CREEPERS TAKE MARATHON IN 16

Pottsylvania----Derek Jeter hit a three-run pinch-homer off the bench to force extra innings for the Eliminators, but the Creepers finally got to their sixth reliever of the ballgame in the bottom of the 16th to win the longest game of the year at home in front of a nearly-empty stadium on a long night where the wind was blowing out.

Worcester trailed 5-0 entering the ninth and a Creepers win seem all but assured, but the Eliminators posted an epic rally. Cliff Lee, bidding for a shutout, gave up a double to Mark Teixera leading off the inning and then walked Derek Lee on four pitches. With one out, Worcester loaded the bases against reliever Billy Wagner, but an error by Aaron Hill allowed two runs to score. With two down, management pinch-hit Jeter for Garret Atkins and Jeter delivered, hitting a three-run poke just over the wall in left to tie the score!

What a shocker, but it let Jesse Litsch (8 IP, 5 ER) off the hook and set the stage for the battle of the bullpens. Pedro Feliciano, Joaquin Benoit and Peter Moylan all posted zero’s for the Elims, while Manny Delcarmen and Brad Thompson both worked multiple innings of scoreless relief for the host Creepers.

In the bottom of the 16th, however, the game’s goat (2B Aaron Hill) got a shot at redemption and doubled to open the frame against George Sherrill (0-2, 5.79). Heath Bell was brought in to face the right-handed heart of Pottsylvania’s lineup. Bell fanned cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez, then pitched around Ryan Garko with one out. On a 3-1 pitch, Bell bounced a curve ball away from Joe Mauer that allowed Hill to scamper over to third. Billy Hall then got just enough of a Bell fastball to hit it to the warning track, scoring Hill with a game-ending sac fly. Pottsylvania had won, 6-5, in 16 innings, making a winner of Brad Thompson (1-0, 8.56), who worked three innings in long relief.

Despite the win, Pottsylvania is but 4-11, losers of seven of their last ten, and with no relief in sight for their injury-wracked pitching staff. As the saying goes, you can’t win it in April, but you sure can lose it. The Creepers only solace is that every other Central club is below .500, and so they are still in striking distance of the first division.


In other BARB action:

LAS VEGAS 4, DARWIN 3
WP: Aaron Heilman (1-0, 3.46)
LP: Chuck James (0-1, 13.50)
SV: Rivera (4)

Former Luchadore Chuck James walked the bases loaded with one out and Alex Gordon hit a tie-breaking sac fly as the Luchadores overcame the Finches and newly-reactivated Randy Johnson, who fanned seven in six frames and left the game with a 3-2 lead.

The Finches juggled their rotation to give Johnson and an unnamed pitcher an extra day of rest, and insiders speculated that a roster move affecting the rotation was imminent for the club, which has stayed respectable (10-4) in the early going despite a ton of injuries to their pitching staff.

OAKEYLAND 8, FROSTBITE FALLS 1
WP: Jeff Francis (1-1, 3.18)
LP: Tim Lincecum (0-2, 7.50)

Nick Swisher and Andruw Jones both hit their second home runs of the year, and Jeff Francis pitched shutout ball after giving up Magglio Ordonez’s first-inning RBI single, going all the way for his first complete game of the year as the host Ballers handed it to the visiting Squirrels, who despite the loss still have the league’s best (11-3) record.

BROOKLYN 5, S-MART 2
WP: Francisco Rodriguez (1-1, 1.69)
LP: Jason Isringhausen (1-1, 10.13)

Ryan Howard tied the score with a solo homer leading off the top of the ninth, and the Moabs scored three times in the top of the tenth against three relievers to win in extra innings on the road in S-Mart. Howard’s blast spoiled a great effort by Jake Westbook, who led 2-1 going into the eighth having outdueled Roy Oswalt. The Moabs (10-6) now lead all of BARB with 100 runs scored, the first club to reach that mark this season.

LEXINGTON 11, BLACK MESA 4
WP: Brandon Webb (3-0, 3.54)
LP: Jarrod Washburn (0-3, 6.88)

David Wright had four hits, including a pair of home runs, driving in five to lead the Rebels 14-hit attack, and Brandon Webb became the first BARB starter to reach three wins as the visiting Rebs (10-7) handed a serious whipping to host Black Mesa, moving back into sole possession of first place in the East.

Interestingly enough, Webb could’ve sat, but the Rebels elected to skip Zack Grienke in the rotation, triggering speculation that the young righthander may once again be troubled by the anxiety disorder that wrecked his 2006 campaign.

YUMA 4, CASSELTON 3
WP: Carlos Zambrano (3-0, 3.28)
LP: Barry Zito (1-2, 4.57)
SV: Capps (1)

Ryan Braun hit a two-run double to knock out Barry Zito, and Matt Capps fanned Brandon Phillips in the ninth with the bases loaded to help Carlos Zambrano become the loop’s second three-game winner, as Yuma (10-9) won its third straight game to move over .500 for the first time this season.