Poodles fried as Fighting Frogs win tight series. In the closest seven game series that I've ever seen, the Hallo-owned Fighting FrogsStockton/Jones-owned Fried Poodles squeaked out the series over the Stockton/Jones-owned Fried Poodles. Six of the seven games were decided by one run and the Frogs actually outscored the Poodles (35-34) in the series. Game 1 was the most "lopsided" game as the Poodles won 6-3, largely on the strength of Kevin Brown's 10IP 3ER 11K performance. The extra-innning game was lost by Rich Loiselle, who threw a fine 9th and 10th inning but fell apart in the 11th. This ruined a fine performance from Greg Maddux (8IP 3ER 7K) who battled Brown the entire way. Simas [itched a shakey 11th inning for the save, only escaping damage after Joyner hit into a game ending double-play for the Frogs. Game 2 was the first of 4 games with the identical score of 5-4. This particular game was won by the Frogs in the 10th inning as Simas took the loss. A strong (but not spectacular) performance by the starters (Reed for Poodles, Perez for Frogs) was overshadowed by Mark McGwire's 2HR game, plus a crucial hit in the bottom of the 10th. Game 3 continued the see-saw affair as Chan Ho Park and the Poodles squeaked by Bobby Jones and the Frogs. Park's complete game victory was helped by Vlad Guerrero's game-winning HR, though the Frogs put up a fight as Andruw Jones and Ray Lankford hit back-to-back-jacks in the 5th inning. Game 4 balanced the scales as the Frogs won (again) 5-4. Bill Simas took the loss in relief (again) giving up the game-winning double in the top of the 9th to McGwire. Sean Casey and Devon White hit back-to-back HRs in a losing cause. Game 5 swung the pendulum in favour of the Poodles as they won a pitching duel between Brown and Maddux (again). This time no relievers were involved in the decision, although Maddux was hampered by an error in the 1st inning by Luis Castillo that (eventually) allowed 3 unearned runs to score. Both teams managed only 7 hits and 3 walks each and had to nickel'n'dime their runs, except for Scott Rolen's solo HR for the Frogs and Tony Fernandez's solo dinger for the Poodles. Game 6 tied the series at 3 apiece as the Frogs won 4-3 on the strength of HR from Jones, McGwire and Javy Lopez. Reed and Perez matched up again, with Perez getting the better line (8IP 3ER 5K) and the decision. The Poodles kept it close with HR from Jay Bell and then a 9th inning shot from Jeff Kent. Game 7 was a slugfest in comparison to the other games, with the Frogs winning it in front of the (virtual) home town fans, 9-8. Neither starting pitcher (Park for the Poodles, Reed for the Frogs) made it deeper than the 6th inning this time, and both bullpens were erratic. Sean Runyan ended up absorbing the loss (0.2IP 3ER) after leaving with the bases loaded in the 6th inning. Rich Loiselle got the win (1.1IP 0ER 2K), but Ligtenberg and Shaw made things interesting by giving up 3 runs in the top of the 9th to make the game close. In the end, the power of the Frogs (.492 SLG) and the Shaw's 3 saves were enough to hold off the Poodles and Kevin Brown. Game 1 Poodles 6 W:Brown Sv:Simas Frogs 3 L:Loiselle Game 2 Poodles 4 L:Simas Frogs 5 W:Ligtenberg Game 3 Frogs 4 L:B.Jones Poodles 5 W:Park Game 4 Frogs 5 W:Telemaco Sv:Shaw Poodles 4 L:Simas Game 5 Frogs 4 L:Maddux Poodles 5 W:Brown Game 6 Poodles 3 L:Reed Frogs 4 W:Perez Sv:Shaw Game 7 Poodles 8 L:Runyan Frogs 9 W:Loiselle Sv:Shaw MVP: Kevin Brown (Poodles) (19IP 7R 6ER 6BB 20K and 2 wins) _____________________1__2__3___4___5___6_7__8____9_10__11____________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se O O+ O O 2B BB Brown(SD),Ke 10 9 3 3 3 11 CF White,De 2B O 1B+ K BB O Simas,Bi 1 2 0 0 0 1 3B Rolen,Sc K _O_ 1B* K __O O LF Guerrero,Vl __K O _O_ 2B O 1B**+ RF Jordan,Br O HR O O+ BB /1B*+ DH Kent,Je 2B O BB 1B* 1B __K___ SS Bell,Ja K _O_ K _O_ DP C Hinch,A. _K O _O \ K 1B 2B Fernandez,To BB 1B O O 1B P__Brown(SD),Ke______________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K SS Renteria,Ed 1B K O SH+ O Maddux,Gr 8 8 3 3 2 7 CF Lankford,Ra - K _K_ _O_ 2B* 1B Loiselle,Ri 2.2 5 3 3 3 1 3B Rolen,Sc BB 2B O O K Ligtenberg,Ke 0.1 1 0 0 0 1 DH McGwire,Ma __K O+ K BB _O C Lopez,Ja O HR* _K _K_ \1B LF Burnitz,Je O BB O K 1B RF Jones,An _K DP_ O 2B K 1B Joyner,Wa 1B O K O _DP___ 2B Castillo,Lu O 1B PH Mueller,Bi 1B 2B Lockhart,Ke PH Zaun,Gr __O 2B Graffanino,To P__Maddux,Gr__________________________________________________R__H_E Fried Poodles 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 6 14 0 Fighting Frogs 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 11 0 LOB - Fried Poodles 12; Fighting Frogs 8. Win - Brown(SD),Ke (1-0); Save - Simas,Bi (1); Loss - Loiselle,Ri (0-1). HRs - Jordan,Br (1); Lopez,Ja (1). Caught Stealing - Renteria,Ed (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fried Poodles +0.14; Fighting Frogs +0.21. _____________________1____2___3__4__5__6__7____8____9_10__________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se 1B _O 1B 1B K Reed,Ri 8 8 4 4 2 6 CF White,De O O BB O __O Simas,Bi 1 5 1 1 0 1 3B Rolen,Sc 1B+ HR DP _O_ BB LF Guerrero,Vl 1B* K O O DP RF Jordan,Br O++ __O O 1B _K_ DH Kent,Je _O__ K _O O SS Bell,Ja O 1B BB 2B* C Hinch,A. BB DP 1B+ /_O_ 2B Fernandez,To K O SF* O P__Reed,Ri________________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K RF Jones,An 1B O O K 1B Perez,Ca 7.2 10 4 4 3 3 CF Lankford,Ra O+ 1B _O _O_ __K Ligtenberg,Ke 2.1 0 0 0 1 2 3B Rolen,Sc O+ + K BB O 1B DH McGwire,Ma HR* __K DP HR 1B C Lopez,Ja BB O _O O 1B* LF Burnitz,Je _O__ O 2B __O_ 1B Joyner,Wa O 2B 1B \ O 2B Castillo,Lu O _K PH-SS Renteria,Ed 1B* O SS Gonzalez(F,Al _O K PH Mueller,Bi K 2B Lockhart,Ke 1B P__Perez,Ca________________________________________________R__H_E Fried Poodles 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 10 0 Fighting Frogs 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 5 13 0 LOB - Fried Poodles 7; Fighting Frogs 9. Win - Ligtenberg,Ke (1-0); Loss - Simas,Bi (0-1). HRs - McGwire,Ma (1); Rolen,Sc (1); McGwire,Ma (2). Steal - Lankford,Ra (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fried Poodles +0.14; Fighting Frogs +0.17. __________________1__2__3____4___5___6___7__8____9_________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K RF Jones,An E7 _O HR O e5 Jones(NYN),Bo 5.2 7 4 4 3 3 CF Lankford,Ra K BB HR O +e K Rincon,Ri 2.1 3 1 1 1 2 3B Rolen,Sc K O+ O HR O DH McGwire,Ma BB O 1B BB __O5 C Lopez,Ja _O _O_ DP _K LF Burnitz,Je K K 1B O 1B Joyner,Wa e6 BB DP K 2B Castillo,Lu 1B p O BB PH Renteria,Ed O4 2B Lockhart,Ke SS Gonzalez(F,Al K __O_ __K_ PH Mueller,Bi 2B P__Jones(NYN),Bo___________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se O K __O_ /BB O Park,Ch 9 7 4 3 5 9 CF White,De K O O 1B* _O 3B Rolen,Sc 2B BB K __O_ LF Guerrero,Vl BB 1B _O HR RF Jordan,Br _O _O_ 1B K DH Kent,Je HR O O O SS Bell,Ja O BB O _K C Hinch,A. O 2B +1B* O 2B Fernandez,To _O SF* 2B 1B P__Park,Ch__________________________________________R__H_E Fighting Frogs 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 4 7 0 Fried Poodles 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 X 5 10 4 LOB - Fighting Frogs 9; Fried Poodles 9. Win - Park,Ch (1-0); Loss - Jones(NYN),Bo (0-1). Outstanding Plays - Fernandez,To (1); Rolen,Sc (1). Errors - Guerrero,Vl (1); Bell,Ja (1); Rolen,Sc (1); Hinch,A. (1). Passed Ball - Hinch,A. (1). HRs - Kent,Je (1); Jones,An (1); Lankford,Ra (1); Rolen,Sc (2); Guerrero,Vl (1). Steals - Jordan,Br (1); Jones,An (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fighting Frogs +0.16; Fried Poodles +0.14. _____________________1__2___3__4__5___6_____7____8___9________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K RF Jones,An K BB K _O__ __K Neagle,De 7 10 4 3 3 5 CF Lankford,Ra O BB 1B BB \2B Telemaco,Am 1 0 0 0 0 1 3B Rolen,Sc _K DP O +1B* K Shaw,Je 1 0 0 0 0 1 DH McGwire,Ma K K _O_ O 2B* C Lopez,Ja 2B O6 1B K O LF Burnitz,Je O HR 1B __K_ /_K_ 1B Joyner,Wa 1B* BB O HR 2B Castillo,Lu _O_ _O PH-SS Renteria,Ed O O SS Gonzalez(F,Al O 1B PH Mueller,Bi BB 2B Lockhart,Ke O P__Neagle,De__________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se O HR e3 O++ __K Irabu,Hi 8 9 4 4 5 8 CF White,De 1B HR O _O__ / K Simas,Bi 0.2 2 1 1 0 1 3B Rolen,Sc BB O 1B BB O Howry,Bo 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 LF Guerrero,Vl O O O 1B __O_ RF Jordan,Br _O BB 2B* DP+ DH Kent,Je K _O _K_ 1B* SS Bell,Ja 1B O 1B __K_ C Hinch,A. O K K \ O 2B Fernandez,To _O_ _O 1B O P__Irabu,Hi______________________________________________R__H_E Fighting Frogs 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 5 11 1 Fried Poodles 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 4 10 0 LOB - Fighting Frogs 10; Fried Poodles 9. Win - Telemaco,Am (1-0); Save - Shaw,Je (1); Loss - Simas,Bi (0-2). Outstanding Play - Bell,Ja (1). Error - Joyner,Wa (1). HRs - Casey,Se (1); White,De (1); Burnitz,Je (1); Joyner,Wa (1). Steal - Lankford,Ra (2). Fielding Range Bonus - Fighting Frogs +0.17; Fried Poodles +0.14. ___________________1____2__3__4__5____6__7___8___9_________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K RF Jones,An O 1B* BB _K_ __O_ Maddux,Gr 8 7 5 2 3 5 CF Lankford,Ra K O 1B O DH Rolen,Sc 2B K 1B*+ HR 1B McGwire,Ma wO8__ _K_ _O__ BB C Lopez,Ja O K O O LF Burnitz,Je BB O K _K 3B Mueller,Bi O O _O O 2B Castillo,Lu _O K PH Joyner,Wa O SS Delgado,Wi PH Hamilton,Da 2B SS Gonzalez(F,Al 2B O PH Zaun,Gr K 2B Lockhart,Ke pSF* P__Maddux,Gr_______________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se O K 1B O+ Brown(SD),Ke 9 7 4 3 3 9 CF White,De e4 _O K 1B* 3B Rolen,Sc + O+ O DP__ _K_ LF Guerrero,Vl BB O 2B K RF Jordan,Br 1B* _O_ O O8 DH Kent,Je 2B** O O BB SS Bell,Ja __O__ O O4 _O 2B Fernandez,To HR K BB C Miller,Da O 1B O P__Brown(SD),Ke______________________________________R_H_E Fighting Frogs 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 4 7 1 Fried Poodles 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 X 5 7 0 LOB - Fighting Frogs 6; Fried Poodles 5. Win - Brown(SD),Ke (2-0); Loss - Maddux,Gr (0-1). Outstanding Plays - White,De (1); Castillo,Lu (1); Lankford,Ra (1). Error - Castillo,Lu (1). Passed Ball - Miller,Da (1). Wild Pitch - Brown(SD),Ke (1). HRs - Fernandez,To (1); Rolen,Sc (3). Steal - White,De (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fighting Frogs +0.13; Fried Poodles +0.14. ____________________1__2___3___4__5____6___7___8____9______________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K CF White,De O __O_ 1B DP_ __K Reed,Ri 5.2 8 4 4 1 5 SS Bell,Ja O HR _O_ 1B Service,Sc 2.1 1 0 0 2 2 3B Rolen,Sc _K O 1B K LF Guerrero,Vl K O p O O+ RF Jordan,Br 1B 2B O6 _O_ DH Kent,Je O BB __O_ HR 2B Fernandez,To _O _O 1B O C Hinch,A. O K PH-C Miller,Da O+ /2B 1B Fullmer,Br K O 1B* O P__Reed,Ri_________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K RF Jones,An HR O 1Be /_K_ _O_ Perez,Ca 8.1 9 3 3 1 5 CF Lankford,Ra O K K O7 Shaw,Je 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 3B Rolen,Sc O BB O K DH McGwire,Ma 1B +HR* _K_ BB C Lopez,Ja _O __O_ HR 1B+ LF Burnitz,Je e4 O O _O_ 2B Graffanino,To 1B Joyner,Wa O 1B O BB 2B Castillo,Lu K O 1B LF Hamilton,Da SH+ SS Gonzalez(F,Al _K _O 1B+ O P__Perez,Ca____________________________________________R__H_E Fried Poodles 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 10 2 Fighting Frogs 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 X 4 9 0 LOB - Fried Poodles 7; Fighting Frogs 9. Win - Perez,Ca (1-0); Save - Shaw,Je (2); Loss - Reed,Ri (0-1). Outstanding Plays - Gonzalez(F,Al (1); Guerrero,Vl (1). Errors - Fernandez,To (1); Jordan,Br (1). Passed Ball - Lopez,Ja (1). HRs - Jones,An (2); McGwire,Ma (3); Bell,Ja (1); Lopez,Ja (2); Kent,Je (2). Steal - Rolen,Sc (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fried Poodles +0.14; Fighting Frogs +0.18. ____________________1______2__3___4___5____6_____7___8_____9__________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K 1B Casey,Se O O BB 1B**+ 2B Park,Ch 4.2 7 5 5 3 5 SS Bell,Ja K BB SF* /_K___ 1B* Runyan,Se 0.2 1 3 3 2 1 3B Rolen,Sc _O___ K BB 1B /2B* Service,Sc 0.1 2 1 1 0 0 RF-LF Guerrero,Vl 1B _K __O_ DP O7 Jones,Do 2.1 2 0 0 1 2 CF-RF Jordan,Br DP 1B O _K O+ DH Kent,Je __O 1B O9 \ O 1B* 2B Fernandez,To O 1B* BB O __O_ C Hinch,A. O e6 BB PH Fullmer,Br 2B C Miller,Da LF Morris,Ha _O_ SF* PH-CF White,De 1B __O__ P__Park,Ch____________________________________________________________________IP___H__R_ER_BB__K SS Renteria,Ed BB 1B O K _O Jones(NYN),Bo 5.2 6 5 3 5 3 CF Lankford,Ra BB + K HR BB 1B Loiselle,Ri 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 DH Rolen,Sc BB __O _O /1B** 1B Ligtenberg,Ke 1 3 2 2 0 0 1B McGwire,Ma 1B**+ K K w1B* O++ Shaw,Je 1 2 1 1 0 0 C Lopez,Ja K 1B O SF* O LF Burnitz,Je 1B* O HR /_K___ LF Hamilton,Da __O__ RF Jones,An O 1B+ /_O_ K 3B Mueller,Bi _O___ _K_ 1B O 2B Castillo,Lu O O BB BB 2B Graffanino,To P__Jones(NYN),Bo_______________________________________________R__H_E Fried Poodles 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 3 8 12 0 Fighting Frogs 3 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 X 9 12 1 LOB - Fried Poodles 8; Fighting Frogs 9. Win - Loiselle,Ri (1-1); Save - Shaw,Je (3); Loss - Runyan,Se (0-1). Outstanding Plays - Jones,An (1); Hamilton,Da (1). Error - Renteria,Ed (1). Wild Pitch - Service,Sc (1). HRs - Lankford,Ra (2); Burnitz,Je (2). Steal - Renteria,Ed (1). Fielding Range Bonus - Fried Poodles +0.04; Fighting Frogs +0.20. Standings,_Pitching____________W___L___pct.__GB___ERA__CG_ShO__RS__Sv___IP_____R___ER___H___BA___BB___K__WP 1 Fighting Frogs 4 3 .571 - 4.08 1 0 4.9 3 64 35 29 73 .286 25 42 0 2 Fried Poodles 3 4 .429 1 4.57 2 0 5.0 1 63 34 32 70 .278 27 62 2 ____AB____R____H___D___T__HR__RBI__BA__SlgA__OBA__BB___K___SH__F_SF_GDP__SB__CS__LOB__OP__DP__E__OSB_OCS_PB 1 252 34 70 12 0 14 33 .278 .492 .345 27 62 2 0 2 6 5 1 60 5 9 3 2 0 1 2 255 35 73 16 0 9 35 .286 .455 .345 25 42 0 0 4 9 2 0 57 5 6 6 5 1 2 1 Jim Hallo 4-3: 2 3-6(11), 2 5-4(10), @2 4-5, @2 5-4, @2 4-5, 2 4-3, 2 9-8. 2 Reede Stockton/Brian Jone 3-4: @1 6-3(11), @1 4-5(10), 1 5-4, 1 4-5, 1 5-4, @1 3-4, @1 8-9.