June 30, 2006: Bombs Away

With the season series tied 3 games apiece, today's game between the Metropolis Avengers and Fleetwood Walkers would determine who would take the season series. On the mound for Metropolis was Jason Schmidt while A.J. Burnett started for Fleetwood.

Burnett did not help his cause with an error and a run-scoring wild pitch in the 1st inning. Not only did the wild pitch score Brian Roberts, but it also put Bobby Abreu in scoring position for Vladimir Guerrero. "Vlad the Impaler" came through with an RBI single, and Metropolis led 2-0. The Avengers then loaded the bases on a Richie Sexson walk and Melvin Mora single, but Burnett retired Jorge Posada on a flyout to end the threat.

Fleetwood narrowed the lead to 2-1 with a Jim Edmonds home run in the 2nd inning. The homer was Edmonds' 13th in June and his 22nd of the season.

Burnett found himself in trouble again in the 3rd, with Metropolis loading the bases on 2 walks and a single. Burnett escaped again, though, by coaxing a groundball out from Rafael Furcal. Through three innings, Metropolis had scored 2 runs but had also stranded 8 runners.

Both Schmidt and Burnett settled in, and held the score at 2-1 through 5 innings. In the bottom of the 6th, however, Fleetwood's Derrek Lee and Miguel Cabrera hit back-to-back home runs. Fleetwood now led 3-2, and Metropolis removed Schmidt from the game in favor of its strong bullpen.

Having settled down from a shaky start, Burnett mowed down the Metropolis Avengers. From the top of the 4th inning through the top of the 7th, Burnett retired 12 straight batters. After giving up a lead-off single to Richie Sexson in the 8th, he retired Eric Chavez on a flyball to center field. Burnett then made way for the bullpen himself, as Fleetwood manager Rube Foster called on a fresh-armed Arthur Rhodes.

Rhodes surrendered a double to pinch-hitter Jason Michaels, putting the tying run on 2nd base with just 1 out. However, Rhodes quickly struck out Jorge Posada and Rafael Furcal to end the threat and Fleetwood held its 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 8th, Javier Valentin gave his team an insurance run by hitting a solo homer off Metropolis reliever Joaquin Benoit. The blast was Fleetwood's 4th home run of the day, combining with the other 3 solo homers to account for all of the team's scoring.

With Fleetwood's Derrick Turnbow having pitched three innings over the past two days, Fleetwood left Rhodes in to pitch the 9th. Rhodes was up to the challenge, retired Metropolis in order to end the game.

Fleetwood had swept all three home games versus Metropolis, and had won the season series 4 games to 3. Having also won 6 of 7 games from the Ocala Ocelots, Fleetwood has definitely proven that its playoff aspirations were for real.

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BOXSCORE: 2006 Metropolis Avengers At 2006 Fleetwood Walkers        6/30/2006
Gm 4: Metropolis wastes some early opportunities; Fleetwood hits 4 HR in win.
 
  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  R.Furcal SS         4  0  0  0 .322     D.Dejesus LF        4  0  2  0 .284  
  B.Roberts 2B        5  1  0  0 .340     D.Wright DH         4  0  1  0 .325  
  B.Abreu LF          4  1  1  0 .203     D.Lee 1B            4  1  1  1 .254  
  V.Guerrero RF       5  0  1  1 .333     M.Cabrera 3B        3  1  1  1 .318  
  R.Sexson 1B         2  0  1  0 .249     J.Valentin C        4  1  1  1 .304  
  E.Chavez 3B         4  0  0  0 .287     M.Giles 2B          4  0  1  0 .244  
  M.Mora DH           2  0  1  0 .253     J.Edmonds CF        4  1  1  1 .241  
A-J.Michaels PH       1  0  1  0 .274     J.Dye RF            3  0  1  0 .271  
  J.Posada C          4  0  0  0 .197     B.Crosby SS         3  0  0  0 .287  
  V.Wells CF          3  0  1  0 .201                                          
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      34  2  6  1                 Totals      33  4  9  4
 
A-Pinch Hit For Mora In 8th Inning
 
Avengers........ 2 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  2  6  0
Walkers......... 0 1 0  0 0 2  0 1    -  4  9  1
 
Avengers (40-23)         IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
J.Schmidt LOSS(5-6)       5 1/3   5   3   3   1   5   3   4.96  A1 C4
A.Otsuka                  1 1/3   2   0   0   0   1   0   3.00  C5 D1
J.Benoit                  1       2   1   1   0   1   1   1.32  D2 D6
J.Isringhaus              0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   5.24  D7
Totals                    8       9   4   4   1   7   4
 
Walkers (57-27)          IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
A.Burnett WIN(14-4)       7 1/3   5   2   1   5   6   0   3.05  A1 D6
A.Rhodes SAVE(2nd)        1 2/3   1   0   0   1   3   0   0.60  D7
Totals                    9       6   2   1   6   9   0
 
ATTENDANCE- 34,957 DATE- Monday, June 30th 2006 TIME- Day WEATHER- Good
T- 2:43
LEFT ON BASE- Avengers:11  Walkers: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 0  Walkers: 0
ERRORS- A.Burnett
DOUBLES- J.Michaels(7th), D.Dejesus(12th)
HOME RUNS- D.Lee(18th), M.Cabrera(15th), J.Valentin(9th), J.Edmonds(22nd)
STOLEN BASES- R.Furcal(22nd), V.Guerrero(3rd), J.Dye-2(4th)
WALKS- R.Furcal, B.Abreu, R.Sexson-2, M.Mora, V.Wells, M.Cabrera
STRIKE OUTS- R.Furcal-2, B.Roberts, B.Abreu-2, R.Sexson, J.Posada-2, V.Wells,
             D.Wright, M.Cabrera-2, J.Valentin-2, M.Giles, B.Crosby
WILD PITCHES- A.Burnett