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Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:14 am
Posts: 1242
Favorite Team: Rays
Console '07: Don't Own
Console '08: Nintendo Wii
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Playoff game three: Iowa City Country versus New York Yankees
Country Depablos (93 DC SL – four, CB – four) versus Yankees Hughes (95 EB SL – two, CB – four, CH – two)
Commentary: this game will feature one of each team's younger pitchers. For the Yankees, Hughes is a promising one year pro with a decent changeup and slider, a good curve, and good life on his fastball. All the pitchers for the Country are relatively young, but Depablos is one of their most promising rookies, with an above average slider and curveball to go along with a 93 mile-per-hour fastball. How deep each pitcher is able to pitch might become an issue here. Hughes has B rated stamina, and we are told that other than Kyle Farnsworth, who gave the Country fits last time he pitched, and Karstens, the other Yankee relievers have reported in blue or purple condition. In the meantime, Depablos has a C stamina rating, which is relatively low for a starting pitcher, but the Country relievers are in relatively good shape, especially if Depablos can make it through the sixth inning, after which Andrew Brown, Shawn Green, and Joba Chamberlain can take the ball. Coming off a strong win against the Yankees to even series at one, the Country's confidence has to be high right now.
The analysts have continued to question why Andy Pettitte has not taken the mound. A Yankees source who spoke anonymously because he is not authorized to speak officially on behalf of the Yankees, mentioned that the Yankees have confidence in all their starters, and since the Yankees did not believe Pettitte could pitch twice in this short series, the decision was made to keep the regular rotation, which would possibly put Pettitte in a position to pitch the final game of this series and start the next series without having too much or too little rest.
Inning 1: it appears that the Country are looking to force Hughes to make a lot of pitches, as Milledge and Erdos (the first and third batters) worked themselves into a full count before lining out and striking out on the sixth pitch of their at bats, while Spillborghs (the number two hitter) lines an opposite field single on the third pitch of his at bat. Spillborghs stole second on the Erdos strikeout (a high slider tailing inside to the lefty Erdos), and then Dan Johnson launched a first pitch changeup into the right-field bleachers. Even Jack Cust, a notorious first ball hitter, took several off speed pitches before flying out to left field. If that is, indeed, the Country's strategy, they have to be happy with the results, as Hughes needed 20 pitches to complete the first inning, even though the Country only had two hits.
Depablos started the bottom of the first strong, striking out Damon on a backdoor slider and Jeter on three straight curveballs, the last of which caught Jeter lookIng.
Inning 3: Spillborghs, again reaches second base, this time by singling up the middle with 2 out and moving to second on a wild pitch to Erdos, just before Erdos hits the ball through the hole between the first baseman and second baseman. Spillborghs scores, sliding in ahead of the throw home.
Depablos continued to pitch strong in the third, striking out Abreu on three pitches before inducing a Cabrera line out to first, but Yankee catcher Molina drove the ball into right field for a single, and then Damon blooped the ball just outside the reach of the Country's left fielder and shortstop, putting runners at first and second for the dangerous Derek Jeter, who promptly doubled into the left-field corner scoring a run and bringing up the even more dangerous Alex Rodriguez with two runners in scoring position. The Country walked Rodriguez to load the bases, and the plan seemed to pay off when Ensberg hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield, but it was so slow that Harris was unable to retrieve it and throw to first in time, allowing a run to score. End of three, Country lead three – two
Inning five: Hughes continued to pitch well, throwing more early strikes, as he probably observed the Country taking more pictures early in the count. However, after recording the first two outs in the fifth inning on a Spillborghs four – five – three double play, he allowed a single to Erdos and tired during Johnson's seven pitch at-bat, allowing a single up the middle, moving Erdos to second for Jack Cust. Cust grounded out to second, ending the inning, but the Country had to be hoping that the Yankees would be forced to open the sixth inning with one of their relievers.
Depablos continued to pitch strong in the fifth, striking out the first batter in every inning, thus far, and closed out the fifth easily, with the Country clinging to a three – two lead.
Innings 6-7: Josh Fields seemed to sense Hughes tiring, and looked to smack one out, but ended up lining a second pitch changeup right into the glove of the Yankees third baseman. The "fleet footed" Harris (speed rating G) took a more patient approach and lined the fourth pitch he saw towards the gap. Jeter used his great range to make a diving stop, but was unable to make the throw in time, giving Harris one of his infrequent infield hits, and triggering a call to the to call bullpen from the Yankees for LaTroy Hawkins (97 BE HSL – two, CB – two, CH – two).
Huisman, the next batter, hit into a fielders choice that was very fun to watch. His smash up the middle would have clearly gone for a single, putting runners in scoring position, but Hawkins deflected the ball towards the normal shortstop position. Jeter, however, was able to stop his progress towards 2nd, rerouted himself into the opposite direction, grabbed the ball and flipped it behind himself right to second base to catch Harris and keep the Country out of scoring position. If the Yankees catch up, this could be be the defensive play of the game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Depablos did, again, strike out the first batter he faced, but he used 4 pitches to do it. A sign that he was tiring? Depablos did appear tired as he gave up a single to Jason Giambi, and he was pulled, having allowed only two runs over 5 – 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. He was replaced by middle reliever Dierdorf (88 DC SL – three, CB – one, FO – four). Dierdorf closed out the inning with a fielders choice from Cano that allowed Giambi to reach second, and then an Abreu ground out to the second baseman, sending the game into the seventh inning with the Country continuing to cling too a tenuous three – two lead. .
Dierdorf pitched a strong seventh inning, inducing Cabrera to fly out to right field before Molina grounded out to second, but the smattering of Country fans in Yankee stadium were on the edge of their seats when Damon doubled into the right centerfield gap. The ball was not particularly deep, but the Country were playing their "no doubles outfield" and the slow speed of the ball, the speed of the country outfielders, and the quick speed of Johnny Damon allowed him to reach second base easily. Fortunately, Jeter swung and missed on a strike three forkball, ending the inning.
Inning eight: Hawkins started the eighth with a changeup out over the middle of the plate that Jack Cust put over the left-field fence, giving the Country a little breathing room. Fields followed with a single on the third pitch of his at bat and Hawkins became visibly tired. Harris, again, seem to show extra patience, letting the account get to 3 – 1 before lining a fastball back up the middle, putting runners at first and second for catcher Huisman with no out. Huisman showed no patience, attacking a first pitch fastball and driving it into right field for a single that arrived in Abreu's glove so quickly that the slow-foot in Fields was held at third, leaving the bases loaded for the Country's number nine hitter, second baseman Joe Thurston. At this point, the Yankees replaced Hawkins with Karstens (91 FE SL – two, CU – two, CB – four, CH – three), and the Country pinch hit Schrager (DCF) for Thurston (EEE). Schrager watched a curveball and then a slider fall in for strikes, then hit a cut fastball just passed the Yankees second baseman's outstretched arms for a single that scored two runs. After Lastings Milledge grounded into a double play, Spillborghs singles to left field, bringing home another run. The inning ended with Spillborghs getting thrown out at second, and the Country having scored four runs.
When Dierdorf pitched a strong eighth inning, allowing just 1 Yankee to reach first, it sent the game into the 9th with a healthy seven – two Country lead.
Inning nine: Erdos singled for the fourth time of the day and move to second on Dan Johnson's fielders choice. Erdos scored when Cust lined a one – two pitch into deep left field. A single by Fields and a double by Harris scored two runs and forced the Yankees to go to their fourth pitcher of the night, Farnsworth (100 CE HSL – two). Said the Country manager later: "we were really glad to see them dip into their bullpen again, hoping this might affect the next couple of games, too. At that point we had our eighth and ninth batters coming up, and Farnsworth had given us such problems earlier, we told our players not to move the bat from their shoulders until they had two strikes. Even though we did not score a run, we were glad at having forced Farnsworth to throw 10 pitches in order to get his two outs."
Andrew "Fireman" Brown started the ninth against the Yankees number seven hitter, Bobby Abreu, and he started by throwing his weakest bitch, a curveball, for strike one and then induced a pop out on a high, inside slider. A double to left field by Cabrera made things interesting, but Brown recorded the second out by striking out Yankees catcher Molina. At that point, Damon grounded an 0 – 2 changeup from Brown right at second baseman Sanchez, who replaced white in the field when White came out for a pinch-hitter, but instead of easily throwing out Damon, Sanchez bobbled the ball for an error, putting runners at first and third with two out for Derek Jeter, who singled home a run, and then Rodriguez launched a one – two pitch into the left-field bleachers to close the gap to four runs. At this point, Brown was pulled in favor of Joba Chamberlain, who induced a dribbler down the third-base line from Morgan Ensberg that Josh Fields picked up and threw to first, ending the game.
ostensibly, the Country's performance would be considered "average" if you exclude their outburst in the eighth and ninth innings. This was an excellent, confidence building pitching performance, in spite of of the runs surrendered by Brown after the Sanchez error that should have ended the game with the Country containing the Yankees to two runs in the third inning. If we ignore those runs after the error, the Country allowed only two runs to a powerful Yankees lineup over 8-1/3 innings.
The series now goes to Iowa with the Country enjoying a surprising two – one lead in the series.
Playoff scoreboard:
Red Sox beat Mariners, six – four. Red Sox lead the series, two – one
Mets beat Reds, seven – four. Mets lead the series, two – one
Rockies beat Brewers, six – 3. Brewers lead the series, two – one
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