STL/MCM series goes the distance

Game 1

The Motor City Marauders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the AC Division Series, defeating the Saint Louis Rivermen 3-1 behind the stellar pitching of Johan Santana. Santana tossed a complete game 4 hitter while walking 2 and striking out 10, the only run coming from a 2nd inning solo shot off the bat of Doug Mirabelli. The Marauders jumped out to an early lead in the first inning with an RBI groundout by David Bell. After Mirabelli tied it up in the 2nd, the Marauders went ahead for good in the 3rd on a 2-out RBI single by David Newhan. Bell got his second RBI by tacking on an insurance run with a solo shot in the 8th. Jake Westbrook was solid in a losing effort, giving up all 3 runs in 7.2 IP.

Game 2

Saint Louis rode the the strong pitching of Doug Davis and Akinori Otsuka to a comfortable 4-1 win, evening the series at a game each. Davis tossed 6 shutout innings before tiring in the 7th, and was bailed out of a jam when Otuska induced pinch hitter Ken Griffey into an inning ending double-play. The Rivermen scored single runs in the 2nd (RBI single from Jeromy Burnitz), 3rd (RBI single from Mike Young), 6th (RBI double from David Wright), and 7th (sac fly by Tony Womack).

Game 3

Saint Louis lost starting pitcher David Wells to injury in the 3rd inning, but still cruised to a 6-2 victory. The Marauders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the same inning that Wells had to leave with arm trouble, but the Rivermen took the lead on an unlikely 2-out, 2-run double from 9th hitter Gerald Laird in the bottom of the 5th. The Marauders tied it up when Mike Piazza took Jeremy Bonderman deep in the top half of the 6th, but the Rivermen blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning. Carl Crawford led off with a homer that just barely cleared the fences, and after JC Romero relieved Marauders starter Bruce Chen things just got worse as Jeromy Burnitz plated two with a triple and then scored on an RBI single from David Wright. Bonderman was huge for the home team, picking up Wells and allowing only the Piazza homer. Ray King picked up the win tossing an inning of scoreless relief.

Game 4

After scoring only 6 runs in three games the Marauders discovered their bats in game 4, battering Saint Louis pitching for 20 hits in an easy 14-3 victory. The home team jumped out to a quick lead in the first off Johan Santana, as David Bell's costly error allowed 3 unearned runs to score. However, those would be the only runs of the game for the Rivermen. Starter C.C. Sabathia was pounded, giving up 6 runs in 3.2 IP, finally being sent to the showers after a 2-run shot from Ryan Klesko in the 4th. The Rivermen pen couldn't replicate their effort from the previous evening, allowing 8 more runs over the final 5 frames. Klesko had 3 hits and 3 RBI, Lew Ford had 3 hits and 3 runs scored, and Justin Morneau had a 3-run homer for the Marauders. Santana did not qualify for a win, as Marauders manager Alan Trammell yanked him in the 5th, presumably due to wanting his ace fully rested in case the series went the distance. J.C. Romero picked up the garbage win, retiring all three batters he faced.

Game 5

Once again the Marauders bats were on fire, putting the game away early with an 8-run 3rd inning en route to hammering out a 13-6 win. Saint Louis starter Jake Westbrook took his 2nd loss of the series, leaving the game in after allowing the first 3 batters to reach in the 3rd. The Rivermen turned to Otsuka, who was brilliant in game 2, but he promptly served up a 3-run shot to Morneau which put the Marauders up 6-0. However, the nightmare wasn't over yet, because David Bell followed up 5 batters later with a grand slam. Once again the Marauders pulled their starter early, this time Brad Penny only sticking around for 2 innings. Odalis Perez got the win, despite giving up 3 runs (2 earned) in 2.1 IP of relief. Brad Lidge came on to bail Perez out of trouble in the 5th. Bell hit two homers in the game, driving in five. The Marauders had to play the final 6 innings with Morneau behind the plate, because defensive replacement Charles Johnson was injured by a foul tip in the 3rd.

Game 6

The Rivermen had their backs to the wall in game 6, and played like it, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead. Omar Infante led off the game with a triple and scored on a groundout, and in the 2nd the Marauders were once again victimized by the 9th hitter as Johnny Estrada converted a huge 2-out, 3-run deep fly homer. Motor City answered in their half of the 2nd, as Justin Morneau crushed one to right center, cutting the lead in half to 4-2. The Marauders scored again in the 3rd, but still trailed by a run going into their half of the 5th. Riverman starter Jake Westbrook, starting again after the off-day, gave up a 2-out RBI single to Ken Griffey Jr. which tied the game, and then walked Mike Piazza to load the bases. The Rivermen went to the pen, summoning Ray King, and Motor City Manager Alan Trammell answered with Jose Hernandez. Hernandez hit a blast to left-center which flew just over CF Carl Crawford's outstretched glove, clearing the bases with a pinch-hit grand slam! Sitting on a 4 run lead, things looked good for the home team, but the Rivermen proceded to smack around the Marauders bullpen. J.C. Romero gave up back-to-back RBI doubles to Doug Mirabelli and Mark Teixeira in the 6th, Teixeira later scoring on an rbi groundout cutting the lead to 8-7. The Marauders put two back on the board in the bottom half, as Edgar Renteria took King deep and David Newhan later knocked in a run with a single. Mariano Rivera promptly surrendered a leadoff homer to Carl Crawford in the 7th, and was later pulled for Brad Lidge who served up a game tying 2-run deep fly homer to Doug Mirabelli. The Marauders had their chance to win in the 8th, as Lew Ford led off with a double and with 1-out tried to score a wild pitch uncorked by Kevin Gregg, but a great throw by Johnny Estrada nailed him at the plate keeping the game tied. The Marauders had to go with game 5 starter Brad Penny in the 9th, and he could not get the job done, surrendering the game winning run on an RBI single from Riverman hero of the game (former Marauder) Mirabelli. Gregg threw the final 3.2 IP for the visitors in their 11-10 victory.

Game 7

The final game saw the Marauders once again sending their ace Johan Santana to the mound. The Rivermen answered with game 2 starter and winner, Doug Davis. For 6 innings both lefties kept the opposing batters tied up in knots, as each pitcher allowed only 1 batter over the minimum. The Marauders scored a run on an RBI single by Mike Piazza in the 2nd and the Rivermen tied it up with a homer by Mark Teixeira in the 5th. In the top of the 7th, Mike Young worked a leadoff walk, and after two outs Hideki Matsui hit what looked to be a back-breaking 2-run deep fly homer off Santana, giving the Rivermen a 3-1 lead. Things looked bleak, but the Marauders refused to throw in the towel. In the bottom of the 7th, Edgar Renteria led off with a single, and after a walk scored on an RBI single by Ryan Klesko. David Bell executed a perfect hit-and-run single, plating the tying run and sending the go-ahead run to third. The Rivermen brought the infield in and pitched to Mike Piazza, who came up with one of the biggest hits of his 13-year career, blasting a 3-run homer into center which put the Marauders up 6-3. Santana got the first two batters out in the 8th, but a single and an RBI triple by Carl Crawford forced Trammell to call for Brad Lidge. Lidge got Mike Young to fly out to right to end the 8th, and struck out Teixeira with the tying run on 2nd to end the game, sending the Marauders on to the Conference Championship Series.

Manager Alan Trammell and the Marauders would like to congratulate the Rivermen on a great season and a well played series. Johan Santana was given the series MVP award, winning games 1 and 7, while allowing only 5 earned runs in 21.1 IP.

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