November 6, 1999

An Unlikely Start to the OLDS

LOS ALTOS, CA - Despite a roster of only 21 players and only one hitter 
available on their bench, and despite amassing just four hits this game, the
Litchfield Lightning emerged with the victory in Game One of this best-of-
five Division Series thanks to clutch hitting against the best closer in the
league.

Litchfield starter Pete Harnisch cruised through the first two innings before
running into trouble in the third.  Darryl Hamilton led off the inning with
a single, advanced to second on a steal, then scored on a double by Larry
Walker.  Albert Belle followed with a single to left, but Walker was gunned
down at the plate on the play by Barry Bonds for out number two.  Rich 
Aurilia then followed an intentional walk to Mo Vaughn by lining out to third
baseman Edgar "The Cat" Martinez.

Meanwhile, Los Altos starter Ramon Martinez was on cruise control.  Martinez
retired nineteen batters in a row at one point spanning the first through
seventh innings.  Brady Anderson, who walked, and Mark Grudzielanek, who
singled, were the only two Litchfield batters to reach base through the 
first six innings.  

Los Altos threatened in the fourth when Mike Lansing led off the inning with
a single, then stole second.  Two batters later, he advanced to third on a
ground ball by Ramon Martinez.  But the rally was diverted when Harnisch 
coaxed Hamilton into grounding out to first to end the inning.  

In the seventh, after Tony Eusebio flew out to left for out number one, Los
Altos manager Jeff Paulson lifted Martinez in favor of a pinch hitter.  
Despite the depth of the Los Altos bullpen, that move proved costly.  
Martinez, who had thrown just 99 pitches to that point, had pitched seven
scoreless innings, yielding just two hits and three walks.  He gave way to
Scott Elarton at the top of the eighth and Litchfield's bats suddenly woke
up.

Elarton recorded one quick out to pinch-hitter Damian Jackson (the ONLY 
pinch-hitter available to Litchfield) and was promptly lifted in favor of
Trevor Miller.  Miller struck out Brady Anderson for out number two.  Then,
with Grudzielanek and Martinez due up, Paulson signalled for his closer,
Trevor Hoffman.  Hoffman, who dominated Ozzie League batters all season with
a 1.37 ERA and a league-high 51 saves, was a little off his game today.  A
LOT off his game, actually.  Hoffman surrendered a double to Grudzzy, then
caughed up a game-breaking two-run blast to Edgar Martinez.  David 2, 
Goliath 1.

In the bottom of the inning, Arthur Rhodes came on in relief of Harnisch and
walked leadoff hitter Walker.  Walker then stole his way into scoring 
position, but was stranded by an Albert Belle pop-up, a Mo Vaughn strikeout
and a Mike Lansing fly-out to left at the hands of reliever Eric Plunk.

Jeff Shaw then took over in the bottom of the ninth.  After a leadoff single
by Tony Eusebio, pinch-hitter Bret Mayne sacrificed pinch-runner Shawon 
Dunston to second.  Shaw then uncharacteristically settled into a groove,
retiring both Hamilton and Bill Mueller on fly balls to the outfield.