September 10th, 2004
Round 1, Game 3
Peoria at Kane County
E-Ryan, Patrick, LOB-Chiefs-4, Cougars-7, RLISP-Chiefs-2, Cougars-4, 2B-Dryer, Appert, HR-Mather (Braden), RBI-Mather 2, Appert 2, Putnam, SB-Barton, DP-Hoffpauir (Braden)(5-3), Sherman (Braden)(4-6-3)
Chiefs
| Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Decison |
WP |
BK |
HB |
AB |
BF |
GB |
FB |
NP |
S |
| Stuart Pomeranz |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
L (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
28 |
30 |
7 |
6 |
103 |
72 |
| Mike Doyne |
0.2+2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
ND |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
23 |
15 |
| Mark Worrell |
0.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
SO-Monegan 2, Barton 2, Dryer 2, Patrick, Davis 2, Mather, Ingram, Rogers 3, Spanos 3, Harriman, Wayment, BB-Appert, Putnam, Kim
In a good duel of starting pitchers, the Cougars Dallas Braden out duelled Stuart Pomeranz to help the Cougars to live for another two games. The Cougars would basically win the game due to the bases loaded walk in the fifth inning which was the diffrence in the game.
Kory Wayment led off with a single to left. Brian Ingram then reached on a fielder's choice, with Wayment out at second. One out later, Luke Appert walked. Vasili Spanos would reach on an infield single to short to load the bases. Four straight balls to Dan Putnam brought home Ingram to give the Cougars the lead.
Peoria's starter omeranz looked almost unhittable for a time. He had a no hitter going into the third with two outs, then the Cougars would score two runs. Nick Rogers singled to right. Luke Appert then hit a liner off the center field wall to score both Wayment who had reached on an error earlier in the inning, and Rogers.
That would basically be all the offense for the Cougars, even though the could've added on in the eighth. With two outs, David Castillo singled to left. Two wild pitches got him to third. Eddie Kim then walked. The Chiefs would made a pitching change. David Harriman would reach on a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The Chiefs would have a few more chances to score but couldnt get anything done. In the first with two outs, two singles, then a grounder back to the pitcher. In the second a one out single, then a inning ending double play. The fourth saw another double play. In the sixth a one out single would be all they would get.
In the fifth inning the Chiefs did score two runs. With two outs, Steve Sherman singled to center. Joe Mather then hit one ontot he deck in left field.
Braden went seven very strong innings, he looked overpowering at times. He struck out seven and did not walk anyone. Dan Fyvie came in and got the one hitter he faced on strikes. Jason Windsor retired the side int he ninth to earn the save.
The big hit in the game was the Appert double in the third inning. The best defense was Spanos, he played very well at third making some nice plays.
Peoria Journal Star
September 11th, 2004
Ryan Ori
Kane County pitchers trashed a high octane Peoria Chiefs offense in the first round of the Midwest League playoffs.
Left handed starter Dallas Braden continued giving the Chiefs a steady diet of off speed "junk" pitches on the way to a 3-2 victory Friday at Elfstrom Stadium.
Kane County kept the Chiefs off stride to win the final two games of the best of 3 series.
The Cougars advanced to play Clinton in the Western Division finals the next three days, starting today in Iowa.
"They were an offense that I feared," Kane County manager Dave Joppie said. "We quieted their lumber, We're pretty fortunate to be able to do that with their offense."
Peoria, which led the league in batting average and runs, was held to six runs against the team with the best regular season record.
"We're a swinging team, and they threw pitched that we swung at under the zone," said Chiefs No 3 hitter Daric Barton, who was 2 for 4. "The pitchers did a great job of keeping the ball down, That's probably the strength of their pitching. Their whole staff was great."
Braden making just his sixth start with the Cougars, mostly used a changeup and scewball, mixed with the occasional fastball and curve, to keep the aggressive guests in front of the ball.
The kept the game tight as both teams searched for a break to emerge from the hard fought series.
The Cougars found their break in the bottom of the fifth.
Chiefs starter Stuart Pmeranz got KC's Vasili Spanos to break his bat with two outs. But the slow roller took a bad hop and bounced off the shoulder of Chiefs third baseman Chris Patrick. The play, ruled a single, loaded the bases.
"I don't think it hit anything," Patrick said, "it just took an unfortunate bounce. It happened at the wrong time and we were unable to overcome it."
"That's what baseball is, It's a crazy game, The call it a game of inches, and that's what it was right there."
Pomeranz then walked Dan Putnam on four pitches to bring home what turned out to be the winning run.
"Joppie's been stressing to us that in a three game series it's a broken bat single that can make or break a series." Braden said. "We all felt like that was the break. We all took a sigh and said, ' Ok, here we go."
One of Braden's few mistakes was a fifth inning fastball over the middle that Peoria No 9 hitter Joe Mather crushed over the scoreboard beyond the wall in left center to tie the game at 2.
"I thought we could break out after that," Mather said "We probably tried to force too much since it was the playoffs."
"I don't know if they noticed we were doing that. They had a game plan, they followed it and it worked out."
Peoria starter Stuart Pomeranz hadn't allowed a hit untill Nick Rogers' two out single through the right side put runners on first and second, following an error on Patrick.
Luke Appert then doubled over the head of center fielder Anthony Monegan for a 2-0 Cougars lead. The key hit came on an 0-2 pitch, much to the dismay of Chiefs manager Joe Cunningam and pitching coach Bryan Eversgerd.
"You can't afford to make mistakes when i't on the line." Cunningham said. "That's what we did. We made mistakes."
After Mather's two run blast the Chiefs managed just two baserunners over the final 4.2 innings. Following Braden's seven strong innings, a trop of Cougars reliever pitched two scoreless frames to close out the series.
"We didn't stick with our game plan," Cunningham, said, "We had an approach to face this guy, to stay back and hit the ball to right field, knowing he's not going to thro the ball by you, and we didn't stick with it."