 |
| All-Star |
 |
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:14 am
Posts: 1242
Favorite Team: Rays
Console '07: Don't Own
Console '08: Nintendo Wii
|
5/18-20/2009: IOWA CITY COUNTRY v. NY YANKEES
GAME 1 saw the Country's O'Connor (89 EA SL – three, CB – one, CH – three) face off against the Yankees Hughes (95 EB SL – two, CB – four, CH – two). In the lineup, Thurston continued to replace Erdos in the lineup and in left field. McCurdy and Huisman, both in blue condition for the last several games, or both starting. Spilborghs, still in blue condition, continues to bat out of the DH spot with Cust taking his place in right field.
Johnny Damon led off the game with a double to right center field, but huge strikeouts of Jeter and Teixeira, and a pop out to the catcher from Rodriguez ended the threat. In the bottom half inning, Hudson also let off with a double, but the Country brought Hudson home on a soft single by Milledge off of an 0-1 pitch. A single by Spilborghs and a sacrifice fly from Cust put runners at first and third with one out for Josh Fields who singled. The inning ended with the Country stranding a runner in scoring position, but leading two – zero. A 2nd inning leadoff double by Cano led to a run when Matsui singled to leftfield. Country lead two – one. The Country extended their lead in the bottom half of the 4th to 3-1 when Thurston and McCurdy singled into the gap between the Yankees second and first basemen, and then Hudson hit an opposite field single through the gap between the Yankees third baseman and shortstop. O'Connor escaped another jam in the 5th as the Yankees had a runner at second with no one out and then at third with one out, but failed to score, while the Country extended their lead when Spilborghs singled, stole second, and came home on a Johnson two-out double to right center field. Thurston then drove home Johnson on a slow rolling single up the middle into shallow centerfield. Country lead five – one. The Yankees chased O'Connor from the game in the 6th when Cano singled, stole second and came home on a Matsui double to center field. Middle reliever Oliver came in and give up an infield single to Melky Cabrera before fly outs to the infield closed out the top of the sixth. The Country matched that run and then extended their lead in the bottom half evening as Milledge hit a one-out single up the middle, went to third on a Spilborghs single to left center field, and scored on a Cust sacrifice fly, and Spilborghs scored from first on a Fields double to left center field. A Johnson double drove in Fields and gave the Country an eight – two lead after six. Rodriguez led off the 8th with a homerun and Cano followed with a double. A Matsui single put runners at first and third with no out and sent Oliver to the showers in favor of Andrew "fireman" Brown. A Cabrera single preceded a six – three doubleplay and an inning ending groundout to second. End of eight, Country lead eight – four. Brown stayed to pitch the ninth and allowed a two-out double to Mark Teixeira, but closed out the game without allowing a run. Final score: Country win eight – four.
GAME Two pitted Country starter Jimenez (98 EB CB – two, CH – four) versus Yankees Lowe (92 DB CU – one, CB – two, CH – two, HSK – five). Spilborghs continues to play out of the DH spot, with Cust fielding in right. McCurdy and Huisman continue to report in blue condition, and Towles is substituting in at short for Huisman today
After setting down the Yankees impressively in the 1st, with strikeouts of Jeter and Rodriguez book ending a Teixeira single, the Country made some noise when Cust hammered a cut fastball down the middle the plate, putting it well beyond the right-field fence with Milledge on first, taking a two – zero lead, and extended that lead to 5-0 after 2 when a one out double from Towles brought Johnson (who singled) home, and a Hudson single drove in Thurston (who singled) and Towles. The Country were fortunate to hold the Yankees to 1 run in the 4th, as a Jeter double and Teixeira single left runners at first and third with no one out against Alex Rodriguez, who drove home Jeter with a sacrifice fly, but no other offense was mounted. Country lead five – one. In the 5th, Spilborghs scored after singling and stealing second, when Jack Cust singled to center, restoring the Country's five run lead. In the sixth, Johnny Damon led off with a single and moved to second on a Jeter bunt, but a failed hit and run with Teixeira at the plate resulted in Damon getting thrown out at third. The Country, meanwhile, expanded their lead as McCurdy and Towles singled, moved up to second and third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Hudson double, giving the Country a comfortable eight – one lead that proved vital when Alex Rodriguez led off the seventh with his 19th home run of the season and a Morgan Ensburg double with runners at second and third with two out. The inning ended on an interesting defensive play when Jose Molina (EE) grounded the ball to the left side of the field, Fields got a glove on it but merely ricocheted the ball on the ground to Towles at short, who threw to first, ending the top of the seventh. In the bottom half the inning, Nomo, pitching his third inning of the game, gave up a single up the middle to Spilborghs on a forkball up in the zone and then grooved a fastball right down the heart of the plate that Cust turned on for his second two run homerun of the day. The Yankees doubled their run output in the 8th when Damon, Jeter, and Teixeira singled, singled, and doubled, respectively, against middle reliever Oliver. When Rodriguez followed with his second home run of the game, Oliver was replaced by Shawn Green. A slow rolling infield single down the third-base line from Cano and a single by Cabrera alternated with fly outs to the outfield, but a force out at third ended the top of the eighth with the Country still leading 10 – 6. Joba Chamberlain started the ninth inning and avoided giving a leadoff single to Johnny Damon when Cust made a nifty sliding catch in right field. An excellent play by Hudson, charging a high, slow bouncing grounder from Jeter and making a strong throw to first for number two. A five pitch strikeout of Mark Teixeira ended the game, 10 – 6, Country.
Comments: this was a solid win, with the Country hitting for power (four extra-base hits), grouping singles together, and getting solid pitching from Country starter, Jimenez, who surrendered two runs over seven innings on nine hits with four strikeouts. Although middle reliever Oliver's appearance was a disaster– allowing four runs on four hits without recording an out, Green and Chamberlain pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings to close out the game.
Fields has been struggling lately and was hitless for the second day in a row, although he did hit the ball hard to the outfield several times, but either right at outfielders, or that the speedy Melky Cabrera was able to track down.
Towels, filling in at shortstop, was very effective at the plate, going 3/4 with one double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Hudson also had a strong game, going 3/5 with a double, four RBIs, although he was picked off first.
GAME THREE had Country Lannan (89 EB SL – three, CB – four, CH – three) face off against the Yankees Wang (96 CA HSL – three, SP – three, CH – three, HSK – five). Harris filled in for Johnson at first, Thurston replaced Erdos in left, and Towles started at shortstop for Huisman; Cust continues to play RF and Spilborghs DH.
An offensive 1st inning saw the Yankees start the game with two singles followed by two doubles. A fielders choice pushed the 4th Yankees run across the plate before a three-run homerun by Cust off of a hanging hard sinker brought the Country to within a run. The Country grabbed an 8-4 lead in the 2nd after closing out the top of the inning by throwing out Derek Jeter trying to steal second, when their eighth and ninth hitters singled and Orlando Hudson homered over the right centerfield fence, and then Fields hit a two run homerun with Cust on first. In innings 3, 5, & 6, the Yankees used small ball and solid pitching to close to within 1 run (8-7). Middle reliever Oliver started the sixth and, in between solid base hits, there were a few oddities, like the slow footed Yankees catcher popping up just behind first base, but Harris insisting on covering first instead of catching the flyball, allowing it to drop in for a run scoring single. Fortunately, a five pitch strikeout of Mark Teixeira with the bases-loaded ended the inning with only one run scored, but in the 7th, a Rodriguez solo home run tied the game, which stood when the Country were retired without threatening for the fourth inning in a row. The game remained at 8-8 until the 9th, when leadoff doubles from Jeter and Teixeira and gave up a two run homerun to Alex Rodriguez gave the Yankees a 3 run lead.
Mariano Rivera entered to close out the 11 – 8 game, facing Spilborghs. Singles by Spilborghs and Cust put runners at first and third with Josh Fields at the plate representing the tying run. Fields hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Spilborghs. Harris had a very tough at bat, starting off zero – two, but fighting off a pitch and allowing two close balls to go by before muscling a two seam fastball into right-center field that allowed Cust to hustle all the way to third. The Country then pinch ran for Harris with Erdos. Thurston hit the ball to short and Derek Jeter came home and threw out Cust at the plate. Dan Johnson came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for McCurdy and flied out to shallow centerfield, ending the game, 11-9 Yankees.
|
|
Login
Register
Wiki
FAQ
Search
