Game 3
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| Ray hits solo HR & collects 3 hits in 3rd game. |
Top of the 1st -- Tigers' pitcher Luis Aquino walks the first two runners (Ozzie Smith &Willie Randolph). Darryl Strawberry grounds it to Rafael Ramirez, which he only had a play at first, runners advance. George Brett hits one deep to second, Ray goes home with it for a fielder's choice, and Smith scores! Runners on 1st & 3rd, one out. Bringing up Dale Murphy, who has been a pain in the butt for the Tigers this series with five hits. Murphy hits it hard to Molitor, Molitor looks at third, throws to second for the force, Randolph decides not to go for home, two outs now with runners on the corners. Pat Border gives the Quakes a bigger cushion by hitting a double over Jesse Barfield's head, two runners score, and Borders advances safely to third. Quakes lead 3-0.
Bottom of the 1st -- Johnny Ray wraps a solo shot around the left field foul pole to trim the lead to 3-1. The next batter, Paul Molitor, reaches first on a error by Willie Randolph. With 2 outs, Molitor steals second base. Joe Carter hits an infield single, putting runners on the corners, Tigers threatening. Bob Boone got a hold of this one, the ball is starting to drift -- foul! Nearly a three-run homer. Instead Boone delivers a RBI single that scores in Molitor, Carter holds second. Jesse Barfield ties it up with an RBI single, scoring in Carter. Esasky strikes out for final out, Neal Heaton needed that! The score is tied up 3-3.
Bottom of the 3rd -- One-out double by Joe Carter advances Dave Winfield to 3rd. Tigers take the lead 4-3, with a RBI single by Bob Boone, Carter moves to 3rd. Sac fly by Jesse Barfield adds to the lead 5-3.
Top of the 4th -- The Quakes rumble back with a one-out single by Ozzie Smith, Aquino issues his 5th walk of the game to Willie Randolph. Strawberry would shave into the Tigers' lead with an RBI single, scoring in Smith. A deep fly by George Brett, Barfield catches it, and the Quakes don't tag up.Murphy strikes out for final out. Tigers have the slight edge 5-4.
Bottom of the 4th -- Felix Fermin reaches first on a rare error by Ozzie Smith, Johnny Ray follows that with his 2nd hit of the game. Paul Molitor hits an RBI single to score in Fermin, Ray moves to third, one out. Dave Winfield knocks it out of the park on the new reliever Jeff Bittiger. Tigers lead 9-4!
Top of the 5th -- Quakes are threatening with two outs, bases loaded, Aquino walked his 6th & 7th batter, as Ozzie Smith reached first with a deep single to short. Tigers go to the pen for Scott Terry; Aquino also had allowed 6 hits, in 4 2/3 innings. Big K for Terry! Quakes come up empty.
The Tigers would add to their lead, and get contributions throughout the game as they combined for 17 hits. Johnny Ray, Dave Winfield & Joe Carter each had three hits, while Bob Boone had a big day, going 4-for-5 with 4 RBI.
FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 12, California 5
GAME 4
Legend Nolan Ryan takes the mound for the Quakes, while the Tigers send their young phenom Greg Maddux to the mound.
Bottom of the 3rd -- With two outs, Paul Molitor reaches first on a single. The Tigers hit & run as Johnny Ray sends it to the left-center gap, Molitor's wheels are rolling, as he makes it all the way home to put the first run on the score board. Tigers 1, Quakes 0
Bottom of the 4th -- Tim Raines gets his 6th HR of the season, a solid-contact solo shot to the stands in right. Tigers 2, Quakes 0
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| Nolan dials up the heat in pitchers' duel. |
Top of the 7th -- Tom Foley comes in to pinch-hit for Pat Borders, and draws a walk. Maddux will have to face the lefty Rick Leach. Leach singles to right, the Quakes are looking to shake things up. The Tigers decide to call it a day for Maddux after 6.2 innings, allowing 3 hits (but 3 walks), while striking out only two batters; Tigers will go with lefty Juan Agosto 5-4, with a 2.43 ERA -- to face off against the switch-hitting Terry Pendleton. Agosto fires it passed him, as Pendleton flails the air. Score remains 2-0.
Bottom of the 7th -- Nolan Ryan for the Quakes (only allowing four hits to this point) records strikeouts #7 & #8 as he keeps going strong.
Top of the 8th -- Tigers make a change for Brian Holton, after 2/3 innings for Agosto. Holton comes in with a 3-1 record, 2.48 ERA, he has plenty of holds this season for T.C.
Bottom of the 8th -- Paul Molitor gets on board with his 2nd hit, with two outs. Johnny Ray steps up to the plate & gets plunked. The Quakes decide to take Nolan Ryan out, who had a fine performance with 9 K's in 7 2/3 innings -- they call on Dan Pleasac to face Pete O'Brien. Quakes get out the brief jam.
Top of the 9th -- Doug Jones steps in with a 1.35 ERA, seven saves in his last seven opportunities, as Brian Holton pitched 2/3 of an inning. After two strikeouts to Darryl Strawberry & George Brett, Jones misses the outside corner & gives up a free pass to Dale Murphy. The Quakes call for a pinch-hitter, and call on Carlton Fisk to step in for Mark Parent. Fisk grounds it to the mound, Jones over to O'Brien, and that's the ballgame folks. Doug Jones record his 19th save.
Greg Maddux is starting to rack up the wins now, as he enters the break with 7, he had a slow start in that category with a lack of run support & just bad luck.
FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 2, California 0
GAME 5
Bob Knepper takes the mound for Traverse City, he comes in with an excellent record of 7-2 & a 1.95 ERA, and recently came off a stint on the D.L.; He will have to face off the surprising Jose Bautista with his 7-7 record, 2.93 ERA for the Quakes.
Top of the 2nd -- George Brett hits a double to right with one out, nearly hit that one into the stands. Glenn Braggs hits one, over & beyond 3B-Paul Molitors glove into left, Brett holds third and thinks wisely of not testing Jesse Barfield's arm. Terry Pendleton hits one to short, Ramirez throws it to first, Brett holds third, Braggs down to second, two away. Bringing up Dale Murphy, who had a great start to this series. The runners take their leads, the pitch from Knepper (breaking ball), Murphy hooks this down the left field line, it's fair, over his head, Barfield chases it down, the runners will score easily, Murphy puts on the after-burners & stretching it for a triple, and he's safe! Pettis would line out to second, but the Quakes strike first with 2-0 lead.
Bottom of the 2nd -- T.C.'s first hit of the game comes off a single to left by Dave Winfield to lead off the inning. Tigers couldn't do anything as Molitor pops up, and Bautista turns around for back-to-backs K's against Joe Carter & Jesse Barfield.
This theme would continue for another few innings, as Traverse can't get anything going.
Bottom of the 7th -- Pete O'Brien draws a lead off walk against Bautista. Tigers will pinch-run for O'Brien, going with Felix Fermin. Dave Winfield strikes out. Paul Molitor hits a deep single to second in which Randolph was unable to do anything with it, Fermin is at second. Bautista misses low, and issues only his 2nd walk of the game, a free ticket for Joe Carter & the bases are now loaded for Jesse Barfield. Tigers decide to bring in the better hitter in switch-hitting, but aching Mookie Wilson, trying to stir up some magic. Bautista fires it, down the middle, big strikout for Bautista, as Mookie heads back to the bench. It's up to Ron Hassey. The pitch, it's smacked to right, Fermin scores easily, Murphy has it fires it in to the diamond, Molitor is well round third, and he'll score, tied up 2-2. Carter holds at second, Hassey on first. The Quakes will go with Scott Garrelts. Garrelts gets the Quakes out of the mess by striking out Rafael Ramirez.
Top of the 8th -- Pinch-hitter Otis Nixon (for Gary Pettis) leads off with a Texas Leaguer to left, the base-stealing threat & go-ahead run is on first, with Bob Knepper still on the mound for the Tigers. Otis Nixon steals second. The batter Ozzie Smith squares & does his job by bunting down the first base line, Esasky will get Ozzie at first, as Nixon moves down to third. The Quakes pinch-hit for Randolph, right hander Pat Borders steps to the plate, the Tigers decide to give Eric King a chance to go righty vs. righty. Knepper pitched 7.1 innings, 5 hits & 2 runs allowed, while striking out 6. The Quakes counter the move with Rick Leach against Eric King. The pitch, and Otis Nixon is stealing home! High strike, Hassey places the tag & he's out! Oh, what a gamble! Leach sends this one to right-center, Carter is after it, Leach is digging, and he's safe at second with a double, oh what could have been if Nixon was still on third. The Tigers ask for the ball from King, and will have the lefty Ken Dayley face off against Darryl Strawberry. Strawberry laces one to right, Raines is up with it, Leach is coming home, the play at the plate, but Leach scores in standing, the Quakes have taken the lead! Strawberry steals second for his 14th steal of the season. Dayley strikes out Carlton Fisk for the final out of the inning. Quakes 3, Tigers 2
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| Brett sends a blast to center! |
Top of the 9th -- Tigers keep Ken Dayley out there to face lefty George Brett, the pitch this one is going, it's over Carter's head in center & it's long gone! Now the T.C. manager is walking out to the mound, he will call on Jim Acker to face right-hander Glenn Braggs -- Acker enters with a generous 7.71 ERA & is likely playing for the one out. The pitch, and Braggs got a hold of this one, and it's daja vu for Carter as he watches this one go over the center field wall! Back-to-Back taters for the Quakes, 5-2! Tigers are giving the itchy John Candelaria a little relief work, and he strikes out the switch-hitting Terry Pendleton.The Tigers go to the pen & bring in their closer Doug Jones. Jones finishes the bleeding.
Bottom of the 9th -- Dan Pleasac comes in with 8 saves, text book pitching of recently with 6 consecutive saves in 6 save opportunities.
FINAL SCORE: California 5, Traverse City 2
The Quakes win the series 3-2, and it's manager Shawn Baier's first series loss since taking over the reigns.
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