1996 CFOD PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Reservoir Dogs (93-69) vs Somerville Sluggers (91-71) (HFA): No power and good pitching vs no power and good speed. The Dogs' stadium was a black hole for offense in '96. The Dogs finished near the bottom in team average and slugging, yet finished 2nd in the league in team ERA. Chipper Jones is the franchise hitter for the Dogs, finishing with 23 homers and 91 runs scored. Ron Gant and mid-season acquisition Robin Ventura also provide some punch, although the Dogs also feature the "Hackingess Masster" Darren Bragg. On the other hand, their pitching is stupendous. John Burkett, Hideo Nomo and Shane Reynolds are all above-average starters, and if the Dogs can get the lead into the 8th inning, super-closer Mariano Rivera will shut the other team down. The Sluggers were the winners of a fairly weak division, and was the last team to qualify for the playoffs. Still, they are division winners and will enjoy home field advantage. The Sluggers are a fast team, finishing with 215 stolen bases, which was a league high. Power is a bit of a problem, though. Barry Larkin and mid-season acquisition Geronimo Berroa are the only ones who are constant threats of knocking it out of the park. Despite this they still have plenty of people who can go for extra bases. All-CFOD second baseman Chuck Knoblauch hit 35 doubles and 13 triples, while first- baseman Mark Grace hit 46 doubles. The pitching staff was adequate, although certainly not in the realm of the Dogs. Curt Schilling is the staff ace, finishing with a 3.33 ERA and 15 wins, while Tim Wakefield had a fairly surprising season with a 3.46 ERA in 200+ innings. With the Dogs' stadium effects it seems hard to tell what kind of team they have. The Sluggers put up better hitting numbers, but the Dogs put up far better pitching numbers. The Sluggers won the season series between the Dogs 4-3. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dogs vs. Sluggers -- 1996 CFOD Playoffs Round 1 GAME ONE -- Dogs (Nomo) at Sluggers (Schilling). Al Martin drew first blood against the Dogs with a solo tater off Nomo in the 2nd inning. Much of the game was a demonstration of the Slugger offense, as the Sluggers stole *5* bases off of Rick Wilkins. Curt Schilling was dominant for most of the game, throwing a no-hitter through 7 innings. Then, in the 9th, things got hairy for the Sluggers. Off Schilling, Ron Gant hit a bases loaded RBI single to make it 5-1 Sluggers. Then, reliever Ken Ryan walked Robin Ventura to make it 5-2. Luckily, season-long closer Rickey Bottalico came in to get Tony Phillips to ground into a double play to clinch the win for the Sluggers. SLUGGERS LEAD 1-0. Series 2 9/22/1996 -- Game 1 of 1, Wrigley Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 96 Dogs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 0 4 1 96 Sluggers 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 x 5 9 0 6 3 Dogs AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Mueller 2b 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 4 0 0 Baines 1b 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 6 0 0 0 Jones,C ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 2 0 0 Gant lf 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 2 0 0 Ventura 3b 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 1 0 0 Phillips rf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Wilkins c 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 11 1 0 0 Bragg cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0 Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Nomo p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Howell ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Wilkins p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0 Mashore cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0 29 2 5 2 0 0 0 4 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 10 0 0 Sluggers AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Henderson cf 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 .333 2 0 0 0 Grace 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 8 0 0 0 Knoblauch 2b 4 1 3 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .750 2 1 0 0 Larkin ss 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 7 0 0 Martin lf 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .667 2 0 0 0 Gaetti 3b 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 2 0 0 Berroa rf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0 Bottalico p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Lieberthal c 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 10 0 0 0 Schilling p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0 Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Mouton rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 29 5 9 5 0 2 1 6 9 5 1 0 0 0 0 27 11 0 0 Dogs INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Nomo L 0-1 5.0 6 4 4 4 6 22 1 0 0 0 1 0 7.20 Wilkins 2.2 3 1 1 2 3 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.38 Springer 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 8.0 9 5 5 6 9 35 1 0 0 0 1 0 Sluggers INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Schilling W 1-0 8.1 5 2 2 3 10 31 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.16 Ryan 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Bottalico S 1 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 9.0 5 2 2 4 10 33 0 0 0 0 3 0 RES: Howell batted for Nomo in the 6th Mashore inserted at cf in the 8th SOM: Mouton inserted at rf in the 9th GWRBI: Martin Temperature: 68, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 17 MPH. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GAME TWO -- Sluggers (Hentgen) at Dogs (Reynolds). It got ugly quick for the Dogs. With 1 out, Al Martin hits an RBI single off Shane Reynolds. Gaetti gets a 2-RBI single to make it 3-0. Then, John Flaherty hits a 3-run tater to make it 6 runs. Reynolds lasted 2 innings. The Dogs mounted a minor rally in the 2nd with 3 runs, but it was all the Dogs could do, as the Sluggers won the game by a final score of 7-3 to give the Sluggers a 2 games to none series lead. Series 5 9/23/1996 -- Game 1 of 1, Pro Players Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 96 Sluggers 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 7 10 0 6 1 96 Dogs 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 2 11 0 Sluggers AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Henderson cf 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 1 0 0 0 Grace 1b 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .125 8 1 0 0 Knoblauch 2b 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 2 4 0 0 Larkin ss 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 2 2 0 0 Martin lf 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .571 3 0 0 0 Gaetti 3b 4 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 1 2 0 0 Berroa rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .167 3 0 0 0 Flaherty c 4 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 6 1 0 0 Hentgen p 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 1 0 0 0 Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Bottalico p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 36 7 10 7 0 0 1 2 6 0 1 0 1 1 0 27 10 0 0 Dogs AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Mueller 2b 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 1 3 0 0 Mitchell rf 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 3 0 0 0 Jones,C ss 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 2 1 0 Gant lf 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 0 1 0 0 Ventura 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .167 1 3 0 0 Baines 1b 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .429 10 0 1 0 Wilkins c 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 7 1 0 0 Bragg cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 3 0 0 0 Reynolds p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Floyd ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0 Dyer p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0 Rolen ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Daal p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 2 0 0 Green ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Rivera,M p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 33 3 7 2 0 0 0 7 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 27 12 2 0 Sluggers INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Hentgen W 1-0 7.1 7 3 3 5 4 34 0 0 1 1 1 0 3.68 Ryan 0.2 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Bottalico 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.00 9.0 7 3 3 7 7 41 0 0 1 3 1 0 Dogs INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Reynolds L 0-1 2.0 5 6 6 0 1 13 1 0 1 0 0 0 27.00 Dyer 2.1 3 1 1 1 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.86 Springer 1.2 2 0 0 0 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Daal 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Rivera,M 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 9.0 10 7 7 2 6 40 1 0 1 0 0 0 RES: Floyd batted for Reynolds in the 2nd Rolen batted for Springer in the 6th Green batted for Daal in the 8th GWRBI: Martin Temperature: 77, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 6 MPH. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GAME THREE -- Dogs (Burkett) at Sluggers (Wakefield). The Sluggers suddenly found themselves faced with a revved up Dogs team. Down 1 run in the top of the 2nd, the Dogs go into their trench warfare offense. With 0 outs, Gant walks, steals 2nd, and advances to third on Flaherty's throw into the outfield. Robin Ventura then drives him in with a single to tie up the game. Ventura steals second, is sacrificed to third and scores on a fielder's choice to make it 2-1. In the top of the third, Kevin Mitchell changes the score much quicker with a 2-run shot, as does Harold Baines' 2-RBI single in the top of the 4th to give the Dogs an impressive 6-1 lead. Bottom of the 4th, 2 on, Burkett facing Geronimo Berroa. Berroa then does the previously unthinkable for a Slugger, and hits the 3-run homer. To add to that, John Flaherty dings one out of the park to give the Sluggers a rare back-to-back homer performance, and tighten up the game 6-5. Top of the 7th, the Dogs go to pad their lead. With 0 outs, Ventura and Phillips have back to back RBI singles to extend the lead to 3 runs. 0 outs, bases loaded, Ken Ryan trying to get something going, facing Darren Bragg .. who hits a 2-RBI single to give the Dogs the 10-5 lead. Which should be more than enough, since uber-closer Mariano Rivera came in to pitch in the 6th inning. Rivera was near dominant for 3 1/3 innings, striking out 7 batters. But even uber-closers get tired, and that was the case in the 9th inning, when Rivera left with one out and one runner on base, with a seemingly insurmountable 11-5 Dogs lead. In comes Billy Taylor to mop up. And suddenly it becomes a nightmare for the Dogs. Wagner quickly loads the bases, and walks in a run to make it 11-6. Still, it's a 5 run lead. Up comes pinch hitter Mike Lieberthal. Taylor's bad luck streak continues, as Lieberthal puts up the late inning heroics, knocking one out of the park to suddenly bring the Sluggers to within a run of the Dogs. Rivera had to have been shaking his head. But, the professional pitcher he is, Billy Taylor sucked it up and got the final out, giving the Dogs the 11-10 squeaker. SLUGGERS LEAD 2-1. Series 11 9/24/1996 -- Game 1 of 1, Wrigley Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 96 Dogs 0 2 2 2 0 0 4 0 1 11 12 1 9 1 96 Sluggers 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 5 10 12 1 9 0 Dogs AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Baines 1b 5 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .417 7 0 1 0 Mitchell rf 4 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .333 1 0 0 0 Jones,C ss 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0 Gant lf 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .083 1 1 0 0 Ventura 3b 5 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .364 1 2 0 0 Phillips 2b 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 3 4 0 0 Wilkins c 4 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 14 0 0 0 Bragg cf 5 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0 Burkett p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Daal p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Howell ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Rivera,M p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Taylor p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 38 11 12 11 1 0 1 7 6 3 0 0 1 0 1 27 8 1 0 Sluggers AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Henderson cf 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .364 2 0 0 0 Grace 1b 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 13 0 0 0 Knoblauch 2b 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 .333 1 7 0 0 Larkin ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 2 0 0 Martin lf 5 2 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .583 1 0 0 0 Gaetti 3b 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .455 1 0 0 0 Berroa rf 4 2 1 4 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 1 0 0 0 Flaherty c 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .429 7 0 1 0 McGee ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Lieberthal c 1 1 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 0 0 0 0 Wakefield p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Plesac p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Mouton ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Miranda p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Amaral ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0 Peters p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Randa ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0 Lampkin pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 38 10 12 9 3 0 3 6 13 2 0 0 2 0 0 27 9 1 0 Dogs INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Burkett 3.2 7 5 4 2 3 19 2 0 0 0 1 0 9.82 Daal W 1-0 1.1 0 0 0 2 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Rivera,M 3.1 2 1 1 0 7 14 0 0 2 0 0 0 2.08 Taylor 0.2 3 4 4 2 1 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 54.00 9.0 12 10 9 6 13 46 3 0 2 0 1 0 Sluggers INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Wakefield L 0-1 4.1 7 6 5 2 4 23 1 0 1 0 0 1 10.38 Plesac 1.2 0 0 0 1 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Ryan 0.0 2 4 4 3 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 54.00 Miranda 2.0 2 0 0 1 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Peters 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 9.0 12 11 10 7 6 47 1 0 1 0 0 1 RES: Howell batted for Daal in the 6th SOM: Mouton batted for Plesac in the 6th McGee batted for Flaherty in the 8th Amaral batted for Miranda in the 8th Lieberthal inserted at c in the 9th Randa batted for Peters in the 9th Lampkin ran for Randa in the 9th GWRBI: Wilkins Temperature: 51, Sky: clear, Wind: in from center at 12 MPH. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GAME FOUR -- Sluggers (Haney) at Dogs (Thompson). Yet another hitting exhibition. Al Martin RBI singled in the first to give the Sluggers the first score of the game. In the bottom of the inning, Pete Incaviglia homered in his first at bat of the playoffs to tie it up. In the top of the 2nd, Thompson was chased out of the game by a 2-run tater by Flaherty and a bases loaded 2-RBI double by Knoblauch in what would give the Sluggers a 6-1 lead. But the Dogs would come back. Bottom of the 3rd, Haney vs Baines, bases loaded, 2 outs, the pitch .. Good-Bye! A grand slam home run closes the Sluggers' lead to 1. Larkin scored in the 6th off of a fielder's choice, but Pete Incaviglia tied things up again in the 7th with a 2-run shot. This was about the time for Mariano Rivera to show his stuff. But the cyber-manager decided that Omar Daal could do the job. Could he? No. Pinch hitter Willie McGee had an RBI triple, then scored on a Gaetti sacrifice fly. Bottalico closed out the 9th for the Sluggers to hold onto the 9-7 victory. SLUGGERS LEAD 3-1. Series 13 9/25/1996 -- Game 1 of 1, Pro Players Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 96 Sluggers 1 5 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 9 9 0 11 1 96 Dogs 1 0 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 6 3 6 1 Sluggers AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Henderson cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 1 0 0 0 Grace 1b 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211 9 0 0 0 Knoblauch 2b 5 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 4 5 0 0 Larkin ss 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 .083 0 5 0 0 Martin lf 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .533 3 0 0 0 McGee ph 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 1 0 0 0 Gaetti 3b 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 .357 0 1 0 0 Berroa rf 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214 2 0 0 0 Mouton rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Flaherty c 5 1 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .417 7 0 0 0 Haney p 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0 Plesac p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Amaral ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 0 0 0 Bottalico p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 36 9 9 9 3 1 1 7 4 3 0 0 2 0 2 27 12 0 0 Dogs AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Phillips 2b 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 1 3 0 0 Webster c 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 4 0 0 0 Incaviglia lf 4 3 2 3 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 2 0 0 0 Jones,C rf 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .133 3 0 0 0 Baines 1b 4 1 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 9 0 2 0 Mashore cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 4 0 0 0 Brito ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 3 4 0 0 Rolen 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 1 1 0 ThompsonMk p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Wilkins p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Dyer p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Taylor p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Daal p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 Mueller ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 0 0 0 0 Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 32 7 6 7 0 0 3 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 8 3 0 Sluggers INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Haney 6.1 6 7 7 7 4 31 3 0 0 2 1 0 9.95 Plesac W 1-0 1.2 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Bottalico S 2 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 9.0 6 7 7 8 6 40 3 0 0 2 1 0 Dogs INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA ThompsonMk 1.0 5 6 3 2 1 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 27.00 Wilkins 2.1 1 0 0 2 0 11 0 0 2 1 1 0 1.80 Dyer 1.2 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.25 Taylor 2.0 1 1 1 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 16.88 Daal L 1-1 1.0 2 2 2 1 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.15 Springer 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 9.0 9 9 6 7 4 47 1 0 2 1 1 0 SOM: McGee batted for Martin in the 8th Mouton inserted at rf in the 8th McGee moved to lf in the 8th Amaral batted for Plesac in the 9th RES: Mueller batted for Daal in the 8th GWRBI: McGee Temperature: 79, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 1 MPH. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GAME FIVE -- Dogs (Nomo) at Sluggers (Schilling). The Dogs had to win this game if they wanted to remain in the playoffs. They got off to a blazing start in the first with a 2-RBI bases loaded single by Robin Ventura. After that both pitchers settled down into a dominant groove. Then, the Sluggers began their move. In the bottom of the 4th, Chuck Knoblauch had a solo shot to put the Sluggers on the board. The Sluggers tied it up in the bottom of the 7th with another solo shot, this time by Geronimo Berroa. The Sluggers scored once more in the 8th on an Al Martin RBI single. Down 3-2, the Dogs had one hope left: Kevin Mitchell. 2-outs, Darren Bragg on third, Rickey Bottalico .. the pitch .. the swing .. the whiff. Battalico saved the game, and ended the Dogs' season in the 3-2 victory as the Sluggers advance to the MK conference finals. SLUGGERS WIN SERIES 4-1. Series 18 9/26/1996 -- Game 1 of 1, Wrigley Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 96 Dogs 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 1 9 0 96 Sluggers 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 x 3 8 0 5 1 Dogs AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Baines 1b 3 1 2 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .421 3 1 0 0 Mitchell rf 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .364 1 0 0 0 Jones,C ss 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 2 1 0 0 Gant lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .067 5 0 0 0 Ventura 3b 3 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .429 1 1 0 0 Phillips 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 1 0 0 0 Wilkins c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 9 1 1 0 Bragg cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .313 2 1 0 0 Nomo p 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 2 0 0 Green ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 32 2 7 2 2 0 0 6 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 24 7 1 0 Sluggers AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB Amaral cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 2 0 0 0 Grace 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .217 8 2 0 0 Knoblauch 2b 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .300 3 2 0 0 Larkin ss 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .188 1 4 0 0 Martin lf 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .474 1 0 0 0 Gaetti 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 0 1 0 0 Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0 McGee ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 0 0 0 Bottalico p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0 Berroa rf 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 1 0 0 0 Flaherty c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 10 0 0 0 Schilling p 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .333 0 3 0 0 Randa 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 0 0 0 30 3 8 3 1 0 2 0 8 3 1 0 1 1 0 27 13 0 0 Dogs INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Nomo L 0-2 8.0 8 3 3 0 8 32 2 0 1 0 0 1 4.85 8.0 8 3 3 0 8 32 2 0 1 0 0 1 Sluggers INN H R ER BB K BF HR IW HP WP DP BK ERA Schilling 6.0 3 2 2 6 6 26 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.51 Ryan W 1-0 2.0 3 0 0 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 13.50 Bottalico S 3 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 9.0 7 2 2 6 10 38 0 0 0 2 1 0 RES: Green batted for Nomo in the 9th SOM: Randa inserted at 3b in the 7th McGee batted for Ryan in the 8th GWRBI: Martin Temperature: 65, Sky: clear, Wind: in from left at 22 MPH.