Nelson Figueroa wins game by himself to setup "One Game Playoff"
Nelson Figueroa had a 2 hitter going through 7 full innings
last night in Indianapolis. The Barons and Indians were
deadlocked through six innings with the Barons scattering 6
hits and the Indians only having reached once via basehit.
In the 7th inning Nelson scored a run to give us a 1-0 lead.
He reached base on a double and was driven in by
Reggie Taylor who singled up the middle. Figueroa allowed
a hit in the 7th but no runs as the Barons turned a 6-4-3
to end it. In the top of the 8th, with one out, Jimmy Rollins
hit a double over Lyle Mouton's head which prompted Kent
Westling to make a crack about Rick Muntean's weight. Kent
said that Mouton weighs 240, and while that's extremely hard
for Rick to carry around, Lyle is a professional athlete.
WOW, that's low! David Newhan followed up with a base hit!
Jimmy Rollins was waved in, but was thrown out at the plate
by Kurt Bierek. P.J. Forbes came up short in a homerun bid
and the inning was halted.
Chris Pritchett came in to play
1st base for the bottom of the 8th. Figueroa continued his
mastery by striking out Fernandez. Pickler then hit a single
and Brad Tyler came in to pinch-hit. Nelson sat him down, his
8th strikeout victim of the night. This brought up the
dangerous Santiago Perez with the tying run on base. Perez
grounded out to David Newhan and the Red Barons were 3 outs
away from evening the series!
In the Barons ninth, Fausto popped out and Figueroa slammed his 2nd
hit of the night to left field. Indy's manager Steve
Smith came out to remove Reggie Harris. Tom Fordham came in
to face Taylor. Nelson got thrown out trying to advance
to 2nd on a pitch in the dirt and Reggie popped out to 3rd.
This sent us to the most nerveracking inning of the 2000
season. Here it was, pitch-by-pitch:
Nelson Figueroa was still on to start the 9th. The first
Indianapolis hitter was Chris Jones. Swung on and missed!
Strike one! ...in there for a strike! 0-2! ...a little dribbler
for a foul...swung and fouled off to the right...a little
looper toward Rollins OVER HIS HEAD A BASE HIT...
The next hitter was Lyle Mouton. ...Fastball at the knees
for a strike...bouncing ball to Rollins! goes to second for the
lead man, out, no relay throw!
The next hitter was Kurt Bierek. ...soft curve is a strike...
a bouncing ball foul toward Pritchett at first...Figueroa's
pitch, HE STRUCK HIM OUT!!!!
The next hitter was my sworn enemy Creighton Gubanich.
...stretches, throws, SWUNG ON AND MISSED! A big breaking ball...
Wide, 1 ball and 1 strike...soft curve, IN THERE! 1 and 2 the
count...check swing, bouncing ball to 2nd! Newhan has it!!!
WE'LL HAVE A GAME 5!!! BARONS WIN!!! BARONS WIN! 1-0!!!
The Governor's Cup deciding Game 5 will be played Tomorrow night in Indianapolis
at 8:00
PM. Evan Thomas (13-10 3.53) will hold the Red Barons' destiny against
Tim Harikkala (4-2 4.52). What the hell kind of name is
Harikkala? This is what the people of Northeast PA have
been waiting for for 8 years, ever since Torey Lovullo scored
the winning run to tear out hearts out. LET'S BREAK OUT
THE BATS AND MAY EVAN THOMAS (who looks like Travolta) BE BLESSED!!
WE SIMPLY HAVE TO WIN THIS GAME! VEGAS BE DAMNED! THIS IS THE
GOVERNOR'S CUP!! IF WE WIN, I'LL GET OUT OF THE GAME AND BUY A FARM!
LET'S GO!! WE CAN WIN THIS THING!!! MAN RICK IS AS EXHAUSTED
AS I AM!!!!
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