SERIES #14 vs BOSTON - Blown Games and Blowouts

The Stouts return home after dropping four of six on their trip to New York.  Awaiting them is a date with another foe from the Classic League's Metro Division, the Boston Beaneaters.  Matt's squad currently resides in the penthouse of their division, a full five games ahead of both Brooklyn and the New York Bombers with a 23-16 record.  But after reeling off four straight victories earlier in the week, they come to Baltimore having lost three of their last four.  The Stouts, for their part, are playing quite similarly.  After a stretch where they won four of five games, they then lost four in a row before winning their last two prior to this series.  Both teams had a day off prior to action so hopefully the lineups are well rested.  Let's see how things shook out.

Game 1
Memorial Stadium

May 14, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11		R	H	E
Boston Beaneaters (24-16)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2		4	9	0
Baltimore Stouts (18-22)	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		2	3	1
	W: R. Garces (5-2)   L: L. Hawkins (1-3) SV: B. Wickman (2)

HR: M. Alou (10, 6th inning off E. Dessens 0 on, 0 out)

Game one can only be described as a missed opportunity for Baltimore.  Despite only registering three hits in the contest, the Stouts should have locked this game down in the win column.  They had the lead 2-0 off a quick rally in the 4th inning when Fernando Vina singled, followed by a walk to Eric Owens and a double by Todd Helton to score them both.  Baltimore starter Elmer Dessens gave up a solo homer to Moises Alou in the 6th to cut the lead to one.  The game was turned over to the bullpen in the 7th, and Antonio Osuna set down the Beaneaters in order.  Felix Rodriguez entered the game in the 8th, and again, retired the side in order.

As the game headed into the 9th, a pair of managerial errors by Stouts skipper Robbins ended up proving costly.  First off, he had had closer Armando Benitez still warming up in the bullpen to start the inning.  Rodriguez allowed leadoff hitter Tomas de la Rosa to rip a double to deep right.  Homer Bush was then inserted as a pinch-runner.  After a Mitch Meluskey strikeout, Bush stole 3rd base to put the tying run 90-feet away.  Benitez finally entered, and Deivi Cruz was announced as a pinch-hitter.  The second managerial mistake by the Baltimore skipper had the infield defense playing at their normal positions.  This allowed Cruz to execute a perfect sacrifice squeeze play to score Bush and knot the game at two apiece.  The blown save was hung on Benitez even though he retired the only two batters he faced.

The game went into extra innings, and the Baltimore bats just never could get going.  The Beaneaters plated two in the 11th, which proved to be more than enough as the Stouts went down in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.  Boston had stolen one on the road.  Their pitching was phenomenal.  Starter Tim Hudson only allowed the two hits in his five innings of work.  The Beaneater bullpen was even better, allowing only one hit in six full innings.

Game 2
Memorial Stadium

May 15, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Boston Beaneaters (25-16)	0	2	0	1	5	2	1	1	0		12	19	1
Baltimore Stouts (18-23)	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	0	0		4	10	0
	W: T. Glavine (6-4)   L: B. Rekar (1-3)

HR: G. Jenkins (9, 4th inning off B. Rekar 0 on, 0 out), R. Klesko (4, 5th inning off B. Rekar 1 on, 0 out), E. Chavez (7, 8th inning off A. Osuna 0 on, 1 out)

Tom Glavine took to the bump for the Beaneaters in the second game of the series, opposed by Baltimore starter Bryan Rekar.  If the game looked like a mismatch on paper, it certainly lived up to its billing as Boston took the lead early, expanded on it in the middle innings, and coasted in the end for a 12-4 triumph.  Glavine went the distance, and although he allowed ten hits and four runs, his lead was never in question.  Boston rapped out 19 hits off Baltimore pitchers, including nine extra-base hits.  Rookie Mitch Meluskey did the most damage, going 3-3 with a walk, two runs scored and five RBI.  All of his hits were doubles.  Boston has come to Baltimore and taken the first two of their three game set.  The Stouts will look to salvage the finale and get their sleepy bats in gear.

Game 3
Memorial Stadium

May 16, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Boston Beaneaters (25-17)	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1		4	5	0
Baltimore Stouts (19-23)	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	X		5	10	1
	W: F. Rodriguez (2-2)   L: D. Wall (5-3) SV: A. Benitez (10)

HR: M. Alou (11, 8th inning off F. Rodriguez 0 on, 0 out)
HR: T. Helton (9, 1st inning off O. Fernandez 1 on, 0 out), L. Berkman (7, 8th inning off D. Wall 0 on, 1 out)

Baltimore struck early in this one, pushing two runners across in the 1st inning off Osvaldo Fernandez, who was making his first start for Boston.  The Beaneaters struck right back by getting solo runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to tie the game at 2-2.  The game remained that way into the 7th.  After the stretch, the Stouts struck for a single run when Robert Fick rapped a two-out triple to score pinch-runner Donnie Sadler.  Baltimore led 3-2 heading into the 8th.

Moises Alou belted two
homers in the series

As has been the case throughout the year, the Baltimore bullpen could not hold down the lead.  Felix Rodriguez replaced starter Kevin Appier to begin the inning.  The first batter he faced, Moises Alou, promptly launched a 450-foot monster blast to left to tie the game.  Another game, another blown save.  The story remains the same.  Rodriguez was able to get out of the inning without allowing any more damage.  Game tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the 8th.

Donnie Wall opened on the hill for Boston, and he got Todd Helton to fly out to center to open the inning.  Unfortunately for him and the Beaneaters, that was the only out he could record.  The next batter, Lance Berkman, launched a solo homer to right to give the Stouts back the lead.  Bill Mueller then laced a triple to right center, and then scored on a Garrett Anderson single.  Wall was replaced by Mike Stanton who retired the next two batters, but the damage had been done.  Stouts now lead 5-3 heading into the 9th.

Jason McDonald drew five
bases-on-balls in the series finale

As usual, no easy 1-2-3 ending for the good guys.  Armando Benitez took over on the mound, but he walked Jason McDonald to open the inning.  This was McDonalds fifth walk of the contest.  He then stole second as Deivi Cruz was striking out.  The next batter, Eli Marrero, walked to put the tying run on base.  Tony Graffanino pinch-hit for Homer Bush, but he struck out for the second out of the inning.  Pinch-hitter Sandy Alomar Jr. then stepped to the plate.  Benitez coaxed him to hit a ground ball on the infield, where the normally slick fielding Ricky Gutierrez booted the ball, allowing McDonald to score from third and leaving runners on first and third.  Thankfully for the Baltimore faithful, the next batter Adrien Brown struck out to end the game.  Benitez struck out the side to register his 10th save on the season.  The Stouts got the game they needed to avoid the sweep.

Baltimore's tour of the Classic League's Metro Division saw them finish with a 5-7 record against the four clubs.  They exit the series with a record of 19-23, yet are only two games back of the Continental Division leading Milwaukee Phantoms, who are only 21-21.  Next up is a home set with the red-hot St. Louis Sliders, winners of seven of their last eight, including a three-game road sweep of the Classic League's leading team, the Miami Panthers.  The Stouts follow that up with a road date against the Expansion League's top team, the San Francisco Quakers.  Wins are needed, and they will be hard to come by.