Pastime Baseball League
PLAYOFF REVIEW
3rd ANNUAL PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Orlando Orcas (89-73) vs Wichita Brigade (91-71)
Game Two: Orlando skipper Eddie Dyer sends Al Javery (12-12, 4.65) to the hill against Wichita's Johnny Schmitz (10-2, 2.09).
Wichita strikes first this time, as Jimmy Sheckard knocks a leadoff double, moves to third on a wild pitch and scores on Frank Chance's lined single to right center.
The Orcas' Walton Cruise put Orlando up in the top of the fourth, though, slugging a two-run homer off Schmitz - who allowed only three in 151 innings this season - to put the Orcas up 2-1. Despite being a lefty, each home run Schmitz gave up - including this one to Cruise - was to a lefty.
Jay Gibbons evened the score in the bottom of the fourth with one-out solo homer to left center to tie the game at 2.
In Game One, it took until the 8th to break the 2-2 tie. This time, it would be the seventh, in a chaotic half inning.
Buck Ewing popped out to catcher to lead off, but Ezra Sutton walked on four pitches. Pelayo Chacon bounced to third and was thrown out at first, as Sutton moved to second. Schmitz then struck out Honus Wagner, which should have ended the inning. But catcher Frank Chance couldn't handle the pitch, and Wagner raced down the line to be safe at first, Sutton moving to third.
With the count 1-2 to Pete Browning, Dyer elected to send Wagner. The pitch was a ball, and Chance's throw sailed into center, allowing Sutton to score and Wagner to race to third, making it 3-2 Orlando.
Chance - the SLCS MVP - sat dejectedly in the dugout as his teammates assured him they would pick him up.
Browning then laced one into the gap in right-center, scoring Wagner as Browning slid into third safely with a triple, giving the Orcas a 4-2 lead. Crawford then bounced one through the hole on the right side for a single and a 5-2 lead.
Buck Freeman added an RBI single in the 8th to make it 6-2 before Wichita got its crack in the 8th. Sheckard singled to lead off and Javery tried to pick him off, but threw it down the line. Chance, visibly bothered by his rough day, lined a vicious single to center to drive in Sheckard and cut the deficit to 6-3. Buddy Kerr would then hit a 2-out double to score Chance and make it 6-4.
Jay Hughes would shut Orlando down in the top of the 9th, meaning Orlando closer Takashi Saito would again come in for a save attempt. George Davis led off with a single, bringing the tying run to the plate - three times. And each time, Saito set them aside, punctuated by a strikeout of Sheckard for the last out, giving Orlando a position nobody expected...
Orlando leads series 2-0.