2007 BARB WORLD SERIES, GAME 2

BERKMAN’S MISPLAY LEADS TO FOUR RUNS: DARWIN DOWN, 2-0!

Darwin, Australia—Trailing 1-0 in the Series already, the Finches put themselves in a major hole by being too eager with C.C. Sabathia, yet not careful enough with the leather, as the visiting Firebirds rode their lefty and a big fourth inning to a 4-1 lead in Darwin!


The Finches scored first in the affair in the third when Carlos Guillen singled, stole second and came home on a flare just over the glove of Roberts, making the game 1-0 for Kelvim Escobar, who appeared to be dealing. Escobar (15-6, 3.53) was victimized, though, with one out in the fourth. Vladimir Guerrero, chasing a pitch out of the zone, hit a soft fly to left. Berkman, playing left with David Ortiz in the lineup at first, misjudged the arc and the ball rolled all the way to the wall, Guerrero reaching second. It was Darwin’s second error of the game, and the third of the Series, and the poor defense finally caught up with the ballclub. Travis Hafner was intentionally walked to setup a double play, but the middle of Yuma’s lineup got out the whooping stick. Rookie Ryan Braun doubled home Vlad, Markakis tripled home Hafner and Braun, and Tejada scored Markakis with a soft single over Ortiz’s mitt:

YUMA LED, 4-1!

Meanwhile, Yuma’s big lefty C.C. Sabathia (18-8, 3.20) was owning the Finches. Time and again one of the Unnatural Selections would get on, and Sabathia would simply induce a player, usually left-handed, to chase one of his sinkers and hit it right at an infielder. Sabathia started one of the three double plays that resulted himself, and while Escobar settled down and Darwin’s bullpen put up the goose eggs, that was pretty much it. For the second straight game, the Finches would collect only five hits against Yuma pitching. In the ninth, Chipper Jones singled to start the inning. Jose Cruz, Jr. pinch-ran for Jones, but (of all people) Will Ohman came in to the game with his 6.48 regular-season ERA and worked a 1-2-3 ninth. As in 1-2-3, you lose, Finches. Riding spectacular starting pitching and taking advantage of the free baserunners given them by Darwin’s poor defense, the Firebirds had built a 2-0 lead in the Series!