - in a big way.

Staub went deep for a grand slam to make it a 5-4 game, and bring life back to the St. Louis dugout, in addition to taking some steam out of the 52,058 in the stands of MGM Field.

The Idols, though, weren't to be denied. Wally Post singled. Sievers doubled. Stephens grounded out, scoring Post to make it 6-4 Los Angeles. Berra singled to put runners at the corners, and Jerry Turner doubled to make it 7-4.

Herb Pennock relieved Jenkins and fell behind Brouthers 2-0 before the slugger ripped one into left, a two-run single to make it 9-4 that would conclude the scoring...at least for that half.

Staked to a 5-run lead, Santana took the hill again. Pete Suder singled. Dick Higham tripled him home to make it 9-5. Doggie Miller singled to right to make it 9-6, as the Idols' bullpen leapt to work. Billy Hamilton singled to right, and when Miller went to third, so did an ill-advised throw that allowed Hamilton to take second. Evers ripped a single into left to make it 9-7 with runners on the corners. And in a flash, Santana's day was over.

Brian Fuentes came on and proceeded to walk Speaker to load the bases. But he struck out Snider and got Staub to pop to second, leaving Jack Manning up to try and complete the rally. Ball, strike, ball, strike, ball...ball. Hamilton came home to make it 9-8, leaving the bases loaded for Suder, who would bounce the first pitch to first to end the rally at 9-8.

The comeback wouldn't be completed until the fifth, when a one-out double from Miller was followed by a two-out single from Evers that tied the game at 9.

Stephens led off the bottom of the fifth with a double. Berra hit a SAC FLy to right that moved Stephens to third, a huge play once Jerry Turner bounced weakly to second, scoring the run and making it a 10-9 game.

From there on it was a bullpen battle. St. Louis sent out Pennock and Victor Zambrano. L.A. sent out Fuentes, Gary Lavelle and Joel Pineiro. And in the 9th, it was time for Jonathan Papelbon to try and close out the dramatic game, and 3-1 series comeback.

His first pitch to Pete Suder was scalded, but right at Luke Easter for the first out. Higham took a strike, a ball and another strike before whiffing on a splitter in the dirt for strike three. Miller then got ahead 2-1 before turning on a 98 mph fastball. But he turned it into the ground, and Hank Thompson made a strong throw to Eddie Murray, in at first for defense, to close out the game, the series and the comeback, sending the Los Angeles Idols to their first PBL Championship Series.

Los Angeles 10, St. Louis 9: Los Angeles wins series 4-3

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8th ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES PREVIEW

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Los Angeles Idols (96-66) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

LOS ANGELES LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG D. Brouthers .308 Y. Berra .301 L. Easter .285 D. Winfield .278	Team Leaders HR D. Brouthers 26 L. Easter 21 Y. Berra 18 R. Kiner 16 O. Charleston 15	Team Leaders RBI D. Brouthers 105 L. Easter 104 Y. Berra 80 H. Thompson 65 O. Charleston 60
Team Leaders W E. Summers 18 E. Santana 16 J. Clarkson 11 J. Pineiro 10 J. Lackey 7	Team Leaders ERA E. Santana 3.80 E. Summers 4.03 J. Clarkson 4.91 J. Pineiro 5.24	Team Leaders K E. Summers 84 E. Santana 81 J. Clarkson 80 J. Pineiro 74 B. Fuentes 69

LOUISVILLE LEADERS

Team Leaders AVG G. Richards .384 J. Jackson .357 J. Mumphrey .320 J. Lefebvre .293 B. Leonard .272	Team Leaders HR R. Petrocelli 31 J. Lefebvre 15 B. McCann 11 B. Leonard 10 2 tied with 8	Team Leaders RBI R. Petrocelli 104 J. Lefebvre 103 J. Jackson 91 J. Mumphrey 85 B. Leonard 79
Team Leaders W M. Harris 19 M. Lolich 16 B. Hands 14 E. Volquez 13 R. Foster 9	Team Leaders ERA M. Harris 3.47 M. Lolich 3.55 B. Hands 4.34 E. Volquez 4.65	Team Leaders K M. Harris 188 E. Volquez 131 M. Lolich 106 B. Hands 88 R. Foster 78

[EMSoccerCoach]

8th ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEW

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Los Angeles Idols (96-66) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game One: The Idols, coming off a magnificent 7-game series in which they rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the St. Louis Tides, lock up with the Louisville Racers. Shawn Chacon goes for the Idols, while 16-game winner Mickey Lolich goes for the Racers.

Scoring began in the bottom of the second, when Rico Petrocelli hit a one-out single then scored on a Buck Leonard triple into the leftcenter field gap. Jerry Mumphrey hit a SAC Fly to make it 2-0.

Two singles were followed by two outs, then two walks to produce another Louisville run in the third for a 3-0 lead, while Lolich - despite his pitch count being run up - moved through without incident.

Mumphrey manufactured a run in the fourth, singling, stealing second, moving to third on a groundout then scoring on a Gene Richards single to make it 4-0 before the host crowd.

The Idols got on board in the fifth when Sixto Lezcano singled to score Jorge Cantu. But runners were left on the corners when Cal McVey popped to short.

At 4-1, Joe Jackson doubled - the first of his two on the game. He tagged up, then scored on Petrocelli's groundout to make it 5-1 Louisville.

Eddie Murray was relegated to the bench in the St. Louis series, done in by the platoon that has him playing only against lefties, of which the Tides had none in their rotation. But here, the Racers have two, and Murray could be a big factor. He hit an RBI single in the top of the 6th to make it a 5-2 game. But that would be the last of the scoring on the day.

Louisville gets a complete game from Mickey Lolich, who's now 3-0 in the postseason, and the Racers grab the series lead.

Louisville 5, Los Angeles 2: Louisville leads series 1-0

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8th ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEW

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Los Angeles Idols (96-66) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Two: Pitching supposedly wins championships, but here are the Northern League's #1 offense and the Southern League's #2. Don't tell the Idols' Ed Summers or Louisville ace Mickey Harris, the starters for Game Two.

It didn't start that way. Ellis Valentine bounced the first pitch from Harris into the hole for an infield single. He stole second and was doubled home by Dan Brouthers to put the Idols on top 1-0.

The bottom of the first spun out of control on Summers, though. Gene Richards doubled. Yogi Berra threw a nubber from Smoky Burgess down the rightfield line for an error that scored Richards and knotted the score at 1. Burgess, who went to second on the error, scored on Joe Jackson's single to make it 2-1 Louisville. Jim Lefebvre hit the first pitch into a 5-4-3 double play, which seemed it would end the threat. But Summers hit Rico Petrocelli, then walked Buck Leonard before Jerry Mumphrey's RBI single made it 3-1.

Los Angeles got four hits the rest of the game. Louisville got three. Two of Louisville's came in the fifth: a Richards single and an RBI single from Lefebvre after Richards stole second and third.

Oscar Charleston homered in the 6th, but that would be the only run L.A. would score after the first. Harris went the distance, striking out 5, and giving the Racers a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Louisville 4, Los Angeles 2: Louisville leads series 2-0

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8th ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEW

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Los Angeles Idols (96-66) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Three: That the Idols had been through this before wasn't necessarily a comfort. It was hard enough coming back from being down 2-0 once. To do it consecutively will be even more daunting.

Ervin Santana (16-8, 3.80)takes the mount for Los Angeles, while Edinson Volquez (13-12, 4.65)starts for Louisville.

Jim Lefebvre picked up an RBI single to score Smokey Burgess in the top of the first to give Louisville a 1-0 lead and put the Idols on their collective heels quickly. But with runners on the corners, Santana got Rico Petrocelli to pop up and Buck Leonard to fly out to escape further damage.

The Idols tied it up in the bottom of the second, when a Hank Thompson groundout scored Oscar Charleston.

Thompson would strike again. After both pitchers exchanged zeroes until the bottom of the fifth, Thompson mauled a 2-2 fastball 440 feet over the centerfield fence for a 2-run shot and a 3-1 Los Angeles lead.

The Racers got leadoff man Gene Richards on to start the 6th. An errant pickoff throw moved Richards to second, and a groundout moved him to third. He then scored on a Joe Jackson groundout to make it 3-2. Lefebvre then followed with a solo shot to tie the game at 3.

The game was knotted in the top of the seventh when Leonard doubled to start the inning. Jerry Mumphrey grounded out to short, freezing Leonard. But a grounder to second went through the legs of Vern Stephens, and Leonard raced around to score, sucking the air out of a tense Los Angeles crowd, making it 4-3 Louisville.

With Volquez still in, the Idols got second and third with one out in the bottom half of the 7th. But Yogi Berra popped to short and Dave Winfield grounded to short to end the threat, and in the eyes of many Idols fans, their chances.

The heart of the L.A. order came up in the bottom of the 8th, and Volquez remained in. He needed six pitches to retire Dan Brouthers, Oscar Charleston and Luke Easter and some of the crowd headed for the exits.

Brian Fuents had gotten the final out of the 8th and threw a scoreless ninth, setting up a bottom of the ninth with Louisville closer Brad Lidge facing the bottom of the L.A. order with the chance to put the Racers up 3-0, one win away from the PBL Championship!

Jerry Turner led off with a single to left, and the tying run was aboard. Thompson, who had already driven in all three Idols runs, was called on to sacrifice anyway. But he took a strike, then fouled off an attempt, forcing him to swing away. The out was productive, a groundout to first that moved the tying run into scoring position.

And score he would, as Roy Sievers - a rookie with no homers and who hit .203 in 69 regular season at bats - drilled a 2-1 changeup from Lidge over the leftfield fence for a walkoff 2-run shot that the Idols - as they pounced on Sievers at the plate, jumping in euphoric synchronicity - had to hope would turn the series on its ear.

Los Angeles 5, Louisville 4: Louisville leads series 2-1

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8th ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEW

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Los Angeles Idols (96-66) vs Louisville Racers (96-66)

Game Four: Now that the Idols have shown some life, things get interesting. Down in the series, L.A. turns back to Shawn Chacon to take the hill. Louisville calls on Mickey Lolich, 3-0 this postseason and coming off a 154-pitch effort.

The Racers showed quickly they had shaken off the tough, walkoff loss of Game Three, scoring a pair in the first. After Gene Richards was hit by a pitch, Smoky Burgess singled. Joe Jackson then doubled to score Richards, Burgess holding at third with nobody out. He would score on Jim Lefebvre's groundout to make it 2-0, before Chacon avoided further damage.

After a 26-pitch first inning, Chacon needed 38 pitches for the second, walking three men in the inning, including Burgess to force home Jerry Mumphrey for a 3-0 Louisville lead.

The Idols mounted a rally of their own in the bottom of the second. Oscar Charleston led off with a double. Lolich got Luke Easter to hit a nubber in front of the plate for the first out. But Eddie Murray followed with an RBI single to get the Idols on the board. Game Three hero Roy Sievers then singled, moving Murray to second, before a Jorge Cantu single would bring Murray home for a 3-2 game and hope was renewed among the crowd.

Chacon survived a one-out double from Buck Leonard in a scoreless top of the third. In the bottom half, Rico Petrocelli's error on Cal McVey's leadoff grounder let a hustling McVey go all the way to second. Dan Brouthers' groundout moved him to third, and Charleston's groundout scored him to tie the game at three.

The Idols left two on in the bottom of the fourth, Murray picking up another hit and being stranded at second. And in the top of the fifth, Joe Jackson led off the inning with a solo homer to break the tie and give Louisville a 4-3 lead.

The Idols threatened again in the fifth, but left runners at the corners, and the missed opportunities hung in the air as something that could prove costly. When they stranded two more in the sixth, the omen went from bad to worse.

But nobody could have predicted what would come next.

Chacon's early inning labors ended his day after six. Gary Lavelle came in to throw the seventh for Los Angeles. Richards hit a leadoff triple. Burgess singled him home to make it 5-3. Jackson doubled, but Burgess couldn't make it home. With second and third Lavelle pitched to Lefebvre, who flew out weakly to shallow right. Petrocelli was then intentionally walked to load the bases, as the Idols hoped to set up a double play to curtail the threat.

Louisville sent Jim Rice in to pinch hit for Leonard who, despite his hit earlier, was hitting only .179 this postseason. Rice fell behind 0-2, took a ball and fouled one off before drilling a laser over the leftfield wall for a pinch-hit grand slam, blowing the game open into a 9-3 blowout.

Joel Pineiro retired the side, but the damage was done. The Idols stranded Brouthers at second in the bottom half, but at that point it didn't matter. Louisville would pick up another run in the 8th when Richards scored again, this time on a Lefebvre single.

Heinie Groh offered faint hope with a 2-run double in the bottom of the 8th for Los Angeles to cut it to 10-5. But Louisville poured it on with a four-spot in the top of the ninth, getting an RBI single from Roy Thomas, an RBI double from Richards and a 2-run shot from Burgess to close out the scoring of what ended up a 14-5 drubbing, putting Louisville one game away from the PBL Championship, and Los Angeles with the task of coming back from a 3-1 deficit for the second series in a row after it hadn't been done at all in the PBL's seven prior years.

Louisville 14, Los Angeles 5: Louisville leads series 3-1