Cleveland Sweeps Garden State
GAME 1
BAERGAS 8, GOATS 6 W - Pedro Martinez (1-0) L - Derek Lowe (0-1) S - Billy Wagner (1) HR - Jim Edmonds (1), Dan Johnson (1), Jason LaRue (1), Chase Utley-2 (2), Derek Lee (1), Mike Jacobs (1)
The ball was flying out of the park as both Pedro and Derek Lowe had shaky outings. The Goats jumped on Pedro for three runs in the first, two coming on Jim Edmonds' two-run homer. But Cleveland responded with a solo homer by Utley in the bottom of the first and a three-run rally in the second -- which was capped by Utley's second homer of the game. Cleveland led 5-3. Dan Johnson made it 5-4 with a solo shot in the 4th and the Goats tied the game in the 5th when Nick Swisher walked with the bases loaded.
The Goats momentarily took the lead when Jason Larue hit a solo homer to lead off the 6th, making it 6-5 Garden State. That didn't last long as Derek Lee led off the 6th with a single and Mike Jacobs responded with a two-run homer to but the Baergas ahead for good. Lee added an insurance homer in the 7th to make it 8-6. The Goats had a chance in the 9th when Brian Roberts reached on a Derrick Lee error, but Billy Wagner got Rafael Furcal to line into a double play to end it.
GAME 2
BAERGAS 7, GOATS 2 W - Josh Beckett (1-0) L - Tim Hudson (0-1) HR - Jim Edmonds (2), Mike Sweeney (1), Jermaine Dye (1)
Josh Beckett went the distance, allowing only five hits and striking out 10. The Baergas hopped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Jacobs connected for a two-run, two-out double off Tim Hudson. The Goats fought back in the third when Edmonds smacked a two-run shot (on a 1-7 ballpark chance) with two outs -- but that's all Beckett would allow.
Both pitchers settled down and the game remained 2-2 until the 7th when Dye led off with a homer. With one out and Cleveland's lefties coming up, the Goats went to lefty specialist Scott Sauerbeck who gave up back-to-back singles to Sizemore and Vizquel. Utley sac bunted to make it second-and-third with two outs. With Derrick Lee at the plate, the Goats walked the slugger to load the bases and bring up lefty Jacobs to face lefty Sauerbeck. Cleveland brought in Mike Sweeney to pinch hit. Garden State responded with righty-killer Huston Street. Sweeney won the battle with a grand slam homer that put the Baergas ahead 7-2 and effectively put the game out of reach.
GAME 3
BAERGAS 4, GOATS 3 W - Felix Hernandez (1-0) L - Jeff Weaver (0-1) S - Hector Carrasco (1) HR - Chase Utley (3), Dioner Navarro (1)
The series shifted to the Garden State, but the results were no different as the Baergas edged the Goats to move within one game of the championship.
Derrick Lee singled in a run in the first inning to put Cleveland up, 1-0. The Goats took the lead, 2-1, in the third with a two-run triple by Furcal. The Baergas re-took the lead, 3-2 in the 4th on an unlikely two-out, two-run homer by Dioner Navarro. Utley added an important insurance run in the 7th with a solo homer off Goat reliever Jason Vargas. Cleveland led 4-2 heading to the 9th.
In the bottom of the 9th, Sean Casey led off with a double. After Edmonds grounded out, Michael Barrett smacked a double to make the game 4-3 with only one out and man at second. Hector Carrasco shut down the rally, though, as pinch-hitters Dan Johnson and Jody Gerut were retired to end the game.
GAME 4
BAERGAS 4, GOATS 2 W - Pedro Martinez (2-0) L - Bronson Arroyo (0-1) S - Rich Harden (1) HR - Cliff Floyd (1), Rafael Furcal (1)
The Cleveland Baergas claimed the GABL World Series title with a 4-2 win at Sinatra Field. The Goats faced the daunting task of facing elimination with Pedro on the mound. He didn't disappoint.
Actually, both Pedro and Arroyo were both perfect through three innings. It wasn't until the Baergas manufactured a run in the 4th inning that either team could do damage. In the 4th, Utley led off with a double (the first hit of the game). Omar the Great sacrificed him to second and Derrick Lee brought him in with a sac fly. Cleveland led 1-0.
Desperate to make something happen, the Goats pinch-hit for Arroyo in the 5th with a runner on and two outs. The move didn't work as Pedro struck out Dan Johnson, forcing the Goats to go to the bullpen trailing by a run. The Baergas took advantage in the 6th. Vizquel walked. Then with two outs, Lee walked. The next hitter, Cliff Floyd -- who the Goats had under wraps all series -- pounded a three-run homer to make it 4-0 Cleveland.
The Goats responded in the 6th with a lead-off single by Roberts and a two-run homer by Furcal to make it 4-2. But Pedro got through the inning with no further damage. The Goats got men on bases in each of the final three innings, but could not put any runs on the board against the Cleveland bullpen. Rich Harden closed things out for Cleveland on LaRue's lineout to Omar Vizquel for the final out of the season.
Congratulations to Mike and the Baergas for fielding one of the finest team's the GABL has ever seen. It was gonna be an uphill battle for the Goats (or anyone else) to beat Cleveland this season, plus the Baergas were up to the challenge -- steam-rolling through the playoffs with 8 straight wins versus the Mocs and the Goats.
For the Goats, it is the franchise's first-ever loss in a playoff series after winning 6 in a row -- all in the last four years. We made it much further than expected this season -- struggling down to the wire to just make the playoffs, then winning two series against two very good teams (Aiken and Sterling). Cleveland was just too much for us, though. The series MVP has to be Chase Utley, who went 7-for-16 with 5 runs, 2 doubles and three home runs. Sean Casey finished his Galactic Goat career with a fine series -- batting .375 (6-for-16).