Expansion
Series: Goliaths Win 2nd Straight Title With Game 4 Whitewash of
Stars
February
22, 2008 (Federal League Wire Service)
The
Davie Goliaths became the first team to win the Expansion Series
six times as they defeated the Hollywood Stars, 12-0, in Game 4,
Thursday night. The Goliaths won the series, three games to one.
Matt Sperry tossed a complete game two hitter, walking two,
hitting one, and striking out four. Sperry, who went 4-0 in the
post season, was named Playoff MVP after the game.
Doc Guida started for the Stars and took the loss after
permitting five runs, one earned, on five hits in two and a
third innings. Guida walked two and hit one.
The
Goliaths opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Danny
Negron drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and scored on an
error. The Philistines added three runs in the second as a two
run single by David Cruz and another costly error gave the G-Men
a 4-0 lead.
The bulge swelled to 6-0 in the third as the Goliaths drove
Guida from the game. David Bourns smacked a solo home run with
one out in the inning and Guida was lifted in favor of Aaron
Spring. The Goliaths tacked on another run in the inning on a
pair of walks, a ground out, and a wild pitch.
Cruz led off the bottom of the fourth with a long triple to
center and scored as the Stars mishandled the relay. Four more
runs followed in the fifth. Norman Vazquez connected for a one
out double and went to third on an infield single by Brian
Genetti. After Vazquez scored on a wild pitch, Spring walked
Negron and Jason Silver to load the bases.
Sandy Cabrera replaced Spring as the Stars' pitcher and walked
Cruz to force in a run and then surrendered a two run single to
David Sanquini.
A sacrifice fly by A.J. Ulmstattd in the sixth capped the
scoring.
As the Goliaths celebrated their win, their sights immediately
turned to becoming the first team ever to capture the Expansion
Series crown three season in a row, a quest that will begin as
the 2008 Spring/Summer season opens on April 19.
Mets Win Original Division
Crown With 3-2 Win Over Sun Devils In Game 4: The
KWB Mets won he Original Division's Championship Final Series
for the second consecutive season and the 14th time in team
history after notching a 3-2 win over the South Florida Sun
Devils in Game 4 of the best of five series.
Alan Clark's ninth inning single to right with one out and the
bases loaded scored Alex Rodriguez with, what proved to be, the
series winning run.
In the bottom of the eighth, Rodriguez, who gained credit for
the win after pitching three innings of scoreless relief,
pitched out of a bases loaded, none out, jam.
Matt
Stubbs went the distance for the Solar Satans and took the loss.
Stubbs scattered 11 hits and allowed one earned run. Stubbs
walked three and struck out six.
Eric Brotherhood started for the Mets, but exited the game in
the bottom of the sixth on the wrong end of a 2-1 score.
Brotherhood permitted two runs on 10 hits in five and two thirds
innings. The veteran righty walked four and fanned two.
Rodriguez struck out five, walked two, and surrendered four hits
in his relief stint. Michael Cimilluca emerged from the bullpen
to record the final out in the bottom of the ninth with the
tying run on second and registered a save.
The Mets opened the scoring in the top of the fourth as Rich
Pepio reached on an infield single and then scored as Greg
Cimilluca's double glanced of off centerfielder Jeff Wenger's
glove as Wenger attempted a sliding catch.
In the sixth, the Sun Devils took the lead as Corey Gleichenhaus
led off with a single, Jon Simon bunted him over to second, and
Robert Carter doubled to center. Carter scored, after moving to
third on a bunt hit by Dave Perry, on an RBI single by Jose
Zabala.
The Mets tied the score in the top of the eighth. After Carter
made a brilliant diving catch on Chris Sowa's drive to right to
open the inning, Carter came up inches short on a diving attempt
as Clark reached on a one out single. Pepio followed with a
double to left that moved Clark to third. Greg Cimilluca reached
on an error that allowed Clark to score the tying run.
Stubbs escaped further damage by getting Freddie Case to pop up
and Frankie Fermin to line into a double play.
The Sun Devils loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth as
Perry led off with a double and moved to third on a perfectly
placed bunt single by Zabala. The Mets walked Stubbs
intentionally to load the bases, but Rodriguez worked out of the
jam with two strikeouts before getting Ralph Consiglio to ground
out to third.
In the top of the ninth, Rodriguez led off with a single to
center and was safe at second as catcher Dave Perry's throw to
second pulled shortstop Jose Zabala off the bag after Jesse
Redondo's bunt. Karl Ruf then bunted for a hit to load the
bases.
After Stubbs fanned Sowa, Clark bounced a single to right to
score Rodriguez with the tie breaking run. Stubbs recovered to
strike out the side, but the Sun Devils trailed with only one
more inning to bat.
In the bottom of the ninth, Rodriguez got two quick outs before
Carter doubled to right to put the potential tying run in
scoring position. Mets' ace Michael Cimilluca was summoned from
the bullpen to secure the final out. Cimilluca induced Perry to
pop up to end the game and the series.
After the game, Cimilluca, who pitched three shutouts in the
playoffs and recorded one save, was named the division's Playoff
MVP. Cimilluca finished the campaign having not allowed a run in
47 consecutive innings.
