Fellow Colonels,
The 4-10 Jailbirds, well aware that time was quickly ticking away on their efforts to get back into the playoff picture, welcomed Collin County in the first of several do-or-die series.

Game 1 - Barry Zito vs. Odalis Perez
The flaccid Missouri offence woke up early in this one, with Manny Ramirez belting a 1st-inning RBI single- just his fourth run batted in in 15 games. Carlos Delgado followed with a walk to load the bases, and Eduardo Perez cleared them with a double. It was 4-0 Mizzou before Zito even recorded an out, and the Cons added a 5th run in the first on a sac fly by Odalis Perez. That was way more than the 'Birds' lefty would need, as he went the route and didn't allow a single Caveman as far as third base. Good thing, because it was all he would get.

Cavemen 000 000 000 0 7 0
Jailbirds 500 000 00x 5 9 0

Cavemen:
Pitching - Zito (L) 4, Zerbe 2, Crudale 2
Catching - Stinnett 8
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - None

Jailbirds:
Pitching - OPerez W (1-2) 9
Catching - Hundley 8, VWilson 1
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - OPalmeiro (2 ABL, 1 ABR), EduPerez (3 ABL), Cora (3 ABL, 1 ABR)

Night game, 60s, Partly Cloudy, Light wind, normal ump

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Game 2 - Tim Hudson vs. Joe Roa
Once again, the Champs scored in the opening frame, as Carlos Delgado made the Cons' first out of the ballgame by bouncing out with runners on the corners to drive in a run. The Cavemen tied it immediately, with back-to-back-to-back two-out singles by Damian Jackson, Tino Martinez and Kelly Stinnett, the last driving in the tying run. Jimmy Rollins gave the Neanderthals their first lead of the series in the third with a 410-foot shot to dead centre that just squeaked out over the outstretched glove of Jim Edmonds.

Hudson made that one run stand up through 5. In the top of the 6th, his catcher, Kelly Stinnett,fouled a ball off his foot and had to leave the game - he'll be out a while. Hudson had retired eight in a row and 10 of 11, but came out to start the 6th with a new catcher, and Delgado led off with a bouncer that Jackson couldn't handle at second. Manny Ramirez lined out, and then Eric Hinske used that disciplined eye to take ball four just off the outside corner. Without Stinnett to calm him, Hudson blew up at the home plate umpire, who summarily showed him the door. Mike Koplove came in to protect the one-run lead, but pinch-hitter Rusty Greer greeted him with an infield single to load the bases with one out, and Alex Cora cleared the with a triple up the gap to give Mizzou a 4-2 lead. The Cons would add another in the 8th on a Cora sac fly, and the bullpen made it stand up.

Cavemen 011 000 001 3 12 1
Jailbirds 100 003 01x 5 8 0

Cavemen:
Pitching - Hudson (L) 5.1, Koplove 2.1, 0.1
Catching - Stinnett 5, RaHernandez 3
Home Runs - Rollins 2 (off Roa, 3rd inn., 0 on, 1 out; off Benitez, 9th inn., 0 on, 1 out)
Injuries - Stinnett 25 days (pro-rated from 30), back Game Day 44
Limits - None

Jailbirds:
Pitching - Roa W (2-0) 6, Ohka 0.1, Roberts 0.2, Rhodes 1, Benitez SV (2) 1
Catching - VWilson 9
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - Cora (3 ABR), OPalmeiro (1 ABR)

Night game, 70s, Partly Cloudy, Wind Blowing Right to Left 10-19 MPH, normal ump

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Game 3 - Roger Clemens vs. Pedro Martinez
With the possibility of a sweep staring them in the face, the Cons decided to send Pedro to the mound on short rest to face the Rocket in what looked to be a classic pitchers' duel.

It looked to be a good pitchers' duel, until the first inning, after which the score was 3-3. Pedro's three-spot included a two-run homer by Gary Sheffield, the big blow against Clemens was a two-run double by Manny Ramirez. The Cave Dwellers took the lead the next inning, on a two-out RBI triple by Eugene Kingsale, but then Pedro took a deep breath.

The Cons' ace slammed the door shut the rest of the way, going 7 2/3 innings of 5-hit shutout from that point with 12 strikeouts to wind up with a total of 15. Pedro's steadfastness allowed the 'Birds to come back, and so they did. Mizzou took the lead in the third on RBI singles by Shannon Stewart and Eric Hinske, and added another in each of the 5th and 7th. The brooms were put to good use, and the Jailbirds are now within three games of the break-even mark after starting the season 2-9.

Cavemen 310 000 000 4 9 1
Jailbirds 302 010 10x 7 9 1

Cavemen:
Pitching - Clemens (L) 3, Batista 3, Zerbe 2
Catching - RaHernandez 5, Walbeck 3
Home Runs - Sheffield (off P.Martinez, 1st inn., 1 on, 1 out)
Injuries - None
Limits - None

Jailbirds:
Pitching - P.Martinez W (2-2) 9
Catching - VWilson 7, Hundley 2
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - Cora (1 ABL), OPalmeiro (1 ABL)

Day game, 70s, Cloudy, Light wind, small ump

As for percentage limits, I don't have the cards in front of me, but I'm pretty sure the Cavemen didn't have any. For the Jailbirds, Phelps and Larson were inactive.

Stats to follow.