Maddux Flirts with No-No (Games #57-#60)

We left off with the Traverse City Tigers winning their first three games of their series against the Cedar Park Bears, can the Bears rebound and make this a series?

GAME 4

John Cerutti (3-1, 2.13 ERA) on the mound for the Bears, against Jose Rijo (5-3, 3.70 ERA)

Cedar Park's pesky hitter: Claudell.

Top of the 2nd -- Jose Rijo serves up back-to-back walks to Dwight Evans & Ernie Whitt. Mickey Sasser hits a ball along the 3rd base line to Paul Molitor, Molitor doesn't quite set his feet as he air-mails it over Nick Esasky's head. Evans scores, as Whitt advances to third (no outs). Jerry Browne strikes out. Andres Thomas gets his pitch and sends this over Lance Johnson's head, for an RBI double, Sasser holds third (Bears up 2-0) -- Claudell Washington follows that up with a double of his own, scoring both Sasser & Thomas. Tigers would eventually get out of the chaotic inning, but trail 4-0 early.

Bottom of the 2nd -- Joe Carter draws a walk (moves to 2nd on a wild pitch by Cerutti). Bob Boone grounds out to second, as Carter advances to third. With two outs, Dwight Evans drops fly to right (error) as Carter scores, but the Tigers couldn't add more. Bears 4, Tigers 1

Bottom of the 3rd -- After a single by Rafael Ramirez, Mookie Wilson hits an RBI double. Wilson advances to third, as Molitor grounds out (1 out). Dave Winfield hits into a fielder's choice, as Wilson gets caught in a rundown (between 3rd & home) and called out. Joe Carter hits a two-run homer to center to tie the game, these Tigers are relentless!

Top of the 4th -- After back-to-back singles by Jerry Browne & Andres Thomas, the Tigers yank Rijo out after only 3 innings (6 hits & 3 walks allowed, with 4 K's). LHP Ken Dayley comes in, looking for a double-play, which the Tigers execute, but Browne scores from third on the play to make it a 5-4 Bears' lead.

The Tigers would bring in Juan Agosto in the top of the 6th.

Bottom of the 8th -- The Bears take out John Cerutti after 7 1/3 innings, 4 runs (3 ER), 7 hits & one walk allowed, while striking out three Tigers. The Bears bring in Portugal to face Dave Winfield with one out. First pitch, loud shot to right, near foul pole, FOUL! The next pitch, Winfield made sure he got this one sending it over the center-field wall past Kirby Puckett. Once again, it's tied up 5-5, what do the Bears got to do to shake these guys?

Top of the 9th -- Juan Agosto still in through 3 innings of relief, gives up a lead-off double to Claudell Washington. Jesse Barfield of T.C. steals a hit from Ron Gant with a diving catch. Kirby Puckett steps up, the Tigers contemplated walking him intentionally, but decide to pitch to him anyways, should have walked him... RBI single by Puckett. Agosto leaves the game for LHP Leiper to face Will Clark, and Leiper does his job by striking out Clark. Bears lead 6-5, Tigers will try to see if they still have some magic left.

Bottom of the 9th -- Bears' closer Alejandro Pena comes in to face the Tigers. Tigers counter by bringing in Pete O'Brien to face Pena, Pena strikes him out. Johnny Ray does the same & strikes out as well. The Tigers' skipper goes to the bench and calls on Tim Raines to pinch-hit for Jesse Barfield. Pena closes the door on Raines & the Tigers by getting him to fly out. The Bears hand the Tigers only their 3rd loss in their last 20 games!

FINAL SCORE: Cedar Park 6, Traverse City 5

Mad Dog flirts with no-no in 5th game.

GAME 5

This game was all Greg Maddux! He must have been peeved at all the press clippings & fallout over his decision to go with no logo on his Hall of Fame plaque (believe me, I don't understand it as well).

Bottom of the 2nd with 2 outs -- Nick Esasky hits a solo HR off Mike Boddicker.

Boddicker pitched a great game as well, going 7 2/3 innings, allowing only 5 hits (and the solo HR), with 4 K's & a walk. The only problem, Maddux pitched a better one -- Maddux tried to make it back-to-back weeks for a Traverse City Tiger to pitch a no-hitter. Scott Terry accomplished his in Mexico City last week. Maddux would have his broken up, one out into the top of the 7th by Claudell Washington -- right after a play where Rafael Ramirez made a great defensive play at short, then gunning down Polonia at first by an inch.

Top of the 8th -- The Bears get a lead-off double by Randy Bush, who would be replaced by pinch-runner Rex Hudler. John Moses pinch-hits for Gant & flies out to Joe Carter in right, Hudler decides to tag-up and go for third, and Carter ends up gunning him down at 3rd for a double-play! Dwight Evans comes in to pinch-hit for Ernie Whitt, Maddux wants nothing to do with Evans, and intentionally walks him to take his chances with Mackey Sasser -- in which he succeeds. The double-play would ruin the Bears' only shot at Maddux.

Maddux goes the distance for a 1-0 shutout, allowing only two hits, striking out eight & walking one.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 1, Cedar Park 0

GAME 6

Bobby Witt (Cedar Park) vs. John Candelaria (T.C.)

The Tigers get on the board first with an RBI single by Dave Winfield during the bottom of the first, but the Bears strike back during the top of the 2nd, as Mike Fitzgerald scores on a sac fly by Rick Schu. Tied 1-1.

Bob Boone singles, Rafael Ramirez with one out would double and advance Boone to third. Runners on 2nd & 3rd, Mookie Wilson grounds out, as Boone scores to give back the lead to T.C., 2-1.

Agosto: Playing a key role in Tigers' pen.

This game would quickly be defined as a see-saw battle, as Kirby Puckett hits a two-out RBI double (scoring in Ron Gant, after a Gant single). Puckett would score off a Mike Fitzgerald single, as the Bears cut ahead of the Tigers, 3-2.

Top of the 4th -- for the second time in the series, John Candelaria strikes out the side.

Bottom of the 4th -- Bases loaded for Pete O'Brien, after Joey Meyer got the inning started with a single. Pete O'Brien would smack a two-run single to right, for the Tigers to take the lead 4-3. Dave Winfield steps up and is walked; Bases loaded once again, this time for Paul Molitor, but Molitor strikes out.

Bottom of the 5th -- The Bears take out Bobby Witt after 4 1/3 innings, 8 hits allowed.

Top of the 6th -- Tigers notice that Brian Holton is tired, and Juan Agosto has been out there a lot lately, they are going to call on Jose Rijo, who only started just two days ago. Rijo, if you remember didn't do that great, and was yanked after three innings.

Top of the 8th -- Rijo is out after 2 1/3, and now the Tigers will go to Holton. Rijo intentionally walked Puckett, putting runners on 1st & 2nd (Hudler's on 2nd) to face Mike Fitzgerald. Bears pinch-run Polonia for Puckett, while pinch-hitting Moses against Holton. Rex Hudler steals third. Runners on 1st & 3rd, Polonia is off and running now, Hassey guns it towards 2nd, Hudler heads for home, the play cut back towards home, the throw, and Hudler steals home successfully to tie it up, 4-4.

Bottom of the 8th -- Mookie Wilson is walked by Chuck Crim, Johnny Ray on the next play executes the hit & run perfectly as Mookie scores all the way from 1st! Tigers lead 5-4.

Top of the 9th -- Tigers bring in their closer Doug Jones, capturing save #14, Tigers win again.

FINAL SCORE: Traverse City 5, Cedar Park 4

GAME 7

The Bears' Ron Gant (88' Topps Traded - RC)

Tigers enter the game 5 1/2 games up in first on the Bears, the Bears would like to trim their lead back one game, to end the series on a high note of sorts. Tigers send newly acquired Dave LaPoint (his 2nd Tiger outing) against the Bears' Greg Swindell.

This game was a story of a different Swindell, as Swindell bounces back strong in this one.

Ron Gant would hit a solo HR during the top of the 4th, to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. Gant would continue his good game with an RBI single in the 5th.

It was certainly not a series for Will "The Thrill" Clark, who wasn't thrilled with the fact, who had three games this series, in which he struck out three times. This game was a different story for Clark, going 4-for-5, with a two-run HR in the 5th inning. Rick Schu would add as solo HR in the game later.

The Tigers had no answers for Greg Swindell, as Swindell cruised on to a 7-1 complete game victory. Swindell allowed only 5 hits, 1 run (no earned runs), while striking out 5 (allowing one walk). Dave LaPoint on the other hand in his two Tiger outings: 10 IP, 9 ER's.

The Bears had 14 hits in this one as Swindell improves to 6-3, with a 2.76 ERA.

FINAL SCORE: Cedar Park 7, Tigers 1

Tigers win series 5-2