Around the ABL: September 18-20

All eyes are on the playoff races! For this edition, I am going to break things down by the four key playoff races: the competition to win the Tommy Lasorda and Billy Martin divisions, and the race for each league's wild-card slot.

Tommy Lasorda Division

Lorenzo Rodríguez

September 18: Ann Arbor 9, So Cal 2. Ann Arbor comes into today trailing Dallas by two games in the Lasorda Division. The Barn Owls easily defeat the last-place Republic. Z-Rod hits his 52nd home run. Minnesota 11, New York 1. New York trails Dallas by four games and fails to gain ground today. Peter Blanchard caps an eight-run fourth inning with a three-run home run. Dallas 4, Seattle 5. The Texans face the division-leading Sasquatch. They lose narrowly, leaving the tying run on second in both the eighth and ninth innings. Dallas now leads Ann Arbor by a single game.

Stu Barnes

September 19: Dallas 4, Seattle 5. The Texans lose consecutive one-run games to the Sasquatch. Sam Eaton hits a solo home run in the eighth to win it for Seattle. Minnesota 3, New York 7. New York scores seven runs on 11 hits—all singles. Ann Arbor 15, So Cal 3. The Barn Owls take care of business and sweep the Republic. Stu Barnes hits a grand slam and drives in seven, and Jim Thompson (11-9) earns his sixth win as an Owl. Ann Arbor moves into a tie for the Lasorda Division lead. New York is now three games back.

Brandon Farmer

September 20: Dallas 7, Seattle 6. Ann Arbor has the day off, so Dallas gets the chance to regain the division lead or to fall behind. In the third, the Texans hit three home runs on five pitches: Jesse Clark and Jeffery McDonald hit home runs on consecutive pitches, Manuel Hernández singles on the next pitch, and Brandon Farmer (after taking a strike) hits a two-run blast. The Sasquatch keep the game close and rally from two-runs back in the bottom of the ninth: Sam Eaton scores the tying run on an error by closer Alex Martin. The game goes to extras. In the 11th, Ryan Erickson singles, steals second, and scores what would prove to be the winning run on a single by Luis García. Minnesota 6, New York 2. Minnesota scores four in the sixth as Joe Booth homers and Juan Rodríguez hits a bases-loaded double. Guillermo Martínez (15-4) gives up two runs over seven innings.

The Texans take a half-game lead over Ann Arbor in the Lasorda. New York fails to gain ground and remains four games back. Dallas and Ann Arbor face each other this weekend.

Billy Martin Division

Chet Carver

September 18: Mile High 3, Maple 1. The Marauders come into today trailing the Earthquakes by two games. Maple's offense leaves nine men on base. Young Mustang Chet Carver (6-6) pitches seven innings and allows only a single unearned run. San Francisco 7, Las Vegas 8. In a potential playoff preview, the Quakes look to be cruising to victory and take a 6-0 lead into the sixth. The Vegas offense awakes. In the sixth, they score four, including two on a Vic Jennings bases-loaded double. In the seventh, Alonso Núñes hits a solo home run. In the eighth, Kevin Carey ties the game with a homer, and Ray Stevens singles with two men on to drive in the leading run.

Danny Hardy

September 19: Mile High 4, Maple 2. Manuel Ruíz (13-11) out-pitches Roberto Martínez (15-8). Mustang nine-hole hitter Danny Hardy, hitless in his previous 15 at-bats and batting .196 on the season, slugs a pair of home runs. San Francisco 6, Las Vegas 7. The Quakes again blow a lead. This time, they take a lead 6-3 into the seventh when backup catcher Phillip Smith hits a grand slam. Observers are forced to ask, does any team want to win the Billy Martin?

Dave Krause

September 20: Mile High 1, Maple 3. Veteran Dave Krause (10-7) allows an unearned run and strikes out seven over 7 2/3 innings. Eric McSwan homers, as the Marauders finally win one. San Francisco 2, Las Vegas 5. The Jokers sweep the Quakes behind ace Maurice Gould (19-5): the magic number for Vegas is down to one. For San Francisco, it's their ninth loss in the past ten games.

Maple, despite going 7-10 in September, has gained ground in the division and now sits only one game back. The two teams face each other this weekend in San Francisco. Someone has to win!

Roberto Clemente Wild Card

Robert Carr

September 18: Montreal 11, Carolina 6. Montreal enters today leading Montgomery in the wild card race by 2 1/2 games. The Bandit offense shows up in force. Robert Carr goes 5 for 5, and the Bandits score eight in the third. Montgomery 5, Greenville 1. Francis Green (1-0) shuts out the 84's for 6 2/3 innings to earn a win in his major-league start. Chris Collins homers.

Juan Ramírez

September 19: Montreal 3, Carolina 0. Ed Gillespie (9-9) and two relievers combine to shutout the Crush. Tom Becker hits his league-leading 55th home run. Montgomery 8, Greenville 4. Juan Ramírez doubles, triples, and homers, scoring twice and driving in five.

September 20: Montreal 3, Carolina 1. With the game tied in the ninth inning and the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Frank Moyer taps an infield single and drives in the winning run. Montreal sweeps Carolina. Montgomery 14, Greenville 6. The Mountain Cats hit three home runs in the sixth and sweep the 84's.

Montgomery keeps pace with Montreal and remains 2 1/2 games behind.

Thurmon Munson Wild Card

Jayson O'Neill

September 18: Kansas City 4, Los Angeles 3. The Evil Empire enters the game with a 1 1/2 game lead on Cabo and a one game lead on Maple. The Tornadoes strike early as Bob Watkins and Ricardo Marquis hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the first. South Carolina 4, Cabo San Lucas 1. Jeremy Rogers (9-9) pitches 7 1/3 innings and allows one run. Jayson O'Neill hits a two-run homer for the Bombers: the RBIs are numbers 99 and 100 for O'Neill on the season.

Miguel Torres

September 19: Kansas City 10, Los Angeles 8. The Empire take an 8-5 lead into the ninth, but Gary Payne blows his fifth save of the year. Bob Watkins doubles with the bases loaded and scores the leading run on an Emílio Guerrero double. South Carolina 9, Cabo San Lucas 12. Miguel Torres hits a grand slam in the first inning to power the Torero offense. Cabo now trails Los Angeles by a half game.

Ray Clay

September 20: Kansas City 3, Los Angeles 1. The Tornadoes score three in the eighth and sweep the Empire. Ray Clay (9-8) pitches eight innings and strikes out six. South Carolina 0, Cabo San Lucas 1. Get to the ballpark on time, boys and girls! Victor Ramírez hits a solo shot in the first for the game's only run. Stephen Lawrence (13-7) and three relievers combine on the four-hit shutout.

The Munson wild card race now looks like this:

Maple           84-68 -
Cabo San Lucas  84-68 -
Los Angeles     84-69 .5 GB

With less than 10 games to go, there are three teams within a half-game of each other! It doesn't get any closer than this!