SERIES #5 vs MILWAUKEE PHANTOMS - Kris Benson's Arm Falls Off

The final series of a nine-game homestand sees Shannon bring his Milwaukee team to town.  The Stouts are out for revenge in this one as they were swept by the Phantoms earlier in the year on the road.  Milwaukee comes to town with a 7-5 record, but have lost three of their last four.  Regardless, they sit tied atop the Continental Division.  Baltimore has a 4-8 record, but have won four of six after starting the season 0-6.  Let's get to the action.

Game 1
Memorial Stadium

April 14, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (7-6)	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		2	7	2
Baltimore Stouts (5-8)	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1		3	8	1
	W: A. Osuna (1-0)   L: B. Kim (0-1)

Baltimore comes into this game with four wins, and they have scored in the 1st inning in each of the victories.  This game would be no different as they strike for an early run off of Phantoms starter Matt Clement.  Milwaukee actually comes back and takes the lead with runs in the 3rd and 6th, but the Stouts respond to tie it up in the bottom of the 6th.  The game remained tied heading into the 10th.  Milwaukee put men at 1st and 2nd against reliever Antonio Osuna, but Michael Tucker grounded into a fielders choice to end the top half of the inning.  Byung-Hyun Kim got the first out in the bottom half, but after a single by Todd Helton, he hit Shawn Green with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd for the Stouts.  Lance Berkman ended the game as he rapped a walk-off double to plate Helton.  Baltimore takes the opener 3-2.  It's the first extra-inning win for the Stouts in four chances.

Game 2
Memorial Stadium

April 16, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (7-7)	0	0	4	0	0	0	1	0	1		6	8	3
Baltimore Stouts (6-8)	0	0	0	2	2	3	3	7	X		17	18	1
	W: K. Rueter (2-1)   L: K. Benson (0-1)

The original game #2 pitted Milwaukee starter Chuck Finley against Baltimore call-up Jason Bere.  The Phantoms had a 5-1 lead going into the top of the 5th when the game was called because of rain.  In the contest, Finley was ejected for doctoring the baseball with a foreign substance and was suspended for nine games.  Stats erased but his suspension stands.  Unlucky break for Shannon and the Phantoms.

The makeup game was all about Phantoms starter Kris Benson, and not in a good way.  He actually started the game out decently, holding Baltimore scoreless through his first three innings of work.  Then the wheels fell off.  Up 4-0 on a Wendell Magee pinch-hit grand slam in the 3rd inning, Benson took to the hill in the bottom of the 4th with a bit of a lead to work with.  Four runs wouldn't be nearly enough.  Baltimore scored in every inning the rest of the game.  Two in the 4th.  Two more in the 5th to tie the game.  Three in the 6th to take the lead.  Three more in the 7th.  By the 8th, Benson's arm was a wet noodle.  Shannon made the decision to leave him out there to take the abuse and save his bullpen for the finale.  Benson coughed up seven more runs in the 8th.  The final tally saw the Stouts bring 54 batters to the plate, bashing out 18 hits and scoring 17 times. Garrett Anderson went 3-5 with three runs scored, six RBI and a pair of homers.  Lance Berkman and Ed Taubensee also connected for dingers off the beleagured Milwaukee starter.  Kirk Rueter pitched 6.2 serviceable innings to pickup the win.  That's six wins in their last eight for the Stouts.



Game 3
Memorial Stadium

April 16, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (8-7)	0	1	0	0	0	3	1	0	0		5	7	2
Baltimore Stouts (6-9)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	0		4	4	2
	W: J. D'Amico (2-2)   L: S. Estes (1-1) SV: R. King (4)

Jeff D'Amico took to the hill for the Phantoms on short rest in effort to avoid the series sweep.  He shutout the Stouts in his earlier outing a week earlier.  Milwaukee posted a run in the 2nd, but Baltimore evened the score in the 5th with a run of their own.  The Phantoms though took the lead for good in this game in the next half inning, powered by a Tyler Houston homerun blast.  The Stouts made it interesting in their half of the 8th, getting within one when Shawn Green launched a 3-run homer.  But Ray King shut the door in the 9th, preserving the victory and picking up his 4th save on the young season.  King has yet to allow a run in five appearances.


Series ends with Baltimore taking two of three.  They edge within two games of Milwaukee in the Continental Division.  Next up a trip to Toronto to take on the Redcoats.