November 4, 2001

Akron Wins 3-2 in 10th

AKRON, OH - The Akron Ryche emerged with a 3-2 victory after ten hard-fought 
innings in Game One of the Eck League Division Series against the South Carolina
Sea Cats.  Akron ace Pedro Martinez allowed just two runs on six hits through 
8 2/3 innings, while South Carolina ace Tom Glavine matched him pitch-for-pitch
through seven innings.  A one out base hit by Ricky Gutierrez off Sea Cats reliever
Rich "El Guapo" Garces provided the walk-off game-winner.

South Carolina wasted no time tagging Cy Young favorite Martinez for a run.  In the
first, Bobby Higginson and Mike Sweeney connected for back-to-back base hits.  Jim 
Edmonds then drove Higginson home from third on a sac fly.

In the second inning, Akron left fielder Mark Quinn led off with a single off 
Glavine.  Two batters later, Mike Lieberthal doubled Quinn to third.  Adrian Beltre
then walked to load the bases for the pitcher Martinez.  With one out, Martinez
swung away, grounding to short.  Fortunately for Akron, Sea Cats shortstop Barry
Larkin was unable to turn it into a double play, and the tying run crossed the
plate.  Darin Erstad then left the go-ahead run stranded 90 feet away when he 
grounded out to short to end the inning.

In the sixth, Akron second baseman Quilvio Veras walked with one out.  He advanced
to third on a double by Jay Buhner, then scored when Sea Cats rookie second baseman 
Warren Morris bobbled what should have been an inning-ending grounder by Jay 
Payton.

Martinez settled down nicely after the first, retiring 16 of 18 batters heading 
into the seventh.  Edmonds then led off the seventh with a homer off Martinez, who
had allowed a mind-blowing 41 longballs during the regular season.  That tied the
score at two apiece.

With the score still tied in the top of the ninth, Martinez ran into a little bit
of trouble with he hit Jim Edmonds with two outs in the inning.  Ray Lankford then
singled Edmonds into scoring position.  With 124 pitches under his best, Martinez
was pulled by his manager, D.J. Sheppard, in favor of Jason Christiansen, who 
whiffed pinch hitter Ron Gant to end the threat.

After Sea Cats reliever Jose Jiminez retired the side in order in the eighth and
ninth, the game was forced into extra innings.  In the tenth, Christiansen retired
the side, bringing Akron to the plate.  South Carolina reliever Mike Remlinger 
began his day by walking John Vander Wal.  Vander Wal then advanced to second on a
sacrifice bunt by Erstad.  That brought Gutierrez to the plate, who singled home
the winning run against Garces.