AT LAST....THE PLAYOFFS!

PLAYOFFS, GAME ONE:
MECHE SNARES LUCHADORES

AS FINCHES TAKE OPENER

Down Under, Australia----The Eastern champion Darwin Finches, behind mid-season acquisition Gil Meche, began this post-season with a win over Central champion Las Vegas, holding the Luchadores to just two hits over the first eight innings before sweating out a tense ninth, as the Unnatural Selections won their playoff opener, 3-1, before a crowd of 37,291 fans.

MANAGER: A DISTRACTION?

Manager PZ Myers was unhappy with the announced attendance, and even unhappier with the suggestion from reporters that some of his more bellicose views towards religion had kept some of the church-going citizens of the Northern Territories from supporting his club down the stretch. “I am sick, sick, sick,” emphasized Myers, “of all the belly-aching from the God-wallopers in these parts! Who needs them, if they won’t support Australia in the playoffs? I mean, you don’t see me attempting to ban Christmas just because I’m not a believer! Why punish the entire ballclub because of what I said? It’s just another ridiculous example of intolerance for the godless!”

THE GAME ITSELF

Meche, who was given the final week off to rest up for the playoffs with the Finches already clinched, came into the game in top form. After going 14-12 with a 2.88 ERA in a season split between Pottsylvania and Darwin, he was matched with Luchadores starter Brian Bannister (6-3, 3.83 in 12 starts down the stretch), and this was a good matchup. Meche allowed a scratch single to Alex Gordon for the game’s first hit leading off the third, then set down the next 12 Luchadore hitters in order, taking a shutout into the seventh.



Meanwhile, Bannister pitched well (0-1, 2.25 over eight frames), but was hurt in the bottom of the third, when with runners on, he served up a single to Placido Polanco with one out in front of LF Matt Holliday, who promptly threw the ball down the right-field line. Not only did Milton Bradley (who had three hits) score easily from second on the bad peg, but Polanco came all the way around to third ahead of a strong throw by Manny Ramirez. Polanco scored two pitches later on a sac fly off the bat of Chipper Jones, and . . . Darwin led, 2-0!

Speaking of Ramirez, Jimmy Rollins singled sharply to open the top of the seventh for Vegas, just the second hit allowed by Meche. With Rollins on, ‘Manny’ represented the tieing run, but instead of driving the ball, he chased a slider and hit a double-play ball sharply at Jones, erasing the threat. In the bottom of the inning, the Finches scratched out an insurance run: Ryan Doumit doubled with one out. Pinch-runner Chone Figgins stole third and then walked home when Bradley’s third hit of the game was a standup double. Darwin led, 3-0!

That brought up the ninth. Meche, given the chance to go for the shutout, got the first two hitters, but Jimmy Rollins singled sharply on his 98th pitch. PZ Myers jumped out of the dugout, and without any hesitation, motioned to his right arm to bring in closer J.J. Putz, who has been dogged by unevenness in an injury-marred season. Matt Holliday, whose fielding gaffe had put Darwin on top, then doubled to put runners at the corners. Manny Ramirez, whose double-play grounder had frustrated a scoring chance back in the seventh, hit an identical shot to Chipper Jones…but this time Jones muffed it, allowing Rollins to score and putting the go-ahead run at the plate…and the left-handed hitting Prince Fielder at the dish.

Putz’s first pitch was DRILLED the other way into the gap in left-center, but at the wall Aaron Rowand reeled it in, crashing into the padding but holding on for the game’s final out. 37,000-plus Finches fans exhaled sharply, and the Unnatural Selections were giving ‘high-fives’ in the dugout with more than a little relief. Darwin leads the series, 1-0!