New Milford, CT - It started out looking like a slug fest, turned quickly into a pitchers duel, but finally returned as a slug fest. On a sunny Father's Day Sunday, the Ozzie League defeated the Eck League 8-6 in the 2007 BDBL All-Star Game. Kenji Johjima of the Salem Cowtippers was named the game MVP after going 2 for 4 with a 2-run, game tying HR in the big Ozzie League 7th inning. The Eck League had just expanded their lead to 5-2 in the top of the 7th on a two-run HR by Chicago Black Sox third baseman Aramis Ramirez, only to have the game slip through the grips of two of the league's top relief pitchers. Joe Nathan started the bottom of the 7th on the mound for the EL and seemed to lose composure after Chris Duncan sent a 1-2 slider over the right centerfield wall to start the inning. Nathan would give up a single to Cano, strike out Lance Berkman, but couldn't get Johjima. Another 2 strike slider flew beyond the outfield fences, to tie the game at 5-5. EL Manager Tony Chamra, of the Villanova Mustangs, had seen enough from Nathan and brought in Lawdog closer Takashi Saito. Saito was greeted by a double from Adrian Gonzalez and a single by Grady Sizemore to plate the go ahead run. After a wild pitch, Derek Jeter would plate Sizemore with the eventual winning run, making the score 7-5 after 7 innings. The scoring started quickly for the EL with leadoff walk to Vernon Wells in the first. He stole second and scored on a Miguel Tejada single. Travis Hafner then followed with a 2-run HR giving the EL a 3-0 lead after 3 batters. Brandon Webb settled down after that to retire the next 9 batters he faced. The first inning fireworks weren't over though, as Rocks' starting pitcher Derek Lowe experienced similar troubles. Sizemore singled to start off the home half of the 1st, moved to 2nd on a groundout and then to third on an error by Hippos 2B, Placido Polanco. ARod doubled to score Sizemore and Manny Ramirez grounded out to score David Ortiz and narrow the gap to 1. Innings 2 thru 6 produced a grand total of 2 hits from both teams combined. After Webb settled down for the OL, Chris Carpender and Dan Haren held the EL down while Mussina, Arroyo and Felix Hernandez held the OL at bay. Mariano Rivera finished the game for the Ozzie League picking up the save. Brad Penny got the win and Saito took the loss. STARTING LINEUPS: Ozzie League C: Kenji Johjima, SAL 1B: David Ortiz, NHB 2B: Robinson Cano, RAV 3B: Alex Rodriguez, BCJ SS: Derek Jeter, SAL LF: Manny Ramirez, SYL CF: Grady Sizemore, NHB RF: Michael Cuddyer, NHB P: Brandon Webb, SAL Eck League: C: Brian McCann, VIL 1B: Travis Hafner, VIL 2B: Placido Polanco, WAP 3B: Chipper Jones, NAS SS: Miguel Tejada, WAP LF: Jason Bay, NAS CF: Vernon Wells, CHI RF: Vladimir Guerrero, WAP SP: Derek Lowe, CLE RESERVES: Ozzie League Erik Bedard, SAL Lance Berkman, SAL Miguel Cabrera, MAN Chris Carpenter, LAU Chris Duncan, LAU Adrian Gonzalez, LAU Carlos Guillen, BCJ Danny Haren, SAN Scott Kazmir, MAN Francisco Liriano, BCJ Joe Mauer, COR Brad Penny, RAV Andy Pettitte, NHB Mariano Rivera, NHB C.C. Sabathia, MAN Jered Weaver, LAU Eck League Bronson Arroyo, AKR Brad Hawpe, AKR Felix Hernandez, ALN Ramon Hernandez, NAS Jason Jennings, NAS Kevin Millwood, SCS Justin Morneau, GLS Mike Mussina, KAN Joe Nathan, NAS Jonathan Papelbon, WAP Aramis Ramirez, CHI Takashi Saito, KAN Ichiro Suzuki, NAS Mark Teahen, WAP Jim Thome, CLE Tim Wakefield, VIL VOTING: Ozzie League: C: Johjima (12), Mauer (6) 1B: Ortiz (18) 2B: Cano (18) 3B: Rodriguez (18) SS: Jeter (17), Bartlett (1) LF: Ramirez (13), Berkman (4), Duncan (1) CF: Sizemore (17), Crawford (1) RF: Cuddyer (13), Rivera (3), Abreu (2) P: Webb (9), Bedard (7), Sabathia (1), Pettitte (1) Eck League: C: McCann (18) 1B: Hafner (14), Thome (3), Morneau (1) 2B: Polanco (12), Uggla (2), Freel (2), Hill (1) 3B: Jones (17), Teahen (1) SS: Tejada (15), Ramirez (2), Reyes (1) LF: Bay (18) CF: Wells (11), Beltran (5), Jones (1) RF: Guerrero (9), Hawpe (5), Suzuki (2), Huff (1) P: Lowe (7), Santana (4), Clemens (4), Wakefield (1), Mussina (1) 4/15/2007, EL07-OL07, Nestle Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2007 All-stars 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 6 7 2 5 0 2007 All-stars 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 x 8 11 1 4 0 All-stars AB R H BI AVG All-stars AB R H BI AVG Wells cf 2 1 1 0 .500 Sizemore cf 4 2 2 0 .500 Ichiro ph 2 0 0 0 .000 Jeter ss 4 0 0 1 .000 Tejada ss 5 1 1 1 .200 Ortiz 1b 4 1 0 0 .000 Hafner 1b 3 1 1 2 .333 Kazmir p 0 0 0 0 .000 Morneau 1b 1 0 1 0 1.000 Weaver,Jer p 0 0 0 0 .000 Guerrero rf 4 0 0 0 .000 Rivera p 0 0 0 0 .000 Bay lf 3 1 0 0 .000 Rodriguez 3b 4 1 2 1 .500 McCann c 3 1 1 1 .333 Ramirez lf 2 0 0 1 .000 Jones,C 3b 1 0 0 0 .000 Duncan ph 2 1 1 1 .500 Teahen ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Cano 2b 4 1 2 0 .500 Ramirez ph 2 1 2 2 1.000 Cuddyer rf 2 0 0 0 .000 Polanco 2b 4 0 0 0 .000 Berkman ph 2 0 1 1 .500 Lowe p 1 0 0 0 .000 Johjima c 4 1 2 2 .500 Mussina p 0 0 0 0 .000 Webb p 0 0 0 0 .000 Thome ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Carpenter p 0 0 0 0 .000 Arroyo p 0 0 0 0 .000 Mauer ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Hernandez p 0 0 0 0 .000 Haren p 0 0 0 0 .000 Hawpe ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Sabathia p 0 0 0 0 .000 Nathan p 0 0 0 0 .000 Penny p 0 0 0 0 .000 Saito p 0 0 0 0 .000 Gonzalez ph 2 1 1 0 .500 Wakefield p 0 0 0 0 .000 35 8 11 7 Hernandez ph 1 0 0 0 .000 35 6 7 6 All-stars INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Lowe 2.0 3 2 1 0 0 33 20 4.50 Mussina 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 18 12 0.00 Arroyo H 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 11 6 0.00 Hernandez H 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 0.00 Nathan BS 0.1 3 3 3 0 1 15 12 81.00 Saito L 0.2 2 2 1 0 0 17 9 13.50 Wakefield 1.0 3 1 1 0 0 17 13 9.00 8.0 11 8 6 0 2 118 77 All-stars INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Webb 3.0 2 3 3 1 1 44 26 9.00 Carpenter 2.0 1 0 0 1 0 25 14 0.00 Haren 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 14 11 0.00 Sabathia 0.1 1 2 2 1 0 18 9 54.00 Penny W 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 0.00 Kazmir 0.0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 99.00 Weaver,Jer H 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 0.00 Rivera S 1.1 2 0 0 0 0 24 15 0.00 9.0 7 6 6 3 1 138 82 EL : Teahen batted for Jones,C in the 4th Teahen moved to 3b in the 4th Thome batted for Mussina in the 5th Morneau inserted at 1b in the 6th Ramirez batted for Teahen in the 7th Hawpe batted for Hernandez in the 7th Ichiro batted for Wells in the 7th Ichiro moved to cf in the 7th Ramirez moved to 3b in the 7th Hernandez batted for Wakefield in the 9th OL : Mauer batted for Carpenter in the 5th Duncan batted for Ramirez in the 7th Berkman batted for Cuddyer in the 7th Gonzalez batted for Penny in the 7th Duncan moved to lf in the 8th Berkman moved to rf in the 8th Gonzalez moved to 1b in the 8th E-Polanco, Ichiro, Ortiz. 2B-Rodriguez, Gonzalez. HR-Hafner(1), Ramirez(1), Johjima(1), Duncan(1). SB-Wells(1). K-Wells, Rodriguez, Berkman. BB-Wells, Bay, McCann. SH-Webb. WP-Saito, Weaver,Jer. 4/15/2007, EL07-OL07, Nestle Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2007 All-stars 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 6 7 2 5 0 2007 All-stars 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 x 8 11 1 4 0 All-stars -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------ Wells cf 1>W 3>k S Penny Ichiro ph 63.1-2 53 Tejada ss SB2 63 43 63 63 S.2-H Hafner 1b HR.1-H 9 6>Haren 3/g Morneau 1b 8>Kazmir S Guerrero rf 7 4>Carpenter 9 Weaver,Jer 8 6 Bay lf 43 W 43 64/f.B-1 McCann c 63 64/f.B-1 7>Sabathia wp.1-2 W Rivera S.2-H Jones,C 3b 2>53 Teahen ph 7 Ramirez ph HR.1-H S.1-2 Polanco 2b 63 5>53 6/L 7 Lowe p 63 Mussina p Thome ph 8 Arroyo p Hernandez p Hawpe ph e3.B-1 Nathan p Saito p Wakefield p Hernandez ph 9>7 All-stars -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------ Sizemore cf 1>S 43 9 note 1 Jeter ss 43.1-2 3>Mussina 6>Hernandez wp.2-3 4/L 63 43.3-H Ortiz 1b e4.2-3;B-1 53 63 5 Kazmir p Weaver,Jer p Rivera p Rodriguez 3b D.3-H;1-3 k 63 8>Wakefield S Ramirez lf 43.3-H;2-3 4>2/fl 7>Nathan Duncan ph HR 8 Cano 2b 53 53 S S.1-3 Cuddyer rf 2>9 7 Berkman ph k S.3-H;1-2 Johjima c S 5>Arroyo HR.1-H 7.2-3 6 Webb p 24/SH.1-2 Carpenter p Mauer ph 53 Haren p Sabathia p Penny p Saito Gonzalez ph D 7 1: S.2-H;B-2(e8) All-stars IN OUT ER All-stars IN OUT ER Lowe A1 B1 1 Webb A1 B3 3 Mussina B2 B7 0 Carpenter B4 C2 0 Arroyo B8 C1 0 H Haren C3 C5 0 Hernandez C2 C4 0 H Sabathia C6 C9 2 Nathan C5 C8 3 BS Penny D1 D2 0 W Saito C9 D3 1 L Kazmir D3 D3 1 Wakefield D4 D9 1 Weaver,Jer D4 D5 0 H Rivera D6 E2 0 S 4/15/2007, EL07-OL07, Nestle Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2007 All-stars 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 6 7 2 5 0 2007 All-stars 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 x 8 11 1 4 0 Score O Rnr BS Event ----- - --- -- ----- ************** Top of the 1st inning, All-stars batting 0-0 0 --- 30 Wells walked (BBBB) 0-0 0 1-- 01 Wells stole second (1C1>S) 0-0 0 -2- 12 Tejada grounded a single up the middle, Wells scored (1C1>S.FBX) 1-0 0 1-- 21 Hafner homered deep to center, Tejada scored (CBBX) 3-0 0 --- 22 Guerrero flied out to left (BCFBX) 3-0 1 --- 21 Bay grounded out to second (BCBX) 3-0 2 --- 00 McCann grounded out to short (X) ************** Bottom of the 1st inning, All-stars batting 3-0 0 --- 22 Sizemore lined a single to shallow center (SBBFFX) 3-0 0 1-- 20 Jeter grounded out to second, Sizemore to second (1BpB>X) 3-0 1 -2- 01 Sizemore to third, Ortiz to first on an error by the second baseman Polanco (SX) 3-0 1 1-3 10 Rodriguez lined a double to right center, Sizemore scored, Ortiz to third (BX) 3-1 1 -23 10 Ramirez grounded out to second, Ortiz scored, Rodriguez to third (BX) 3-2 2 --3 00 Cano grounded out to third (X) ************** Top of the 2nd inning, All-stars batting 3-2 0 --- 00 Jones,C grounded out to third (X) 3-2 1 --- 11 Polanco grounded out to short (FBX) 3-2 2 --- 12 Lowe grounded out to short (CBCX) ************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, All-stars batting 3-2 0 --- 32 Cuddyer flied out to right (BCBSBX) 3-2 1 --- 31 Johjima lined a single to shallow left (BBBCX) 3-2 1 1-- 01 Webb sacrifice bunted to the catcher, Johjima to second (FbXb) 3-2 2 -2- 12 Sizemore grounded out to second (FSBX) ************** Top of the 3rd inning, All-stars batting 3-2 0 --- 22 Wells struck out (BBCCFC) 3-2 1 --- 12 Tejada grounded out to short (BCSX) 3-2 2 --- 20 Hafner lined out to right (BBX) ************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, All-stars batting Mussina now pitching 3-2 0 --- 10 Jeter lined out to second (BX) 3-2 1 --- 12 Ortiz grounded out to third (CFBX) 3-2 2 --- 32 Rodriguez struck out (BBBCCC) ************** Top of the 4th inning, All-stars batting Carpenter now pitching 3-2 0 --- 21 Guerrero flied out to center (CBBX) 3-2 1 --- 32 Bay walked (BSFBBB) 3-2 1 1-- 11 McCann grounded to short, forcing Bay at second, McCann to first (FBX) Teahen pinch hitting for Jones,C 3-2 2 1-- 00 Teahen flied out to left (X) ************** Bottom of the 4th inning, All-stars batting Teahen moved to third base 3-2 0 --- 00 Ramirez popped out to the catcher (X) 3-2 1 --- 10 Cano grounded out to third (BX) 3-2 2 --- 02 Cuddyer flied out to left (SSX) ************** Top of the 5th inning, All-stars batting 3-2 0 --- 00 Polanco grounded out to third (X) Thome pinch hitting for Mussina 3-2 1 --- 22 Thome flied out to center (BCBFX) 3-2 2 --- 11 Wells grounded a single between first and second (SBX) 3-2 2 1-- 10 Tejada grounded out to second (BX) ************** Bottom of the 5th inning, All-stars batting Arroyo now pitching 3-2 0 --- 11 Johjima popped out to short (CBX) Mauer pinch hitting for Carpenter 3-2 1 --- 10 Mauer grounded out to third (BX) 3-2 2 --- 32 Sizemore flied out to right (CBFBBX) ************** Top of the 6th inning, All-stars batting Haren now pitching 3-2 0 --- 00 Hafner grounded out to first (X) 3-2 1 --- 12 Guerrero popped out to right (CCBFX) 3-2 2 --- 22 Bay grounded out to second (CBCFFFBX) ************** Bottom of the 6th inning, All-stars batting Morneau now playing first base Hernandez now pitching 3-2 0 --- 11 Jeter grounded out to short (CBX) 3-2 1 --- 11 Ortiz grounded out to short (CBX) 3-2 2 --- 00 Rodriguez grounded out to short (X) ************** Top of the 7th inning, All-stars batting Sabathia now pitching 3-2 0 --- 32 McCann walked (BCBBFB) Ramirez pinch hitting for Teahen 3-2 0 1-- 21 Ramirez homered deep to left center, McCann scored (BCBX) 5-2 0 --- 11 Polanco lined out to short (CBX) Hawpe pinch hitting for Hernandez 5-2 1 --- 22 Hawpe to first on an error by the first baseman Ortiz (CBBSX) Penny now pitching Ichiro pinch hitting for Wells 5-2 1 1-- 00 Ichiro grounded out to short, Hawpe to second (X) 5-2 2 -2- 22 Tejada grounded out to short (BBCSX) ************** Bottom of the 7th inning, All-stars batting Ichiro moved to center field Ramirez moved to third base Nathan now pitching Duncan pinch hitting for Ramirez 5-2 0 --- 12 Duncan homered deep to right center (BSSFX) 5-3 0 --- 11 Cano lined a single to shallow left (CBX) Berkman pinch hitting for Cuddyer 5-3 0 1-- 12 Berkman struck out (CBCS) 5-3 1 1-- 02 Johjima homered deep to left, Cano scored (FSX) Saito now pitching Gonzalez pinch hitting for Penny 5-5 1 --- 11 Gonzalez lined a double to right center (FBX) 5-5 1 -2- 32 Sizemore lined a single to shallow center, Gonzalez scored, Sizemore to second on an error by the center fielder Ichiro (CBBSBX) 5-6 1 -2- 21 Saito threw a wild pitch, Sizemore to third (CBBB) 5-6 1 --3 31 Jeter grounded out to second, Sizemore scored (CBBB.X) 5-7 2 --- 11 Ortiz popped out to third (CBX) ************** Top of the 8th inning, All-stars batting Kazmir now pitching Duncan moved to left field Berkman moved to right field Gonzalez moved to first base 5-7 0 --- 10 Morneau lined a single to right (BX) Weaver,Jer now pitching 5-7 0 1-- 10 Guerrero popped out to short (BX) 5-7 1 1-- 00 Bay grounded to short, forcing Morneau at second, Bay to first (X) 5-7 2 1-- 10 Weaver,Jer threw a wild pitch, Bay to second (BB) Rivera now pitching, entered with a 2-0 count on McCann 5-7 2 -2- 31 McCann lined a single to right center, Bay scored (BB.CBX) 6-7 2 1-- 11 Ramirez grounded a single up the middle, McCann to second (BCX) 6-7 2 12- 22 Polanco flied out to left (FCBFBFX) ************** Bottom of the 8th inning, All-stars batting Wakefield now pitching 6-7 0 --- 00 Rodriguez lined a single to right (X) 6-7 0 1-- 12 Duncan lined out to center (>FCBFX) 6-7 1 1-- 01 Cano singled to right center, Rodriguez to third (CX) 6-7 1 1-3 10 Berkman lined a single to shallow center, Rodriguez scored, Cano to second (BX) 6-8 1 12- 01 Johjima flied out to left, Cano to third (SX) 6-8 2 1-3 22 Gonzalez flied out to left (BCBCX) ************** Top of the 9th inning, All-stars batting Hernandez pinch hitting for Wakefield 6-8 0 --- 32 Hernandez lined out to left (BBBCSX) 6-8 1 --- 00 Ichiro grounded out to third (X) 6-8 2 --- 21 Tejada grounded out to short (FBBX)