An easy Sunday afternoon quickly became one of high drama and tension as an injury and extra-inning filled series went to The Big Hebs (Detter West) as they took three of four from the Surly Nausicans (AL East) in a split series. In addition to the strain three extra-frame contests put on the teams' bullpens, the two clubs lost a combined SIX players to injury, including four more to the constantly banged up Hebs. Three more Heb starters will miss at least three games as Jack Hanahan is lost for seven, Jared Saltalamacchia for six, and Gary Matthews Jr. for three. Matthews is lost for the third time this season, while Saltalamacchia misses at least six for the second time. Hanahan splits time with Eric Chavez at 3B, who also was injured in the series, but only missed one game.
The summaries:
Game 1 -- Nausicans 3, Big Hebs 2 (11 innings)
W - Okajima (3-0); L -Benoit (0-3)
A much anticipated battle of the aces went to the Nausicans thanks to a walk-off homer by Victor Martinez, who wins a game in his final at-bat for the second time in three contests. The game was tied in the 11th after Hideki Okajima survived a situation that saw him put runners at the corners with one out for Vladimir Guerrero, preserving his perfect ERA. By the time the series was in the books, Okajima had pitched three times in four games and had gone 19 innings this season without surrendering a run. Nausican ace Fausto Carmona seemingly out-dueled Jered Weaver, tossing nine innings, but gave up a pair of first inning unearned runs, costing him a shutout victory.
Game 2 -- Big Hebs 6, Nausicans 4
W - Bannister (4-2); L - Beckett (2-4)
Brian Bannister gutted out a complete game victory, preserving the Big Hebs bullpen - a move that would prove huge in the next two games - and fixing a HAL glitch. Five of the six Big Hebs runs came on long balls off of Nausican starter, Josh Beckett - a three-run bomb by Matthews and a two-run shot by Jim Thome. Melky Cabrera went 4-for-4 for the Nausicans, who fell short in their quest to come back from a 6-1 deficit.
Game 3 -- Big Hebs 2, Nausicans 1 (12 innings)
W - Benoit (1-3); L - Bradford (0-1)
Guerrero won a game in the final at-bat for the fourth time this year, ripping a two-out, game-winning single in the 12th off of Nausican reliever Chad Bradford. The big blow came on the heels of Thome failing to win the game with one out in his 1-column and was one of four hits by the Heb DH on the day. Andy Pettite started for Surly and held a 1-0 lead into the sixth when Heb catcher Rob Bowen hit his first homer of the year in timely fashion to tie it up. Heb starter Kevin Millwood gave up just one unearned run over seven innings, but gets the no-decision. Darren Oliver went 4.1 innings in relief, but also got a no-decision as the win goes to game one loser, Joaquin Benoit.
Game 4 -- Big Hebs 6, Nausicans 5 (11 innings)
W - Speier (2-1); L - Rivera (1-3)
Spot starter Jeff Weaver was as bad as expected as nearly every out on his card is a tweener, preceder, or postceder, but a Heb rally and strong relief pitching helped them pick up the series victory. Weaver gave up 5 runs on 11 hits over 5 innings, but the Hebs charged back from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game and force extras. Joel Peralta threw 4.1 scoreless innings and Justin Speier tossed the final 1.2 in shutout fashion to salvage the game, but the real hero was Eric Chavez, whose two-out single in the 11th inning won the game and sparked the "joyous home town celebration" (HAL's words). Thome's seventh inning solo homer was his eighth of the year and tied the game, leading to extras.
Next up:
Big Hebs (19-15) vs. Army of Steamrollers (15-15)*
Surly Nausicans (15-19) vs. Santa Poco Amigos (18-12)*
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