Fellow Colonels,
The two-time defending Champions opened their final homestand of the season, with no playoff berth in sight. Instead, the task ahead was to make sure they wouldn't finish with a losing record for the first time in franchise history. In order to accomplish that feat, the Cons had to do the incredible: Split six games against the two best teams in the Old Elvis.
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Game 1: Damian Moss vs. Tim Hudson
A great pitchers' duel, as it turned out, because Moss managed to retain his control - something that hasn't happened too often. The Hitmen jumped out in front in the third, as Hudson committed the unpardonable sin of walking the leadoff man. That's usually just a cardinal sin, but it's unpardonable when the leadoff man also happens to be the opposing pitcher. Moss scored on the second of back-to-back, none-out singles by Roberto Alomar and Bobby Higginson, and two batters later, Alex Rodriguez delivered a sac fly to score Hollywood's second run.
Through 5 innings, Moss held that 2-0 lead without giving up a hit, and issuing only one walk. Ramon Santiago, the new-look Jailbirds' offensive cornerstone (interpret offensive however you wish), got the Cons in the hit column with a one-out single in the 6th, and Michael Young cashed a Milton Bradley single with one of his own in the 7th to make it 2-1.
But that was it. The Hitmen had first and second, none out in each of the 8th and 9th but didn't score, and the Jailbirds never even threatened.
Hitmen 002 000 000 2 12 1
Jailbirds 000 000 100 1 4 0
Hitmen:
Pitching - Moss (W) 7, Hendrickson 0, Urbina 1.2, Smoltz (SV) 0.1
Catching - Matheny 9
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - None
Jailbirds:
Pitching - Hudson L (6-5) 7, Worrell 1, Mantei 1
Catching - Kendall 8, Widger 1
Home Runs - None
Injuries - None
Limits - Widger (1 ABR), Michaels (2 ABL)
Day game, 90s, Cloudy, Wind Blowing In 10-19 MPH
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Game 2: Elmer Dessens vs. Odalis Perez
Once again, a scoreless game into the third, when the Hitmen struck for two, this time on a two-run jack by ex-Con Junior Spivey. Fellow ex-Con Elmer Dessens made it stand up, taking a shutout into the 5th before allowing a leadoff homer to Mark Little, of all people (F power, no HR #s on the card), but the Hollywood 'pen tightened the screws from thereon out, and the only 'Birds hit after the homer was the Jason Kendall single that followed it.
Hitmen 002 100 100 4 7 0
Jailbirds 000 001 000 1 5 1
Hitmen:
Pitching - Dessens (W) 5, Timlin 2, Walker (SV) 2
Catching - Matheny 9
Home Runs - Spivey (off Perez, 3rd inn., 1 on, 1 out)
Injuries - None
Limits - None
Jailbirds:
Pitching - Perez L (3-7) 7, Worrell 1, Mantei 1
Catching - Kendall 8, Widger 1
Home Runs - Little (1, off Dessens, 6th inn., 0 on, 0 out)
Injuries - None
Limits - None
Day game, 70s, Cloudy, Light Wind
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Game 3: Orlando Hernandez vs. Brett Myers
Hollywood jumped on top early with on a first-inning RBI single by Alex Rodriguez, but you knew things were going to go Mizzou's way when Rusty Greer led off the bottom of the first with a triple. Greer was singled in by Little, and then Jason Kendall stepped up to the plate and hit a high, deep drive to right field. It was playable for Ruben Mateo, and he camped under it, but lost it in the sun. The ball hit Mateo square on the melon, and bounced over the fence for a two-run homer.
The Cons added another run in that first inning, tripling their total series output, and Brett Myers threw eight innings of four-hit shutout the rest of the way to make it stand up in his final start of the season.
Hitmen 100 000 000 1 6 1
Jailbirds 401 200 00x 7 14 0
Hitmen:
Pitching - OHernandez (L) 4, Moehler 2, Hendrickson 2
Catching - LaRue 3, Matheny 5
Home Runs - None
Injuries - Jason LaRue fouled ball of his foot, injured 3 days, back Game Day 69.
Limits - Mateo (4 ABR), Bocachica (1 ABR)
Jailbirds:
Pitching - Myers W (4-2) 9
Catching - Kendall 9
Home Runs - Kendall (1, off Hernandez <really off Mateo>, 1st inn., 1 on, 0 out)
Injuries - None
Limits - None
Day game, 70s, Clear, Light Wind
All players were active for both teams, I believe