CASSELTON RALLIES, BUT THREE OTHER CLUBS ELIMINATED

ELIMINATION TIME?

HORNED TOADS DRAMATIC COMEBACK

Improbable league leader Mike Napoli slugged his BARB-leading 38th homer off Mariano Rivera, as the Horned Towns (down 5-1 in the eighth to the visiting Murlocs) rallied for four runs in the ninth to hang the previously-unblemished Madtown closer with his first blown save of the 2009 season and nearly his first in BARB play in a full year. Rivera (2-2, 1.33) had been 24-for-24 in save situations this year, and until August had not even been hung with a loss, but he came up short this time, making a winner of Sergio Romo (3-5, 2.55) in relief of starter John Lackey.

Napoli had a similar streak going the other way, an 0-for23 slump, but came up big in the ninth. Derek Lee started the inning with a single, and one out later Torii Hunter singled to put runners at the corners. Alex Rios doubled home a run, but Orlando Hudson grounded out slowly to short, Lee scoring. So with two down and two on, the Horned Toads turned to the slumping Napoli, but Rivera left a cutter up, and Napoli hit it out.

It was a big win for the Horned Toads, since a loss would’ve dropped them more than three games behind Central-leading Pottsylvania with 17 to play. The Murlocs, meanwhile, had to be shaking their heads after getting circuit shots from Dan Uggla, Prince Fielder and in general controlling this game for eight innings. To make matters worse, the loss made it official: at 48-74 (and 22 games back), new GM ‘Chops’ Braga and his club were officially eliminated from post-season play. But they were not alone! Read on:



YUMA 8, LOS ANGELES 6

WP: Roy Halladay (13-6, 2.59)
LP: Trevor Cahill (1-11, 7.89)
SV: Cordero (23)

Los Angeles scored three late runs on errors against Roy Halladay, but the hard-charging Firebirds still improved to 69-53, just two games back of West-leading Darwin, as they got a rare HR from SS Yunel Escobar and lots of gift-wrapped RBI situations (8 walks) from the chewed-up Flyers pitching staff. The loss officially eliminated the Flyers (46-82) from post-season play.

BLACK MESA 2, ST. FRANCIS 0

WP: Ted Lilly (7-6, 4.91)
LP: Jamie Moyer (6-12, 4.67)

Ted Lilly scattered just five hits in whitewashing the Friars, who got a good start (just one earned one) from 46-year-old Jamie Moyer in what might prove to be his swan song with St. Francis, who was frustrated that they were unable to peddle Moyer or fellow southpaw Randy Johnson in the stretch drive. Equally frustrating, though, for the Anomalies: the loss of 1B Justin Morneau to a season-ending condition requiring surgery.

In an unrelated move, the Friars formally competed a previously-agreed upon deal with the Brooklyn Moabs, sending backup C Ronnie Paulino to fill the spot of injured backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia in return for a player to be named.

TEXAS 5, DARWIN 4

WP: Colin Balester (5-5, 5.58)
LP: Zack Greinke (16-4, 3.07)
SV: Gonzalez (6)

Alfonso Soriano hit a grand slam off Zack Greinke in the third, then left the ballgame complaining of arm pain, to put a damper on what turned into an exciting contest in the final innings. The Finches made it interesting in the last two frames, scoring two runs against the new anointed Texas closer (Andrew Bailey), before Mike Gonzalez got Josh Hamilton to meekly ground out to ‘A-Rod’. Jonathan Sanchez worked five scoreless innings in relief of Greinke.

BROOKLYN 7, WORCESTER 2

WP: James Shields (9-10, 3.85)
LP: Adam Wainwright (8-7, 4.53)

Jason Bay’s team-leading 37th round-tripper made things interesting in the seventh with his club down 3-2, but the Moabs batted around against the Eliminators bullpen to take it to their sibling rival, improving to 74-60, just one game out of the wild-card picture thanks to an effort by James Shields that saw the Moabs starter reach the ninth before needing pen help

FROSTBITE FALLS 7, FRESNO 5

WP: Paul Maholm (11-10, 4.48)
LP: Andy Pettite (4-8, 5.79)
SV: Nathan (29)

Joe Nathan collected his BARB-leading 29th save of the season, Jayson Werth hit his 18th dong of the campaign, and Mark DeRosa and Albert Pujols each had three hits to lead Frostbite’s 14-hit attack on the road in Fresno. 3B David Wright, just off the DL, had four hits of his own in a losing cause for the Regulators, who at 66-68 were officially eliminated from post-season play.

ELIMINATIONS