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| A SHOT FROM THE RIGHT FIELD CORNER AT CROSLEY FIELD - HOME OF THE RED STOCKINGS |
Crosley Field
May 30, 2014 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| Baltimore Stouts (24-31) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | |
| Cincinnati Red Stockings (32-23) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| W: M. Mantei (1-0) L: A. Alfonseca (0-1) | |||||||||||||
HR: M. Piazza (10, 9th inning off A. Benitez 2 on, 0 out)
Baltimore strikes first in this one, scoring single runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to take an early 2-0 lead. The Red Stocking get one back in the 5th, but Robert Fick comes right back in the top of the 6th, belting his first homer of the year to give the Stouts a 3-1 advantage.
The game headed into the bottom of the inning with Stouts starter Kirk Rueter still on the hill. He allowed the first two batters to reach base before coaxing Joe Randa into a double-play. Denny Hocking then drew a two-out walk to put runners on the corners. Wilton Guerrero pinch-hit for Cincinnati starter Pedro Astacio, and he knocked a single to left, driving home Jay Buhner from third to cut the lead to one at 3-2. The Stouts went to the bullpen, summoning LaTroy Hawkins into the game. Needing just the one out to get out of the jam and preserve the win for Rueter, he couldn't get the job done, allowing a game-tying single to Luis Alicea. Mark Grace flew out to center to end the inning but the damage had been done. Another blown save in the books for the Baltimore bullpen. This game is knotted 3-3.
This game was now in the hands of both teams bullpens. The Stouts mounted a rally in the top of the 7th when Tom Evans drew a one-out walk. He was moved to third on a double by Todd Helton. Evans was held at third base with the heart of the Stouts lineup coming to the plate, but neither Lance Berkman nor Garret Anderson could drive in the run and the game remained tied.Cincinnati reliever Matt Mantei loaded up the bases in the top of the 9th innings, only to coax a pop out by Robert Fick to end the inning. Antonio Alfonseca had worked an uneventful 8th inning for the Stouts. He opened on the hill in the bottom of the 9th. Leadoff hitter Mark Grace doubled to open the inning. After Nomar Garciaparra was intentionally walked, the Stouts relieved Alfonseca and turned to closer Armando Benitez to work out of the jam. Unfortunately, the first batter he faced, Mike Piazza, launched a walk-off homer to left to give the Red Stockings the dramatic 6-3 victory. Mantei picked up the win despite allowing a hit and two walks in his only inning of work.
A couple of side notes in this game. Tom Evans, in his first game action of the season, went 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two walks for the losers. In more depressing news, starting shortstop Rickey Gutierrez was injured in the bottom of the 2nd inning making a defensive play. He's expected to miss 20 days of action. The injury bug continues to sting the Stouts. Gutierrez joins C Ivan Rodriguez, 2B Fernando Vina and RF Larry Walker on the team's DL. That's half of the starting lineup if you're keeping track at home.
Game 2
Crosley Field
May 31, 2014 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| Baltimore Stouts (25-31) | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 0 | |
| Cincinnati Red Stockings (32-24) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | |
| W: A. Osuna (6-0) L: C. Pavano (5-5) SV: F. Rodriguez (2) | |||||||||||||
HR: J. Buhner (18, 1st inning off E. Dessens 2 on, 2 out), S. Finley (9, 3rd inning off E. Dessens 0 on, 0 out), M. Piazza (11, 3rd inning off E. Dessens 0 on, 2 out)
The teams were active right out of the gate in game two. Baltimore manufactured a run in the 1st when leadoff hitter Eric Owens singled, stole second, was moved to third on a ground out, then scored when Todd Helton singled to left. The lead was short-lived though as the Red Stockings struck for three in the bottom of the inning when Jay Buhner belted his 18th homer of the season.
Cincinnati starter Carl Pavano retired the first two batters he faced in the 3rd inning, but then the floodgates opened. Eight straight Baltimore batters reached base, including a bases clearing three-run double by pitcher Elmer Dessens. All told, the Stouts pushed across seven runs in the frame to take a commanding 8-3 lead.Dessens allowed a pair of solo homers, one to Steve Finley and the other by Mike Piazza, in the bottom of the 3rd, before being replaced by Antonio Osuna. Cincinnati was unable to mount any sort of rally against the Baltimore bullpen, who actually performed quite well, allowing only one run in a combined 6.1 innings of work. Osuna picks up his sixth win in relief. Francisco Rodriguez works the final three innings to pickup the save. Tom Evans the hitting star again, going 3-5 with another pair of doubles.
Game 3
Crosley Field
June 1, 2014 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| Baltimore Stouts (25-32) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Cincinnati Red Stockings (33-24) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| W: M. Mantei (2-0) L: C. Park (4-8) | |||||||||||||
A classic pitchers duel in game three featured Chan Ho Park for the Stouts, making only his second start in a Baltimore uniform. He was opposed by Curt Schilling for the Red Stockings. Neither offense could muster a hit off the pitchers through the first three inning of play. Baltimore finally broke the ice in the 4th. Tom Evans walked to become the first Stouts base-runner of the game. He scored when Lance Berkman knocked the first hit of the game, a double to left-center. Schilling's shutout and no-hitter were gone with one swing of the bat.Park continued his dominance, taking his no-hit bid into the 7th inning. His effort was broken up when leadoff hitter Denny Hocking smacked a double of his own. He scored later in the inning when Joe Randa grounded into a bases-loaded fielder's choice, knotting the game at 1-1.
The Stouts threatened in the top of the 8th. Park doubled to leadoff the inning. Eric Owens then walked to put runners on first and second. Series hitting star Tom Evan stepped to the plate, but Schilling coaxed him to hit into a double play, moving Park to third. Todd Helton was intentionally walked, placing runners on the corners. Lance Berkman, who doubled earlier in the game, struck out to end the threat.
Game remained tied heading into the bottom of the 9th. Park, having only allowed two hits up to this point, remained on the hill for the Stouts to open the inning. Mike Piazza led off with a single to right and was moved to second on a Jay Buhner ground out. Park then walked Joe Randa to put the force in play. With the game on the line, the Stouts once again turn to closed Armando Benitez. For the second time in the series, he is unable to get the job done as he allows the first batter he faces, Mark Grace, to lace a single to right to plate pinch-runner Ruben Mateo. Game over. Cincinnati wins for the second time in the series in their final at-bat.Park is the hard-luck loser. He went 8.1 innings, allowing only three hits. Unfortunately for him, two of them scored. As good as Park was, Cincinnati starter Schilling may have been better, going eight inning while allowing only four hits and one run. Matt Mantei worked the 9th to pickup his second win in the series.
Cincinnati exits the series on the rise, having tied the Pittsburgh Crawfords atop the CL's Rust Belt Division with a 33-24 record. Baltimore is hanging tough in the EL's Continental Division, four games behind the Milwaukee Phantoms with a 25-32 record. Up next is a home date with Brian Feig's Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers, who have been very active recently on the trade front. The will bring a 29-28 record into town.
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