[Jazzmosis]

Thanks Geoff! It's always nice to hear that. I have a feeling that this will evolve beyond it's current writing, but it all depends on the feel.

Game 2

I marched into the Eagles' stadium early the next day to re-think my strategy. The humiliating loss we received at Grand Rapids hands really exposed the team's free-swinging mentality - and while that worked nicely to mash us back on top in regular season, we weren't playing doormat teams anymore - in fact, we were playing the best.

In the clubhouse, the guys seemed surprisingly loose. I was also informed that London had steamrolled Toledo 8-2 in their game - so it seemed that two teams came out flat on the first night of the playoffs - and not surprisingly, it was the two visiting teams. I longed to return to Duluth where the fans would be on our side - the GR fans were rowdy and seemed to have an infectious way of getting into the heads of opposing teams. In some ways, they were like fans from the Bronx. The only difference was that this league could barely fit 22000 fans in any stadium, and only GR was able to sell out thus far.

I chose Cipri Carrasco to start for us - a young Dominican kid that had a fantastic road ERA of 2.54 and a low WHIP of 0.96 on the season. He would be matching up against George Ivie - the other beast of the Eagles' staff. Ivie's stuff wasn't all that great, but he always battled and went deep into games. Carrasco rarely got to the 6th inning... so I was hoping to have a sharp bullpen again.

Fortunately, the injuries to Zeman and Saurez weren't bad enough to keep them out of the second game - and god knew I'd need both their bats to wake up for this game. If there was ever a must-win situation in a game 2, this one was it. If Ivie won this one, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to see Lampe winning 2 more - assuming he could even be needed twice more.

The anthem was played and the game begun in another hot August evening, with Grand Rapids rowdy crowd already chanting and hollering. But this time, Lehmann led off the inning by greeting Ivie with a standup double that quickly quieted the crowd and got our bench shuffling with some excitement. We'd barely got that far all game last night. However, Ivie proved resilient and got two easy flyouts before stranding him right where he stood. And just like that, the crowd was back on our heels.

Carrasco retired the first two batters he faced on grounders - although Zeman flashed a bit of leather on one play - before running into Pedros Arias speed. Arias racked a ball on the chalk down the first base line and sprinted all the way to third with a two-out triple. Ron Buhr, Grand Rapids' home run leader, then worked a favourable count and turned on a pitch, putting it into the 3rd row of stands in left field. The fans erupted into a frenzied cheer, and Grand Rapids had staked themselves to an early 2-0 lead. We'd be working from a hole, once again.

The inning ended one batter later. The second went without incident, but in the bottom of the third the Eagles once again put pressure on us, as Ivie himself wrapped a single and hauled himself to third when Raines singled. Runners were on the corner and nobody was out. I picked up the phone to the bullpen and got Greg Lowry to start throwing. No way was I letting this game get out of reach so early.

Carassco K'd the next hitter, but Raines negated that progress by swiping second. And naturally, Arias was at the plate, with Buhr on deck. And predictably, Arias plated the two runners with a single, and then took second on the throw home. 4-0 Grand Rapids. After another out and a walk, I made the walk out to the mound and called for Lowry. The fans jeered Carassco as he walked back to the dugout with his head down. Lowry then proceeded to induce a simple popout to end the inning.

"Now's the time we respond with the bats, guys! Just chip away." I blurted, while secretly wondering if we would score at all in this park. We got close in the 4th, putting a runner on 1st and 3rd with two outs, but a harmless flyout extended our scoreless innings streak to 13.

After Lowry mowed down the bottom of the Eagles' order, it was Raymond Berns chance to play hero - and with the first pitch of the 5th, he belted a solo shot that finally put us on the board. That would be all we got in that inning, but at last the drought was over. 4-1.

Cesar Ortiz proceeded to come in and continue the impressive trend of solid relief pitching with two scoreless innings, which included working around the hot bats of Arias and Buhr and leaving them stranded on base.

Berns continued to provide consistent offense with a leadoff single to start the 7th against Ivie. And with Ortiz set to bat, I called him back to the dugout and told 22 year old rookie Brian Morrison to put on a helmet.

"Here's your chance to play hero," I told him. He'd served as a backup outfielder all year and had only hit .220, but was a quality bunter. I immediately called for a hit and run, hoping that Berns would be able to hustle to third.

But something even better happened. Morrison hacked hard at the first pitch he saw - a fastball down the middle from Ivie, who was, like everyone else, expecting a bunt - and sent it soaring to opposite field, a line drive bullet that had Buhrs sprinting for the fence. We all jumped to the top step as the ball flew, and Berns immediately started to haul himself around the basepaths. But the ball just continued rising, and cleared an outstretched, leaping Buhrs at the wall to make it into the stands - and just like that, Morrison had put us within one run. 4-3. The fans were starting to get nervous.

George Alvarez and Sieber combined to shut down Grand Rapid's 1-2-3 hitters in order, including finally stopping Arias from getting on base. The momentum was still in our favour.

Ivie came out for the top of the 8th, and 2B Corey Watson greeted him with a single. However, a botched bunt attempt and a double play killed any rally attempt. And the momentum shifted back to GR.

Sieber gave up a leadoff single before the Eagles sent pinch hitter David Colome to the plate. He two-hopped an easy ball to Zeman at third - a perfect double play seemed in order - but Zeman dropped the ball out of his glove. The fans rejoiced and we sank down into the dugout. The pressure was on. Sieber took the ball and wiped the sweat off his brow. I crossed my fingers.

Shallow flyout - one number one.
Three pitch strikeout - out number two.
Five pitch strikeout - out number three.

And Sieber jogged off the mound to a a collection of high fives and sighs of relief, none bigger than the one by Zeman. But we were entering the top of the 9th, and it was now or never to plate a run.

Berns started the inning with a groundout. Then, fireball closer Herbert Springer was called in - I called upon pinch hitter Sergio Elizalde, who delivered a single. I then replaced him with speedster Leo West, who promptly stole second. Runner on second, one out, top of the order up.

Lehmann fell behind in the count, 1-2. My knee twitched nervously, and the fans started to rise in encouragement of their closer. Springer held a curveball grip in his hand and delivered a ball into the dirt, which bounced to the backstop and in an instant, Leo West dashed to third. The crowd sputtered to a near silence. The infield came in, and the count went full.

Springer stared down the catcher and threw a 93 mph fastball - one that Lehmann ripped with a liner to shallow right field. The whole stadium held their breath as Arias bolted in, catching the sinking liner in a slide, and then popping up and delivering a strike to the catcher. Meanwhile, West faked going home but wisely remained at third. Two out.

It was all up to Ron Stewart. The fans' excitement returned to eardrum-shattering levels and Springer took the ball and once again stared down the plate.

Fastball - 92mph - strike.
Changeup - 80mph - swinging strike.

We were down to our final strike. The fans were rattling the stadium with their excitement while everyone in our dugout silently looked at the plate. Springer reared back and hurled another changeup - one that Stewart floated into the stands by first base, just out of reach of Grand Rapids' 1B, Salsbury. Springer collected himself and took the ball again. Stewart breathed heavily and stepped back into the box. The pitch came. A 94 mph fastball.

Stewart took a hard, desperate swing and connected - the ball bounced off the infield grass and through the hole between third and a diving shortstop. Leo West bolted home, and the stadium went dead silent - the only sound coming out of it was the loud cheers from our dugout. Down to our final strike, we'd tied the game at 4-4.

Orval Thomas, our reliable closer, hustled out to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Grand Rapids, clearly demoralized and with their fans out of it, were victimized by Thomas' devastating splitter, and didn't even make contact with the ball in their 1-2-3, all-strikeout inning. The game was going to extras.

We accomplished nothing in our half, and Thomas marched out for the bottom half with another strikeout and two harmless groundouts to quickly put us back at the plate. However, the GR bullpen looked like it had regained its form and dominated.

Ben Casablanca came out for the 11th. The Eagles' Lehman singled and then stole second, prompting a bunt that put him on third with only one out. The fans quickly started screaming again and I called the infield and outfield in.

Ball one.
Foul - strike one.
Strike two.

Casablanca reared back and delivered a slider, one that Tan punched back up the box and past a diving Watson. Lehman was mobbed at the plate as the fans damn near rioted, and we were heading back to Duluth down 2-0 after Grand Rapids walked off in the bottom of the 11th, winning 5-4. It was the most quiet bus trip to the airport I could ever remember.

We'd battled back, but lost in the end. The loss hurt, but didn't bother me as much as one other question.... when were my two best hitters, Clarence Warden and Harry Zeman, going to start hitting? In two games, they were a combined 1-for-14.

If we were going to win, it would have to be with their bats producing. If they didn't wake up... this could be a short series.

I couldn't wait to get back to the Duluth confines.