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Blazers Defeat Mudcats, Retain Original Division Crown

September 10, 2014 (Federal League Wire Service)

                The Fort Lauderdale Blazers scored a 6-4 win over the Commercial Aviation Mudcats in Game 4 of the Original Division's Championship Final Series, thereby clinching the title and giving the franchise it's third consecutive Senior Circuit crown.
                Michael Cimilluca tossed a complete game for the Blazers, pitching out of a tense ninth inning jam to secure the victory. Cimilluca allowed two earned runs on nine hits, walked one, hit one, and struck out nine.
                Bob Villalona started for the Whiskered Fish and suffered the loss after permitting six runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks. Villalona hit a batter and fanned five in four and two thirds innings.
                The Blazers grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Mudcat first baseman Jim Rupf lost a throw in the setting sun and two runs scored on what might have been the third out. The Fort Lauderdalers tacked on four more runs in the fifth.
                Eric Sabido led off with a walk and went to second when Devan ward was hit by a Villalona pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Sabido scored when David Leon hit a sacrifice fly. The Mudcats chose to walk Joe Iacobucci intentionally, but the move backfired when third baseman Amed Martinez could not handle a hard smash off the bat of John Spellman. On run scored on the play and two more scampered home on a long two out double by Dominick Ficarra.
                Trailing by six, the 'Cats immediately staged a rally that netted them two runs in the top of the sixth. Pedro Morales led off with a base hit and went to second when Michel Valdes reached on an error. After Martinez drew a one out walk to load the bases, Morales scored on a sacrifice fly by Peter Maestrales. Luis Rodriguez followed with an RBI single to score Valdes.
                In the seventh, trailing 6-2, the Mudcats scored again as Alejandro Caboverde led off with a single and went to third on a ground rule double by Pedro Morales. Caboverde scored on a ground out by Michel Valdes to cut the deficit to three.
                The Mudcats put two runners aboard in the eighth, but catcher Michael Fuentes picked Tommy Tritz off of first with a perfect back door throw to end the threat.
                In the ninth, Caboverde led off and stroked a double for his third hit of the ninth. Cimilluca retired the next two batters, but Vales kept the Mudcats alive by looping a single to right that sent Caboverde home, making the score 6-4. Gary Frady flared a single to left to put runners on the corners and bring the go ahead run to the plate, but Cimilluca induced Martinez to loft a fly ball to left. As the ball settled in Ficarra's glove for the final out, the Blazers rushed to the mound to mob Cimilluca and celebrate a hard earned championship.
                After the game, the editors of South Florida Baseball Report chose Blazer shortstop David Leon as the Original Division's playoff MVP. Leon went 14-25 with 16 runs scored in the post season for the Fort Lauderdalers.
               Mudcats Blast Blazers In Game 3: The Commercial Aviation Mudcats, facing elimination, responded with an emphatic 15-5 win in Game 3, but the Fort Lauderdale Blazers still hold a two games to one lead in the Original Division's best of five Championship Final Series. However, the Whiskered Fish are back in the series and hold the momentum.
                With their backs to the wall, the Mudcats gave the ball to veteran pitcher Gus Maestrales and the sidewinding righty responded with a complete game effort, limiting the powerful Blazer lineup to 10 hits. Maestrales walked two and struck out two.
                Danny Noll started for the Blazers, but did not escape the first inning, allowing six runs on three hits and three walks.
                Things started well for the Blazers as they sought the series sweep. Devan Ward led off the game with a solid single and moved to second on a base hit by David Leon. A third consecutive single, this one by Joe Iacobucci, loaded the bases. John Spellman's sacrifice fly to left scored Ward, and a single by Dominick Ficarra plated Leon, but the inning came to a screeching halt as Jorge Correa popped out to catcher Pedro Morales and Iacobucci attempted to tag up and score on the play. Morales beat Iacobucci to the plate to complete the rally killing double play.
                In the bottom of the first, Gary Frady led off with a walk and then trotted home as Amed Martinez launched a game tying home run. Walks to Peter Maestrales and Morales were wrapped around a pair of outs before a single by Tommy Tritz gave the Mudcats a 3-2 advantage. Alejandro Caboverde's three run home run to left chased Noll and put the Mudcats ahead, 6-2.
                A sacrifice fly off of the bat of Luis Crabal made in 7-2 in the second and the 'Cats scored seven more runs in the fourth, highlighted by Tritz's two run single, and RBI single by Martinez, and a grand slam by Peter Maestrales.
                Spellman's two run single in the fifth and an RBI double by Leon in the seventh accounted for the Blazers' other runs. The Mudcats capped the scoring in the bottom of the seventh as Martinez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
                Tritz led the Whiskered Fish with three hits. Ward and Iacobucci had three hits each for the Fort Lauderdalers.
                The Mudcats will look to tie the series with a win in Game 4.
                Blazers Outlast Mudcats In Game 2: The Fort Lauderdale Blazers took a commanding two games to none lead in the Original Division's best of five Championship Final Series.
                Michael Cimilluca, who earned a four inning save in Game 1, started for the Blazers and tossed seven innings for the win. Cimilluca was not at his sharpest, but only permitted one earned run on eight hits. The veteran ace walked three, hit one, and struck out five. Eric Sabido pitched two scoreless innings to earn a save.
                Peter Maestrales started for the Whiskered Fish and took the loss after allowing nine runs on nine hits in four and two thirds innings.
                David Leon led the Blazers with a pair of home runs, three RBI, and four runs scored. Dominick Ficarra also homered for the Fort Lauderdalers. Devan Ward contributed a pair of hits.
                Gary Frady and Luis Rodriguez had a pair of hits each for the Mudcats.
                After the Mudcats picked up a run in the top of the third on an RBI double by Frady, the Blazers took the lead with three runs in the home half of the frame as Leon led off with a long home run to right and Ficarra lauched a two run shot later in the inning.
                The Blazers tacked on two runs in the fourth on Leon's two run homer.
                In the fifth, the Mudcats pulled to within 5-3 as Amed Martinez drew a bases loaded walk and Luis Rodriguez singled in a run, but the Blazers responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth as Ward singled home a run, Joe Iacobucci drew a bases loaded walk, and John Spellman drove in two with a single.
                The Mudcats rallied for four runs in the seventh, aided by two Blazer errors, but the Fort Lauderdalers capped the scoring in the bottom of the seventh when the Mudcats relievers issued four free passes.
                The Blazers can clinch their third championship with a win in Game 3, scheduled for Tuesday night.
                Blazers Maul Mudcats In Game 1: The Fort Lauderdale Blazers defeated the Commercial Aviation Mudcats, 15-5, in Game 1 of the Original Division's Championship Final Series on Tuesday night.
                An RBI single by Jorge Correa, and two Mudcat errors, keyed a four run rally in the top of the sixth that propelled the Blazers into the lead for good.
                Danny Noll started for the Fort Lauderdalers against Tommy Tritz for the 'Cats.
                The Blazers scored first, plating two runs in the top of the second. Michael Fuentes led off with a loud double and Dominic Ficarra was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch, Fuentes scored when Adam Martinez reached an a wild throw, and then Ficarra scored on the back end of a double steal.
                In the third, the Whiskered Fish got on the board as Alejandro Caboverde drew a one out walk, and scored two batters later on an RBI single by Michel Valdes. The 'Cats took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth as Pete Maestrales poled a long two run home run.
                After Maestrales' bomb, Mudcat shortstop Luis Crabal objected when Noll's next pitch was, in Crabal's opinion, too far up and in. The benches briefly emptied and warnings were issued, but no incident occurred.
                After Crabal grounded out to short, he paused near the Blazer dugout and got into a heated exchange with Blazers' DH Adam Martinez. Both players were ejected and the game resumed.
                In the sixth, the Blazers went ahead 6-3 when John Spellman reached on an error, Fuentes singled, and Ficarra walked. Correa singled in one run and another Mudcat error opened the door for three additional runs.
                The Mudcats attempted to respond in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Joey Silvani. Luis Rodriguez led off with a single to center, Amed Martinez drew a walk, and Pedro Morales singled to drive in Rodriguez. Silvani was lifted, complaining of pains in his right arm, and replaced by Blazers' ace Michael Cimilluca. The Mudcat rally ended as Cimilluca struck out the side to preserve the Blazers' two run advantage.
                The Blazers then pounded the Mudcats' bullpen for nine runs in the final two frames.
                Noll, who allowed three runs on five hits in five innings, got credit for the win. Tritz, who permitted six runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits in five and a third innings, took the loss. Cimilluca earned a save after tossing four innings of one run relief.
                Fuentes led the Blazers with three hits and two RBI. Devan Ward, David Leon, Dominick Ficarra, and Jorge Correa had two hits each.
                Maestrales, Rodriguez, and Morales had two hits each for the Whiskered Fish.
                The Blazers will be looking to take a commanding two games to none lead in the best of five series, while the Mudcats will seek to square the series, in Game 2, scheduled for Thursday night.
                







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