November 20, 2002 OLCS Kicks Off with a Thriller LOS ALTOS, CA - This Ozzie League Championship Series pitting the BDBL's all-time winningest team, the Los Altos Undertakers, and their longtime rivals, the Salem Cowtippers, was expected to be a tight, evenly-matched series. Today's Game One certainly fit the bill - and then some. The Undertakers' 25-game-winning ace, Chan Ho Park, took the hill today against Salem's Mike Mussina with both staffs well rested after their short victories in the OL Division Series. Los Altos struck first in the second inning when Kevin Millar led off with a base-on-balls. On a base hit to right by Shawn Wooten, Millar attempted to stretch his way to third. Salem right fielder Sammy Sosa then made the taboo DMB decision to throw to third in an attempt to nail Millar. As happens all too often in the BDBL, the throw sailed over the head of the third baseman and into the Salem dugout, giving the Undertakers the first run of the game. #8 hitter Craig Biggio followed Wooten's single with one of his own. Once again, Los Altos third base coach Mookie "Send 'em in" Wilson tested the arms of the Salem outfield. This time, the runner was gunned down at the plate by left fielder Lance Berkman, preserving the one run game. After watching the opposition score a run after a leadoff walk, Salem decided they'd try the same tactic in the third. After drawing his own base-on-balls to start the inning, Robin Ventura advanced to second on a bunt by Mussina. He later scored on a clutch base hit by David Eckstein, tying the game at one apiece. Salem took the lead in the fourth on a leadoff double by Sammy Sosa and a two-run home run by controversial starter Craig "Nuke" Wilson. Wilson, whose acquisition by the Cowtippers earlier this year fueled a firestorm throughout the Los Altos press, earned the starting nod today when Undertakers manager Jeff Paulson opted before the series not to sit any of his part-time superstars. Still holding onto that one run lead in the sixth, Salem managed to put runners on first and second with one out and Wilson at the dish. Unfortunately for Salem, the runner on second was picked off by the Los Altos catcher, and Wilson whiffed to end the potential rally. That pick-off proved to be a big play, as Larry Walker led off the bottom half of that inning with a home run, tying the game 2-2. Salem got that run back quickly, however, when Jim Mecir came in to pitch the top of the seventh against the bottom third of the Salem lineup. A come-backer to Mecir by Ray Durham was thrown away, and Ventura walked to put two runners on with no outs. Mussina then bunted both runners into scoring position. Pinch hitter Mike Cameron followed with a sac fly, plating the go-ahead run. David Eckstein, who popped up to end the inning, then further endeared himself to the Los Altos fans by booting an easy grounder by Biggio to start the bottom half of the seventh. Biggio advanced to second on a ground ball by pinch hitter Jay Gibbons, which was followed by two uncharacteristic walks by Mussina to load the bases. Randy Choate, who was released by the Undertakers at the end of Chapter Four despite spectacular MLB numbers against left-handers, was picked up by the Cowtippers at the end of Chapter Five, making him eligible for the post-season. Salem soon discovered that Choate was a real life Trojan Horse. Called upon to face lefty Walker with the bases loaded and one out, Choate placed a hanging curveball on a tee for Walker to drill to the corner in right for a double. Two runs scored, and a third run was cut down at the plate by Sosa. That tied the game yet again. "Larry hit lefties just as well as righties," said Salem manager Mike Glander, "but I really thought Randy could get the job done there. His only job throughout this series is to get Larry out, and he didn't get it done today - obviously." In the eighth, nasty Los Altos reliever Octavio Dotel walked the first two batters he faced with one out in the inning, giving Salem a chance to rally. But Dotel then whiffed Wilson and induced a pop-out from Durham to end the threat. Eck-like reliever Juan Moreno, who allowed just four runs to score off of him all season in over 40 innings, came in to start the ninth against Salem's #8 and #9 hitters. Ventura led off the inning with a walk, then advanced to second on a bunt by pinch hitter John Thomson. Thomson's bunt was so good, though, that Thomson also reached base, giving Salem two baserunners with no outs. After Cameron whiffed for out number one, Moreno loaded the bases with another walk, bringing Todd Helton to the plate. Helton, who went 0-for-2 with two walks prior to that at-bat, managed to get enough wood on the ball to drive it far enough to left to score Ventura for the go-ahead run. Sosa then popped out to left to end yet another potential rally. Clinging to their one run lead, Salem turned to closer David Weathers to end the ninth. Weathers responded by retiring the first two batters he faced, bringing Salem to within one out of a crucial first game win. But with Walker due to hit, Glander opted to call upon lefty Norm Charlton to get the game's final out. "David had a lot of problems with longballs this year," explained Glander, "and he also had a lot of problems with lefties. I didn't like that match-up at all, so I went with Norm, and had Chad Fox on deck just in case Norm couldn't close the deal." Charlton couldn't close the deal, as Walker singled to give Los Altos a new life. Fox then entered the game to face Jeff Bagwell, and Walker took off toward second on the first pitch. Wilson, who was still in the game despite his shaky defense, let one go toward the general vicinity of second base, but his throw was eventually fielded by center fielder Cameron. Walker advanced to third, putting the tying run ninety feet away. "I'm not sure what Craig was still doing back there," said Salem fielding coach Bill Buckner. "If we end up losing this series, Coach Glander will be known as the John McNamara of Salem, and Craig's life will be...well, just like mine." "Yeah, we were surprised to see him still out there," said Paulson of Wilson. "We know what a great hitter he was, but we really wanted to run on him because we know he doesn't have the best arm. We were waiting for opportunities to take advantage. That opportunity just happened to be the 9th." Given the opportunity to hurt his former team, Bagwell came through with a clutch hit off Fox, sending home the tying run. He then easily stole second against the flustered Wilson (though this time, the throw remained in the infield.) Kevin Millar then followed with the game-winning hit - a base hit up the middle, scoring Bagwell. "I knew this game would come down to one hit, one pitch, one mistake," said Glander. "I just hoped that it wouldn't be my mistake. This one will be tough to live with, I can tell you that. I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight. I screwed up, plain and simple. The last thing on my mind at that point was defensive replace- ments. I was more worried with getting Walker out. And when that didn't work, I concentrated on Bagwell. I figured even if Walker stole second, that would open up first base, and we could then pitch around Bags. But I never imagined Walker would end up on third, and it's obvious that pitching around Bags didn't do much good."