Windsor - Beartooth series Games 1 and 2 are in the book
Beartooth and Windsor hooked up via Netplay for the first two games of their series. Game One featured Beartooth's 21 game winner and ace, Mark Buehrle pitted against Windsor's 22 game winning ace, Rich Harden. The first inning passed uneventfully as Brian Giles singled for Beartooth but was stranded there. Buerhle K'd Uribe and Hafner to set Windsor down in order in the bottom of the inning. Beartooth's offense and Windsor's defense got into the act in the 2nd. ARod doubled and stole third, scoring on Koskie's single. Rowand grounded into a double play but Javy Lopez got the inning to continue with a walk then Juan Uribe booted a grounder to second to allow another Beartooth Baserunner on board. Jimenez then singled Lopez home, Giles walked, and Rob made a bold decision to pitch to Barry rather than walk him and load the bases. Predictably Barry took Harden deep to put a 6 spot on the board for Beartooth. In the next inning, ARod singled and Corey Koskie (whose bat slumbered through most of the regular season) took Harden deep again and Beartooth was up 8-0. Beartooth scored two more in the 6th with D'Angelo (what happened to him in 2005?) tripled in Rowand and then Barry got a base knock to send Jimenz in with the run.
Buerhle continued to pitch extremely well. He was operating on a short pitch count so that he can make the start in game 4. Knowing that he was very efficient with his pitches and didn't hit 90 till the 8th inning (after allowing 2 runs in the 7th). Windsor came back with 3 in the 8th to make the game 10-5. Beartooth countered with a run in the 9th when Bonds doubled and ultimately scored on a passed ball.
Windsor came into game two knowing they needed a win at home to stay alive in the series. They were featuring their solid number two starter Carlos Zambrano with his 17 victories and 3.49 ERA. Their batters showed determination against Beartooth starter John Thomsen (19-10, 4.09 regular season) in the bottom of the first when Izturis lead off with a single, Vizquel trying to sacrifice bunted the 3rd strike foul (this would be a huge play in the final accounting of this game). Hafner tripled Izturis home, Beltre singled, Conine doubled, and Hollandsworth plated two on his single to take a 4-0 lead over Beartooth.
The game played right along with no scoring threats until the top of the fourth. Brian Giles lead off with a walk. With Bonds and Teixeira up next the few scattered Beartooth fans started hoping for a chance to get back in the game. It was not to be as both Bonds and Teixeira were K'd to thunderous applause from the Windsor crowd. ARod kept it alive however when he scratched out an IF single to first base. Corey Koskie (remember him from game 1?) came up and he hit a fly into the right center alley. Wells seemed to have a bead on the ball, but he suddenly stopped as the ball fell between he and Todd Hollandsworth to plate two runs and start Beartooth back into this game.
The top of the 5th then came along and Javy grounded a single up the middle, David DeJesus then got on with a FC and he scored from first on a double by Jimenez to bring the Ballhawks to within a run. The inning wasn't done yet though as Giles walked, Bonds uncharacteristically scratched out another infield single for Beartooth to load the bases. ARod then put Beartooth ahead by a run with a 2-run single. Koskie struck out to close the inning for the Ballhawks.
Windsor wasn't done however. Omar Vizquel lined a one out triple to the wall in RF, Hafner (the one batter that Beartooth truly fears in Windsor's lineup) walked before Beltre hit a sac fly plating Vizquel with the tying run. Conine then singled and Hafner took third on the play but Hollandsworth couldn't get him in ending the inning.
Beartooth mounted a challange in the top of the 6th as Javy singled and David DeJesus stuck his hip in the way of one of Carlos Zambrano's fastballs to get two runners on. Harden's day was done at that point as Almanzar came in to try to shut Beartooth's rally down. D'Angelo couldn't keep it going as he smoked a grounder to Juan Uribe who converted the double play.
In this now See Saw game, Windsor took the lead in the bottom of the 6th but not before Uribe got on due to ARod's error but Thomson erased him by picking him off of first (even though he wasn't running!) Another big play to remember! Molina singled and Izturis doubled to deep right Centerfield, the crowd couldn't believe it when Molina chugged with his big catcher's thighs pumping around third and scored despite Aaron Rowand's VG arm in center. The crowd exploded as Windsor took the lead yet once again! Manager Bush had seen enough of Thomson and with Hafner coming up the LH Jaimie Walker was brought in to face Hafner and his big bat. Travis obviously struggled picking up this LHers delivery and popped up easily to 2B.
The top of the seventh saw Beartooth start a comeback. With one out, Bonds singled, Teixeira walked and ARod advanced them to second and third on a ground out. Corey Koskie was back up in a clutch situation with two out and two on. Koskie lined a single to shallow right scoring Bonds. The thirdbase coach then sent Teixeira plateward knowing there were two outs. Hollandsworth gunned him out at home to keep Windsor in the lead.
Windsor got two men on against new pitcher, Dan Miceli, to threaten to extend their lead in the bottom of the seventh. Jorge Piedra was brought in to pinch hit for Vernon Wells and he flied out to end the threat.
Beartooth came out firing in the top of the eighth against Alamanzar. Rowand singled then Javy Lopez lined a shot just inside the LF fould pole to give Beartooth a one run lead. The Windsor faithful sure got quiet as they were stunned by how fast Beartooth struck back. Nate Field came on and David DeJesus took one of his first offerings downtown for back to back jacks giving Beartooth a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the 8th Miceli got two quick outs but then walked Omar. Sherrill was brought in to pitch from the port side to the very dangerous Travis Hafner. Hafner obviously picked up his pitches well as he lined a single to center. At that point, the Beartooth manager indicated that Windsor would have to beat their best and brought Keith Foulke into the game . Foulke quickly induced a groundout to end the inning.
Beartooth's 9th was a quiet 3 up 3 down affair. Keith Foulke took the mound to end the game for Beartooth. Conine immediatley lined out to 2B, but Hollandsworth singled then Uribe tripled him in. The tying run was sitting at 3B with one out! The IF was brought in and Foulke was pitching down in the zone, but pinch-hitter Diego Segui managed to get it in the air to the OF and the game was tied! Foulke got the next batter for the third out but was witness to slam his glove down on national TV once he hit the dugout!
The top of the tenth was a very eventful inning for the Ballhawks as Aaron Rowand immediately lined a single off Windsor closer Jason Isringhausen. Rowand promptly stole second and then Javy tried to repeat his earlier heroics lining a ball into the LF corner that took Jeff Conine onto the track to catch the ball. The speedy Rowand saw a chance to get to third with one out and took it, only to see Conine whip around and fire a strike to gun him down! Another Beartooth baserunning blunder! Isringhausen then set defensive replacement (from the 9th when Beartooth was hopeful of winning the game) Pokey Reese down.
Foulke got it together in the bottom of the tenth sitting Izturis, Vizquel, and Hafner down 1,2,3.
Isringhausen then struck out the top two hitters in Beartooth's order, D'Angelo Jimenez and Brian Giles, looking like he was at the top of his game. He then went 3-0 on Barry when Barry pulled the trigger but slightly missed. He only lined a single to right but couldn't put it out of the park. Mark Teixeira followed and he didn't miss as he hit a huge "tater" to put Beartooth up by two.
Keith Foulke went back out for the bottom of the 11th. He was tiring but he also knew that the next day was an off day so he could blow himself out if needed. Beltre immediately grounded a single into the outfield and the crowd roared! Foulke knowing there was nobody warming in the Beartooth pen, buckled down and got a pitch down low in the zone to Jeff Conine who hit a two hopper right back to Foulke for a 1-4-3 DP! The Windsor crowd quieted quickly and Foulke bowed his shoulders and pulled the string on Hollandsworth to give the Ballhawks their second victory of the series.
The series will resume on Thursday in the Beartooth Mountains and we defy any Windsor fans to find their way there.
:>)
Game two was a great game, especially since we won. It wa a heart-breaker for Rob to lose. Playing these series by Netplay is just the best win or lose!
Mike
Buerhle continued to pitch extremely well. He was operating on a short pitch count so that he can make the start in game 4. Knowing that he was very efficient with his pitches and didn't hit 90 till the 8th inning (after allowing 2 runs in the 7th). Windsor came back with 3 in the 8th to make the game 10-5. Beartooth countered with a run in the 9th when Bonds doubled and ultimately scored on a passed ball.
Windsor came into game two knowing they needed a win at home to stay alive in the series. They were featuring their solid number two starter Carlos Zambrano with his 17 victories and 3.49 ERA. Their batters showed determination against Beartooth starter John Thomsen (19-10, 4.09 regular season) in the bottom of the first when Izturis lead off with a single, Vizquel trying to sacrifice bunted the 3rd strike foul (this would be a huge play in the final accounting of this game). Hafner tripled Izturis home, Beltre singled, Conine doubled, and Hollandsworth plated two on his single to take a 4-0 lead over Beartooth.
The game played right along with no scoring threats until the top of the fourth. Brian Giles lead off with a walk. With Bonds and Teixeira up next the few scattered Beartooth fans started hoping for a chance to get back in the game. It was not to be as both Bonds and Teixeira were K'd to thunderous applause from the Windsor crowd. ARod kept it alive however when he scratched out an IF single to first base. Corey Koskie (remember him from game 1?) came up and he hit a fly into the right center alley. Wells seemed to have a bead on the ball, but he suddenly stopped as the ball fell between he and Todd Hollandsworth to plate two runs and start Beartooth back into this game.
The top of the 5th then came along and Javy grounded a single up the middle, David DeJesus then got on with a FC and he scored from first on a double by Jimenez to bring the Ballhawks to within a run. The inning wasn't done yet though as Giles walked, Bonds uncharacteristically scratched out another infield single for Beartooth to load the bases. ARod then put Beartooth ahead by a run with a 2-run single. Koskie struck out to close the inning for the Ballhawks.
Windsor wasn't done however. Omar Vizquel lined a one out triple to the wall in RF, Hafner (the one batter that Beartooth truly fears in Windsor's lineup) walked before Beltre hit a sac fly plating Vizquel with the tying run. Conine then singled and Hafner took third on the play but Hollandsworth couldn't get him in ending the inning.
Beartooth mounted a challange in the top of the 6th as Javy singled and David DeJesus stuck his hip in the way of one of Carlos Zambrano's fastballs to get two runners on. Harden's day was done at that point as Almanzar came in to try to shut Beartooth's rally down. D'Angelo couldn't keep it going as he smoked a grounder to Juan Uribe who converted the double play.
In this now See Saw game, Windsor took the lead in the bottom of the 6th but not before Uribe got on due to ARod's error but Thomson erased him by picking him off of first (even though he wasn't running!) Another big play to remember! Molina singled and Izturis doubled to deep right Centerfield, the crowd couldn't believe it when Molina chugged with his big catcher's thighs pumping around third and scored despite Aaron Rowand's VG arm in center. The crowd exploded as Windsor took the lead yet once again! Manager Bush had seen enough of Thomson and with Hafner coming up the LH Jaimie Walker was brought in to face Hafner and his big bat. Travis obviously struggled picking up this LHers delivery and popped up easily to 2B.
The top of the seventh saw Beartooth start a comeback. With one out, Bonds singled, Teixeira walked and ARod advanced them to second and third on a ground out. Corey Koskie was back up in a clutch situation with two out and two on. Koskie lined a single to shallow right scoring Bonds. The thirdbase coach then sent Teixeira plateward knowing there were two outs. Hollandsworth gunned him out at home to keep Windsor in the lead.
Windsor got two men on against new pitcher, Dan Miceli, to threaten to extend their lead in the bottom of the seventh. Jorge Piedra was brought in to pinch hit for Vernon Wells and he flied out to end the threat.
Beartooth came out firing in the top of the eighth against Alamanzar. Rowand singled then Javy Lopez lined a shot just inside the LF fould pole to give Beartooth a one run lead. The Windsor faithful sure got quiet as they were stunned by how fast Beartooth struck back. Nate Field came on and David DeJesus took one of his first offerings downtown for back to back jacks giving Beartooth a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the 8th Miceli got two quick outs but then walked Omar. Sherrill was brought in to pitch from the port side to the very dangerous Travis Hafner. Hafner obviously picked up his pitches well as he lined a single to center. At that point, the Beartooth manager indicated that Windsor would have to beat their best and brought Keith Foulke into the game . Foulke quickly induced a groundout to end the inning.
Beartooth's 9th was a quiet 3 up 3 down affair. Keith Foulke took the mound to end the game for Beartooth. Conine immediatley lined out to 2B, but Hollandsworth singled then Uribe tripled him in. The tying run was sitting at 3B with one out! The IF was brought in and Foulke was pitching down in the zone, but pinch-hitter Diego Segui managed to get it in the air to the OF and the game was tied! Foulke got the next batter for the third out but was witness to slam his glove down on national TV once he hit the dugout!
The top of the tenth was a very eventful inning for the Ballhawks as Aaron Rowand immediately lined a single off Windsor closer Jason Isringhausen. Rowand promptly stole second and then Javy tried to repeat his earlier heroics lining a ball into the LF corner that took Jeff Conine onto the track to catch the ball. The speedy Rowand saw a chance to get to third with one out and took it, only to see Conine whip around and fire a strike to gun him down! Another Beartooth baserunning blunder! Isringhausen then set defensive replacement (from the 9th when Beartooth was hopeful of winning the game) Pokey Reese down.
Foulke got it together in the bottom of the tenth sitting Izturis, Vizquel, and Hafner down 1,2,3.
Isringhausen then struck out the top two hitters in Beartooth's order, D'Angelo Jimenez and Brian Giles, looking like he was at the top of his game. He then went 3-0 on Barry when Barry pulled the trigger but slightly missed. He only lined a single to right but couldn't put it out of the park. Mark Teixeira followed and he didn't miss as he hit a huge "tater" to put Beartooth up by two.
Keith Foulke went back out for the bottom of the 11th. He was tiring but he also knew that the next day was an off day so he could blow himself out if needed. Beltre immediately grounded a single into the outfield and the crowd roared! Foulke knowing there was nobody warming in the Beartooth pen, buckled down and got a pitch down low in the zone to Jeff Conine who hit a two hopper right back to Foulke for a 1-4-3 DP! The Windsor crowd quieted quickly and Foulke bowed his shoulders and pulled the string on Hollandsworth to give the Ballhawks their second victory of the series.
The series will resume on Thursday in the Beartooth Mountains and we defy any Windsor fans to find their way there.
:>)
Game two was a great game, especially since we won. It wa a heart-breaker for Rob to lose. Playing these series by Netplay is just the best win or lose!
Mike
posted by Michael Bush at 1:48 AM
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