Game one started at 9:30 am and pitted the 5 seed Team Albany vs the Arizona Pirates. The game started well for the home team. Starter Jimmy Konstantakis got the Pirates out in the first without allowing a run. In the home half of the first, Scott Ross led off with an infield single, after one out Dean Little and Dave Mitchell walked to load the bases. Mike Girard singled to plate a run and Ralph Caputo singled home another. The rally ended up netting 4 runs with a little help from the visitors.
In the second, the Pirates got a single, two stolen bases, and a RBI ground out to close the gap to 4-1, but Albany immediately got that run back in the bottom half on a Darrell Duncan RBI single. The good guys would make it 6-2 in the bottom of the 4th on a single by Tim Brown and two errors by the visitors. The bottom of the 5th saw the home team plating 4 more on RBI singles by Ron Lochner, Caputo, Brown, and Ron Massaroni, to push the lead to 10-2. Meanwhile, Jimmy K was getting through the Pirates order by keeping them off balance with a great mix of pitches and locations.The top of the 6th saw the Pirates get two singles to lead off the inning, what transpired next was great to witness!
A sharp grounder to third was speared by Ralph Caputo, he stepped on 3rd, and turned and fired a strike to Tim Brown at second, who in turn fired to Dave Mitchell at first for a TRIPLE PLAY!!! A rare feat indeed! The Albany boys would get their 11th run in the bottom half of the inning on a lead off double by Dean Little, an error moved him to third and Girard delivered him with a single! Jimmy K left after 7 innings, giving up just 1 run, having scattered 8 hits and striking out 2, while walking none, earning the win. Wayne Newcomb came in in the top of the 8th and closed it out with two strong innings, allowing just 1 run. The final was 11-3 and the Albany Braves had their ticket punched to the quarterfinals.
Game two saw Team Albany take on the 4 seed Motor City Firebirds. The Firebirds got a gift from the Braves in the bottom of the first when they tried to steal second base, with a man on third. The man on third wasn't going to go until the ball bounced into center field. Albany pitcher, Ron Massaroni, got a K and a weak grounder to get out of the inning, and limited the damage to just one run. Ron would keep the Firebirds off the scoreboard in the second and third, while the Albany batters were trying to solve a very savvy veteran Firebirds pitcher, with no success. That was critical because the Braves would finally break through with a pair of runs in the top of the 4th. Scott Ross led off with a bunt single and a stolen base. Two ground outs later, Ross had manufactured the first Albany run. Dave Mitchell doubled, and Mike Girard was hit by the next pitch. Ron Lochner followed with a RBI single, and the Braves were on top 2-1.
The lead wouldn't last long, as the Firebirds got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. The game would stay tied at 2 until the top of the sixth, when Dean Little and Dave Mitchell singled with one out. Girard was again hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lochner then followed with a 2 RBI single. Ron Massaroni kept baffling the Detroit batters (some of whom could be heard comment on how they couldn't pick up the spin on Mazz's slider). They would not score again, as Massaroni pitched a complete game, scattering 8 hits while striking out 4 and walking none, for a complete game win (all while battling a head cold). The Albany boys would add 1 insurance run in the 8th and 6 in the 9th to make the final 11-2.
This puts the 5 seed Albany Braves into one semi-final against the top seed and undefeated South Bay Zephyrs. The other semi final will pit the 2nd seed Quad City Blasters against the 3rd seed Dallas Rangers, with the winners of both games meeting in the finals.
Eight games in 5 days and the boys from Albany are looking forward to playing two more tomorrow.
Awesome guys! Ive read every post following every word. ive been looking every day for your post. So proud of Jk and Maz the ultimate warriors! Bring it home tomorrow fellows! Its meant to be.
Wish you were here with us, my friend. Met some guy, named john, from the Firebirds that had played with you and your brother Tim out here. He wanted us to say hello to you. Your circle of influence in the baseball world is a wide one!
