Around the ABL: September 27-September 29

September 27: So Cal 2, Montgomery 12. The Cats blow out the Republic, scoring 11 runs in the first inning. They score the old-fashioned way, hitting it where they ain't. They pepper Republic pitching for nine singles and a double. The inning proceeds: Curt Dempsey singles, single (runner advancing to third), sac fly (1), single, single (2), single (3), hit by pitch, strike out, walk (4), Dempsey singles in two runs (5 and 6), single (7), double (8), single (9 and 10), single (11), strike out.

Davey Holmes

September 28: Cabo San Lucas 1, Georgia 0. Ghost Buster Davey Holmes (19-10) pitches 10 shutout innings ... but he ends up with the loss! Holmes comes out to pitch the 11th, but Dave Carlisle doubles, moves to third on Maurice Knight's single, and scores on Carlos Martínez's sac fly. Gregory Erwin (8-6) strikes out five in two innings of work to get the win.

Miguel Angel
Ortíz

September 28: San Diego 9, Minnesota 6. The San Diego Hops were having a good season—their record was 56-52 at the end of July—but they fell off the cliff the final two months, going 18-36 in August and September. But one thing that the hops can be proud of is the performance of Miguel Angel Ortíz, who tonight hits his ABL-best 49th home run. Ortíz ends the season with a .328 average and 131 RBI.

Oliver Bower

September 28: Nottinghamshire 7, Dallas 5. Texan Alberto Rodríguez triples with the bases loaded. He soon scores on a ground out and puts Dallas ahead, 5-4. In the eighth, Allen Greene homers for the Outlaws to tie the game. In the ninth, the Outlaws score two on four walks and a sac fly. Oliver Bower closes out the ninth to earn his 43rd save, tying him with Mile High's David Reynolds for best in baseball.

Blake Reynolds

September 28: Seattle 6, Carolina 0. Carolina comes into the game just one game back with two games to go, but Nolan Lyons (16-4) shuts down the Crush for 7 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven. Rookie Blake Reynolds hits his 39th home run, and Seattle clinches the Bobby Cox Division for the second consecutive year. But not to worry, Carolina fans: the Crush make the playoffs for the first time as the Clemente League Wild Card.

Javier García

September 29: New York 11, Ann Arbor 14. The Barn Owls may not have made the playoffs, but their win in the season's final game gives them a winning record, 82-80. Lorenzo Rodríguez hits two home runs (giving him 35 on the season) and scores five runs. Javier García hits a grand slam and a three-run homer.

Dave Carlisle

September 29: Cabo San Lucas 1, Georgia 8. Dave Carlisle goes 1-for-3 and wins the Munson League batting title with a .365 average: the center-fielder had 201 hits this season but zero home runs. He also led the Munson League with a .469 on-base percentage. Dan Smith drives him in for the Toreros' only run of the game: Smith's 131 RBI also led the Munson League. Georgia runs away with this game. Sean Bowman hits two home runs, and the Ghost Busters finish with an 85-77 record. Cabo, at 94-77, finish with the best record in the Munson League.

Tom Becker

September 29: Montreal 14, Washington 7. Tom Becker goes 2-for-6 with three runs batted in and finishes with a .412 average. Not only he win the batting title, but he becomes the first ABL player to bat .400! He also finishes the season with 45 home runs and a league-leading 145 RBI. Austin Brown (22-6) wins his 22nd game, most in the Clemente League.

Eric McSwan

September 29: Maple 5, San Francisco 2. Eric McSwan goes 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and three runs batted in. The home run gives him 40 for the season, tying him with Mike Bergeron for the Munson League lead.

Tommy Harris

September 29: Mile High 10, Kansas City 0. The Mustangs finish below .500, but they get to spoil the Tornadoes' season. Thomas White (16-10) and Mal Meade shut out Kansas City: they allow five hits, all singles, while striking out six. Tommy Harris hits two home runs, and Danny Hardy adds one of his own. Kansas City finishes two games behind Eureka.

September 29: Las Vegas 5, Eureka 6. The Hornets complete their worst-to-first turnaround by clinching the Sparky Anderson Division title. The go-ahead run comes courtesy of Jesús González, who singles in Claude Knight. Brad Austin retires the Jokers in order in the ninth to save his 32nd game. Eureka goes to the playoffs for the first time!