Last year, the Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels got hot down the stretch, and this year is no different, as GM Andrew Haynes’s troops kept their hopes for another divisional title alive by sweeping a doubleheader from their host, the East-leading Worcester Eliminators. Joe Nathan retired seven hitters to earn saves in both halves of the twin bill, and as a result the Squirrels could look up on Game Day 140 and see themselves in a dead heat (79-61) for the pennant race.
In the opener, Adam Wainwright took a 3-0 lead into the sixth against the Squirrels, but ninth-place hitter Mark De Rosa tied the game with a two-out, three-run homer, his 12th boundary belt of the year. In the seventh, Victor Martinez slashed a ball the other way with two aboard against J.P. Howell (7-4, 4.24), a two-run triple to help propel Frostbite Falls to a 6-3 lead. Nathan would come in after a Worcester rally in the eighth made it 6-5 to work a scoreless ninth for his 30th save of the year.
In the nightcap, Jair Jurrjens pitched brilliantly for the host Eliminators after the first two innings (8 IP, 5 H), but Tim Lincecum (13-9, 2.76) brought his ‘A’ game as well from the get-go, with Adam Lind and J.J. Hardy chiping in with ribbies. Jason Bay hit his team-leading 38th homer of the year in the seventh, off Chris Perez. But, with runners on, Nathan came in to get the last out of the eighth, then retired Mauer, Teixeira and Bay to end the game: Frostbite Falls had won, 2-1, sweeping the doubleheader...and, with just four games left, making the Eastern Division wide open. The Eliminators have to be concerned, for their losing streak needing to clinch a post-season berth has now reached six games, shades of the ‘64 Phillies...
In other BARB action:
BROOKLYN 5, FRESNO 1
WP: Scott Baker (9-4, 3.58)
LP: Derek Lowe (10-10, 5.18)
SV: Rodriguez (31)
The Moabs kept themselves in the pennant chase, just two games behind the Elims, by taking it to the host Regulators with a big game from Troy Tulowitzki, who had an RBI triple and scored three times to lead Brooklyn’s attack. The Regulators were kept in check by Scott Baker until the eighth, when the loaded the bases, but Francisco Rodriguez came on to get his 31st save of the season, keeping him tied with Frostbite’s Joe Nathan in that department.
POTTSYLVANIA 6, DARWIN 1
WP: Cliff Lee (14-9, 2.99)
LP: Jose Valverde (4-1, 2.48)
Aramis Ramirez and Aubrey Huff hit back-to-back homers in the sixth to lead the Creepers over the visiting Finches, lowering their ‘magic number’ for clinching a pennant spot to just three games. Zack Greinke fanned nine, but was outlasted by Cliff Lee, who scattered five hits and needed less than 100 pitches to get to the ninth.
YUMA 11, TEXAS 3
WP: Roy Halladay (16-6, 2.50)
LP: Javier Vasquez (7-12, 5.60)
The Firebirds made shortening bread out of the slumping Tornadoes, tweaking their rotation to give Roy Halladay three possible starts in the final nine games, and it paid off big. Nick Markakis gave his club an early lead with his 14th homer of the season, and Halladay started a pair of double plays himself to make a 97-pitch outing go down smoothly. With the win (and Darwin’s loss), the Firebirds are just one game out with eight to play in the West.
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