Original
Division Finals: Mudcats' Rally To Win 1st Title
September
24, 2011 (Federal League Wire Service)
The Commercial Aviation Mudcats saved their best comeback for last
as they rallied from a six run deficit to capture Game 5 of the
Original Division's Championship Final Series with 10-9, 10
inning, win over the Deerfield Tigers.
The win represented the first championship in team history for the
Whiskered Fish.
After taking a 9-8 lead with a seven run outburst in the top of
the sixth, the Mudcats saw the Tigers send the game into extra
innings with a two out RBI double by Jerrad Ryan in the bottom of
the ninth, before Steve Seldomridge doubled in the go ahead run in
the top of the 10th.
Tommy Tritz, who won Game 3 with three innings of relief, and
pitched a complete game for the victory in Game 4, picked up his
third win in as many games. Tritz, who pitched 16 and two thirds
innings in the span of five days, allowed one run on four hits in
Game 4, despite operating on only one day's rest.
Gus Maestrales started the most important game in Mudcat history
and was opposed by Drew Phillips of the Tigers. Neither pitcher
made it through the sixth inning.
In the top of the first, the
Mudcats took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Jeff King, but
failed to take of advantage of a bases loaded, one out, situation.
In the second, the Whiskered Fish added another run on an RBI
single by Alex Pinion, but left two runners on base.
The Mudcats' inability to capitalize on their opportunities
further was magnified as the Tigers struck for five runs in the
bottom of the second. Cameron Demming led off with a home run to
left. After a one out error, Phillips walked and Jason Taddonio
singled to load the bases. Chris Delgado worked out a walk to
force home the tying run, and a sacrifice fly by Teddy Bird gave
the Tigers a 3-2 lead. After Donnie Mott walked to reload the
bases, Jerrad Ryan delivered a two run single to put the Tigers
ahead, 5-2.
In the fifth, the Tigers added to the lead, scoring three runs to
take an 8-2 lead. A two run double by Demming and a run producing
error gave the Tigers a six run bulge.
Running out of time, the Mudcats rallied in the top of the
sixth. Mickey Tanyi opened the frame
with a base hit. After a wild pitch sent him to second, Tanyi
pulled into third on a single by Pinion. Gary Frady singled
through the right side to score Tanyi, making the score 8-3. Pete
Maestrales walked to load the bases and then Tritz hit a sacrifice
fly to left that scored Pinion and pulled the Mudcats to within
four.
Jeff King then drove in another run with a sun aided double to
right, and Seldomridge singled up the middle to drive in two. With
the Mudcats down by only a run, the Tigers lifted Phillips and
replaced him with Demming.
However, Demming was unable to stem the tide as he yielded three
consecutive singles. Ricardo Figueroa singled to right, pinch
hitter A.J. Arenas delivered an RBI single that tied the game, and
Tanyi, who started the rally, singled in the go ahead run.
Bird relieved Demming and got Pinion to fly out to right. Arenas,
who tagged and tried to score on the play, was cut down on a fine
throw by Delgado for an inning ending double play. The damage had
been done, however, as the Mudcats held a 9-8 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth,
Taddonio led off by drawing a walk, and Bird connected for a one
out single. At this point, the Mudcats called upon Tritz to save
the game.
Tritz got out of the sixth by fanning Mott and retiring Ryan on a
fly to left.
With the Mudcats still nursing a one run lead, Bird and Tritz
matched zeroes until the bottom of the ninth. In that frame,
Delgado worked Tritz for a leadoff walk and went to second as Bird
laid down a sacrifice bunt. Tritz regrouped to induce Mott to fly
out to left, but with two out, Ryan doubled to right center to
score Delgado with tying run. Tritz preserved the tie by getting
Mike Hardison to ground out to second.
The game headed into extra innings, tied 9-9. In the top of
the 10th, Pete Maestrales led off and was hit by a Bird offering.
Bird recovered to strike out Tritz and King, but Seldomridge
drilled a liner into left center that hit the fence. Maestrales
scored the go ahead run easily and the Mudcats held a 10-9
advantage.
In the bottom of the 10th, Tritz got two quick outs, but A.J.
Hierro and Anthony Rosado kept the Tigers' hopes alive with back
to back singles. With the tying and winning runs aboard, Tritz
summoned one last bit of magic from his right arm and
persuaded Phillips to lift a fly to right field that settled in
Figueroa's glove for the final out of the game, and the series.
The delirious, and relieved, Mudcats mobbed Tritz on the
mound, as the Tigers watched in stunned silence.
Tritz, who registered all three
of the Mudcats' wins in the series, was a unanimous choice as
Playoff MVP. Tritz allowed one earned run, walking five and
striking out 26 in 16 and two thirds innings.
The Mudcats, in capturing the first championship in the long
history of the team, rallied from behind in all three of their
wins, and became only the third team in league history to win a
championship series after losing the first two games.
Game 4 Highlights-Mudcats Even Series: The
Commercial Aviation Mudcats have sent the Original Division's
Championship Final Series to a fifth and deciding game with an 8-2
victory over the Deerfield Tigers in Game 4 of the best of five
series. For the second straight
game, the Whiskered Fish overcame a deficit with a late inning
rally.
A grand slam by Peter Maestrales with two out in the bottom of the
seventh wiped out the Tigers 2-1 advantage, both in terms of the
score and in the series standings.
The game began as a pitcher's duel between Tommy Tritz, who won
Game 3 in relief, and Mike Hardison, who won in Game 2.
In the top of the first, the Tigers picked up an unearned run as
Donnie Mott reached on an error and, ultimately, scored on a wild
pitch. The Mudcats tied the score in the fourth on an RBI ground
out by Jeff King.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh as Cameron
Demming drew a one out walk, Hardison reached on an error, and
Jerrad Ryan connected for an RBI double down the left field line.
In the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Danny Morillo
got aboard with a broken bat single to left center. Mickey Tanyi
followed by drawing a walk, and Alex Pinion singled to right to
load the bases. After Hardison recovered to fan Gary Frady for the
second out, he got two quick strikes on Maestrales before running
the count to 2-2. The next pitch, a changeup, appeared to catch
the inside corner, but home plate umpire Steve House ruled that it
was a ball. After three consecutive full count foul balls,
Maestrales yanked a Hardison offering over the right field fence
for a grand slam and a 5-2 Mudcats' lead.
The Whiskered Fish added three more runs in the eighth on a
Tigers' error and a two run single by Pinion to close out the
scoring.
Tritz pitched a complete game for the win, allowing no earned runs
on four hits. Tritz walked three and struck out 14. Hardison took
the loss, allowing five earned runs on six hits in seven innings.
Hardison walked two, hit two, and fanned 11.
The fifth and deciding game is scheduled for Saturday. Gus
Maestrales will start for the Mudcats. The Tigers will likely
start either Teddy Bird or Drew Phillips.
Game 3 Recap-Mudcats Stay Alive On King's 10th Inning Homer: The
Commercial Aviation Mudcats staved off elimination with a, come
from behind, 7-5 defeat of the Deerfield Tigers in Game 3 of the
Original Division's Championship Final Series. The Tigers still
lead the best of five series, two games to one.
After rallying for the tying run in the top of the ninth, Jeff
"Kong" King's two run home run in the top of the 10th
inning off of reliever Drew Phillips provided the margin of
victory. King swatted a curve ball over the fence in right field
for the game winning blast.
Teddy Bird started for the Tigers against Peter Maestrales for the
Whiskered Fish. Maestrales ran into immediate trouble in the first
inning as he walked Donnie Mott and Anthony Rosado to start the
game. A pair of force outs allowed Mott to score the game's first
run. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the third on RBI singles
by A.J. Hierro and Cameron Demming.
In the top of the third, the Mudcats got on the board on a two run
home run by Tommy Tritz. The Tigers chose to replace Bird at that
point and brought in lefty Jon Means. A trio of Mudcat errors in
the bottom of the fourth increased the Tigers' lead to 4-2.
The Mudcats were unable to do anything with Means until the top of
the fifth. With one out, Luis Rodriguez hit a long home run to
left that brought the Maestralesmen to within one run. As
Rodriguez began his home run trot, Means took exception to his
perception of Rodriguez's actions after the home run. The two
players shouted at each other and, eventually, both benches
emptied. Order was quickly restored by the umpire crew and both
Means and Rodriguez were ejected.
Chris Delgado took over the Tigers' mound duties and held the
Mudcats in check through the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, with Phillips on in relief for
the Tigers, the Mudcats tied the score. An RBI single by
Maestrales drove in Alex Pinion.
In the bottom of the eighth, Anthony Pagano drew a lead off
walk and then stole second. After reliever Tritz struck out Jerrad
Ryan and Phillips, Pagano stole third. Arenas' throw was wild and
skipped into left field, allowing Pagano to score the go ahead
run.
Down to their final three outs of the season, the Mudcats, once
again, rallied to tie the score. Steve Seldomridge
connected for a one out single and advanced to second on a wild
pitch. With two out, pinch hitter Chris Keller was hit by a pitch
and A.J. Arenas walked to load the bases. After fouling off four
full count pitches, Pinion finally worked Phillips for a walk that
forced in Seldomridge with the tying run.
After issuing a leadoff walk to Mott in the bottom of the ninth,
Tritz struck out the side to send the contest to extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Mickey Tanyi got on base with a one out
single to left. Two batters later, King drove a Phillips offering
over the wall for an opposite field home run and a 7-5 Mudcats'
lead.
Tritz set the Tigers down in order in the bottom of the 10th to
seal the win.
Tritz, who struck out eighth and limited the Tigers to just a walk
in three innings pitched, earned the win. Phillips, who was
charged with four runs on five hits in three innings of work, took
the loss.
The Mudcats will try and tie the series, while the Tigers
still hope to wrap up their second lead title, as the series
continues with Game 4, scheduled for Thursday night.
Game 2 Review-Tigers Top Mudcats Again: The Deerfield
Tigers moved to within one win of the second Original Division
championship in team history as they defeated the Commercial
Aviation Mudcats, 5-2 in Game 2 of the best of five Championship
Final Series.
Mike Hardison picked up his second win of the post season as he
outpitched Gus Maestrales of the Whiskered Fish. Maestrales had
also started Game 1 for the Mudcats on Thursday and was actually
more effective working on one day's rest.
The Mudcats opened the scoring on a home run by Tommy Tritz,
leading off the bottom of the second. The run represented the
Mudcats' first lead of the series.
Unfortunately for the Maestralesmen, the lead only lasted until
the top of the fifth. In that frame, the Tigers scored twice to
take a 2-1 lead. Anthony Pagano got on board with a one out single
and then stole second and third. Drew Phillips then walked and
stole second to put runners on second and third. Maestrales got
Chris Delgado to ground out to third with Pagano breaking for home
after the out. Pagano made it home safely, and, when the throw
home was wild, Phillips scored from second.
The Mudcats tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth as Gary Frady
homered, but the Tigers retook the lead in the seventh as Jason
Taddonio led off with a double before scoring on a Mudcat error.
In the top of the eighth, the Tigers added an insurance run.
Donnie Mott led off with a single, stole second, went to third on
a balk, and scored on a wild pitch. An RBI single by John Adams in
the top of the ninth closed out the scoring.
Hardison, who scattered five hits, worked around a leadoff single
by Luis Rodriguez in the ninth, to preserve the lead for a
complete game victory. Hardison hit one batter, did not issue a
walk, and struck out 12.
Maestrales permitted four earned runs on eights en route to a
complete game loss. Maestrales walked one, hit one, and struck out
one.
Mott and Anthony Rosado paced the Tigers with two hits each.
Rodriguez had two hits for the Mudcats.
Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday. The Tigers will be
seeking a series sweep, while the Mudcats will be looking to get
back into the series with a win.
