[Syd Thrift]

Canada 6, Mexico City 1

Mexico City had a problem with the back of their rotation all season long, but it was nonetheless a bit of a surprise when they named little-used Ivan Lopez to start Game 3 at home against the Mounted Baseballists. Lopez did have a superficially decent 3-1 record in 4 starts and 10 relief appearances for his team, but you'd think they'd have found somebody more... substantial.

At first, it was Canadian starting pitcher John Seaman who looked like he didn't have his "sea legs". Seaman walked the first batter he faced and was quite lucky to escape the first inning with just a run. However, he seemed to find control of his nickel curve as time went on and meanwhile during the Canadian halves Ivan Lopez looked more and more hittable as the game progressed. He finally left after 7 innings and 5 runs off of 6 hits and no strikeouts.

London 6, Berlin 0

The Teutonic Knights are not looking like a team that finished just 1 game behind in the European League standings. Byron Weld, a .500 pitcher in the regular season, didn't allow a base hit until the 7th inning and absolutely dominated Berlin.

The Monarchs scored the only run Weld needed in the first off of some clever baserunning by RF Byron Feveryear, who reached on a double, then advanced on two consecutive outs. Weld supplied some insurance of his own with a double in the top of the 5th. He came around to score in an inning that saw some questionable management by the Teutonic Knights. Their starter Victor Schumann was already having a tough day and his providing of 3 intentional walks in that inning did not help. Granted, the Monarchs did turn one of those IBBs into a double play to end the inning. But that was after 1B George Green cleared Weld and the other 2 intentional batters off the bases with a 3-RBI triple.

Now the Monarchs hold a commanding 3 games to none lead, a lead that our best scientists have told us is impossible to overcome.