Dorian Grays 7
Isotopes 18
WP: Gary Webber, LP: Mike Whatley
The Isotopes earned a trip to the finals with a solid 18-7 win over the Dorian Grays Wednesday at McKenzie Field in Holyoke.
As he did so often during the season, starting pitcher Gary Webber did Gary Webber things. He pitched a complete game and struck out 11.
The Isotopes batters gave him a nice cushion with which to work. Steve Ostrowski had 4 RBI, Scott Keldun was 4 for 4 with a triple, double and two stolen bases, and Dave Warner had a double and 3 RBI.
With the win, the second-seed Isotopes earn their first trip to the final game. They square off against the Plug Uglies Wednesday in a battle of the two best teams.
Fainting Goats - 1
Plug Uglies - 15
WP: Jeff Whitehead, LP: Eddie Esposito
(6 innings)
The number-one seed Plug Uglies easily defeated the number-four Fainting Goats Friday night at MacKenzie Field in a game that ended in controversy in the 6th.
The Plug Uglies jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and it grew to an unsurmountable 13-0 after 3.
Jeff Whitehead was dominant through 6, allowing just one baserunner - a base hit to lead off the 3rd -- through 4.
The first 5 batters for the Plug Uglies -- Bill Evans, Greg Elbaum, Matt Belanger, Jeff Whitehead, and Jeff Cabana -- were relentless. They accounted for 12 of the teams's 15 runs, and ten of those scored in the first 3 innings.
The Plugs scored in 5 of the 6 innings.
The Goat's starter Eddie Esposito, who in round one was spectacular over 8 innings versus the Phillies, didn't have it this night. He allowed 6 runs in the first.
The Goat's lone run scored in the 5th when Hector Arroyo drove in Tony Maspo with a single.
The game ended in the bottom of the 6th when, after the Uglies stole the second of two bases with a 14-run lead, Goats manager Patrick Johnson pulled his team from the field.
There were some heated verbal exchanges between players on the two teams before they separated.
After a brief cooling off in their dugout, the Goats emerged to walk to home plate and meet the Uglies for the post-game handshake. Because sportsmanship is a cornerstone of this league.
Photos
No photos this week. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, the light is awful when it's dark.
Championship game
Wednesday, 5:45 p.m., Mackenzie Stadium, Beech Street, Holyoke.
Come on out and celebrate the conclusion of another successful season in a final game pitting the league's two best teams, the Plug Uglies and the Isotopes.
The league will be providing hot dogs and soda, there will be a PA system and walk-up music, and each team's most-valuable player will be honored.
Come on out and support your league.