FAR takes NCDS 4-1 over SEA

Game 1: 

SEA        0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0     0   4  0 
FAR        0 5 1  0 0 0  0 2 x     8  12  0 

W-Maddux (1-0)  L-Castillo (0-1) 
HR-None 

Castillo had handled the Fargo batting order easily in the past, but 
suffered through a rocky second inning, giving up two doubles and a 
triple, along with 4 singles to account for the 5 runs.  Mark Mulder came 
on in relief, giving up only a single run in 4.1 innings of work.  But 
Greg Maddux was the story of this game, going 9 full innings, giving up 
only 4 hits, and facing only 3 batters over the minimum. 


Game 2: 

SEA        2 0 0  0 0 2  1 0 0  0 4      9 10  1 
FAR     0 1 1  1 0 0  0 0 2  0 0      5 12  3 

W-Nelson (1-0)  L-Kim (0-1) 
HR- Casey (1)  Everett (1) 

By far the best game of the series, going into extra innings.  Seattle 
took an early 2-0 lead on a two out two run blast from Sean Casey in the 
first, with Fargo scratching out a 3-2 lead with single runs in the 
second, third and fourth.  Seattle retook the lead with Everett's first 
home run of the series, and added an insurance run in the seventh, scoring 
Matt Williams after a leadoff double.  Clemens gave way in the ninth to 
Jeff Fassero with a two run lead.  Fassero got pinch hitter Tim Raines 
out, but pinch hitter Jeff Reboulet singled.  Jeff Nelson then relieved 
Fassero, giving up a single and a walk before allowing Jason Giambi's 
double to score two to tie the game.  After an intentional walk to Sammy 
Sosa, Nelson got Drew on strikes, and induced Aramis Ramirez to hit a 
sharp grounder to Alex Rodriguez. 

The tenth innings was fairly uneventful, although both teams managed to 
get a runner to second with just one out.  In the eleventh, an obviously 
tired BH Kim gave up leadoff walks to Mark Grace and Rodriguez, and was 
lifted for Miguel Batista.  As with Nelson, Batista wasn't much help, 
walking Casey and allowing a sac fly off Moises Alou's bat.  A double from 
Martinez and a wild pitch capped off the 4 run inning for Seattle.  Fargo 
only managed a walk in their half of the 11th, which was promptly erased 
on a game ending 6-4-3 double play. 

Game 3: 

FAR        1 0 3  2 2 5  0 1 1       15  19  0 
SEA        0 2 0  2 0 0  0 1 0        5   9  1 

W-Ritchie (1-0)   L-Castillo (0-2) 
HR- Sosa 2 (2), Drew 2 (2), Ramirez (1), Alomar (1), Everett (2), 
Hernandez(1) 

Game three brought out Fargo's dormant home run hitters.  Castillo started 
after only going 2.0 innings in the first game, and only surviving 4.0 
innings this game.  The game was tight early, but the middle innings sewed 
things up for the Woodchippers.  Todd Ritchie pitched 8.0 innings for the 
win.  A scary moment happened in the top of the 5th inning, when Rodriguez 
and Bubba Trammell could hear each other, and ran into each other on a 
Rich Aurilia double.  Rodriguez was shaken up but remined in the game, 
while Trammel was removed, and was not available for game 4. 


Game 4: 

FAR        1 0 0  0 4 0  0 0 0       5  10  2 
SEA     0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0       0   3  0 

W-Wood (1-0)  L-Appier (0-1) 
HR-Giambi (1) 

Fargo scored all they would need in the first inning from a Giambi double, 
and a Sosa single to bring him home.  A three run home run in the 5th 
provided most of the insurance, with a Sosa single chased home by a JD 
Drew double added the fifth run.  Appier pitched solidly outside of the 
fifth inning, only allowing two other runners past second base in his six 
other innings of work.  However, Kerry Wood was sharper, throwing a 9 
inning shutout, only allowing two runners past first base, and both were 
as a direct result of Woodchipper errors.  Wood finished with 14 K's in 
the game. 


Game 5: 

FAR        0 1 0  0 0 1  0 0 0       2  7  0 
SEA        0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0       0  1  0 

W-Maddux (2-0)  L-Clemens (1-1) 
HR-none 

The matchup most people had been waiting for, matching up the two best 
active right handed pitchers.  Clemens went 8.1 scattering 7 hits, and 
Maddux went the full 9 only giving up a single and a walk, in addition to 
a hit batter.  Fargo managed to cash in a leadoff Sosa double in the 
second inning on a Ramirez single, and strung together two one out walks 
and a single in the sixth inning to account for the entire scoring this 
game.  Clemens had 4 1-2-3 innings of the eight he pitched, and he also 
stranded a leadoff Robbie Alomar double in the eighth retiring the next 
three batters to keep things close.  Maddux had 7 1-2-3 innings en route 
to his second shutout of the series. 

Greg Maddux picked up the series MVP, with a line of: 
18 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 12 K going 2-0 for the series with two 
shutouts. 

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