OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

Moriarty9 · 12-11-2008, 12:00 PM

Tribe tops Tampa in ten
Shortstop Stocker to go on DL
May 12, 1998

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One of the oldest men in baseball knocked in what would be the game-winning run against one of baseball's two youngest franchises.

Cleveland Indians thirdbaseman Julio Franco, 39, hit a RBI single to score Richie Sexson from secondbase and ultimately pick up a 6-5 win in 10 innings at Tropicana Field tonight. With two out, Sexson doubled down the thirdbase line off reliever Mark Petkovsek to keep Cleveland's hopes alive. Franco attacked the first pitch offered and hit a line drive through the left side of the infield, allowing Sexson to score.

Franco, starting at third base with Matt Williams sitting out due to back spasms, went 3-for-5 with the game-winning hit, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI.

"Julio has been around this game a long time and those sort of situations don't do much to his nerves," said Cleveland manager James Riley. "It's a 'been there, done that' situation for him."

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays tried a little extra-inning, two out magic of their own but came short. Paul Assenmacher retired the first two batters in the last of the tenth before allowing a Mike Cameron single and issuing a walk to Jeff Frye. Wilton Guerrero, who entered the game in the seventh inning, grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

Guerrero took over as Tampa Bay's shortstop when Kevin Stocker hurt his arm making a throw on a routine play. The initial word out of the Devil Rays clubhouse is that it appears to be a muscle strain that could take some time to heal.

While no formal decision will be made on Stocker's situation until tomorrow, the club is likely to put the light-hitting infielder on the 15-day disabled list. The likely candidates to replace him on the active roster are infielders Bret Boone, Lou Merloni and Paul Konerko.

12-11-2008, 12:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Tribe tops Tampa in ten Shortstop Stocker to go on DL May 12, 1998 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One of the oldest men in baseball knocked in what would be the game-winning run against one of baseball's two youngest franchises. Cleveland Indians thirdbaseman Julio Franco, 39, hit a RBI single to score Richie Sexson from secondbase and ultimately pick up a 6-5 win in 10 innings at Tropicana Field tonight. With two out, Sexson doubled down the thirdbase line off reliever Mark Petkovsek to keep Cleveland's hopes alive. Franco attacked the first pitch offered and hit a line drive through the left side of the infield, allowing Sexson to score. Franco, starting at third base with Matt Williams sitting out due to back spasms, went 3-for-5 with the game-winning hit, a home run, two runs scored and four RBI. "Julio has been around this game a long time and those sort of situations don't do much to his nerves," said Cleveland manager James Riley. "It's a 'been there, done that' situation for him." The Tampa Bay Devil Rays tried a little extra-inning, two out magic of their own but came short. Paul Assenmacher retired the first two batters in the last of the tenth before allowing a Mike Cameron single and issuing a walk to Jeff Frye. Wilton Guerrero, who entered the game in the seventh inning, grounded out to shortstop to end the game. Guerrero took over as Tampa Bay's shortstop when Kevin Stocker hurt his arm making a throw on a routine play. The initial word out of the Devil Rays clubhouse is that it appears to be a muscle strain that could take some time to heal. While no formal decision will be made on Stocker's situation until tomorrow, the club is likely to put the light-hitting infielder on the 15-day disabled list. The likely candidates to replace him on the active roster are infielders Bret Boone, Lou Merloni and Paul Konerko.