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Sluggers Game Summary
SHRINERS
Aug. 21
Sluggers Outlast Shriners 14-11 to Lock Up Second Place
Sweep of four-game home stand earns Green and White first playoff berth and home field advantage.
After an embarrassing 15-7 beating at the hands of the Shriners Hospital Fez on June 26th, the Sluggers answered with authority. The two teams began the day tied for second place--and with good reason. You can tell that they are evenly matched. Each team took the field knowing that theyâre identical 5-3-3 records would not survive this seven-inning gauntlet. It was truly a seesaw battle, but the Slugger offense and defense kept pace and then some with the Shriners Fez.
Though the Green and White are the odds-on favorite to go all the way in the post-season, any team can get hot in a short series. Skeptics take note: His microscopic ERA of 4.52 notwithstanding, starting pitcher Brian ãWightman Canât Jumpä showed signs of fatigue in the late innings yesterday. Could three straight complete games finally be taking their toll on the overpowering righty? Rumors of a rotator cuff injury are circling throughout the league. This reporter staked out the UMass Medical Center in Worcester to see if Wightmanâs vehicle could be spotted pulling up to the facility, but to no avail.
Offensive Player of the Game
Dan ãDingerä Landesman earned Offensive Player of the Game honors by going 2 for 3 with a double, a home run, and three RBI.
Defensive Player of the Game
Robert ãStretchä Orleman played an excellent first base as usual Tuesday night, but proved that heâs even more than just a corner infielder when he notched his first save. This earned him his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Game award.
In Other Defensive Highlights·
Defensive flair started early in this one. In the first inning, Aaron ãPenguinä Mathieu threw a bullet to catcher Matt ãIn Theä Hunt to erase a runner at the plate. Tony ãSkipä Vinciguerra made a nice running basket catch behind second base to end the fifth inning with the bases loaded. And not to be outdone by his coach, Will ãThe Naturalä Jamieson made a beautiful sliding catch in shallow left field in the sixth.
Player of the Week
As stated in a previous column, three things go into Player of the Week voting: hustle, production, and most importantly, one defining play that sets the tone for the game.
Matt ãIn Theä Hunt did not show hustle. In fact, he was fined $500 for lollygagging around the bases during his home run. However, while playing catcher his tagging of a runner at the plate and his two-RBI triple in the third inning both turned the game in the favor of the Green and White. These two defining plays, combined with him going a single shy of the cycle and having five RBI, made him an easy pick for PoTW.
Usually, players are a triple shy of the cycle. But not this week. Matt ãIn Theä Hunt was in the hunt to be the first Slugger to hit for the cycle, but it wasnât to be. He did not get enough plate appearances to get above a single shy of the cycle.
See Huntâs Player of the Week stats here.
A Lot More Firsts
- Robert Orleman recorded the first save in franchise history.
- This win extends their winning streak to four games--the longest in team history.
- With this win, the Sluggers are now guaranteed to finish in second place.
- The Sluggers went from 2-3 to 6-3 with this four-game winning streak, leap-frogging them from fifth to second place in just four weeks.
- Their 6-3-3 record is the best in franchise history.
- Their .666 wining percentage is a club record.
- Simply put, they are on fire.
The Seasonâs Best
As we close the books on the final game of the Sluggers season we have some awards to hand out. (Please note that there is a 7-game minimum for batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.):
- The ãBrownest Noseä Most Games Played Award goes to Will ãThe Naturalä Jamieson, who was the only Slugger to make all 10 games.
- The ãSweet Home Esplanadaä Most Runs Scored Award goes to Dan ãDingerä Landesman, who almost averaged two runs a game crossing the plate 17 times in nine games.
- The ãDo You Hear Me Knocking?ä Most Hits Award was eked out by Jamieson had 24 hits in 10 games.
- The ãTake Me Home Tonightä Most Runs Batted In Award was locked up by Landesman, who knocked in 23 in nine games.
- The ãIt Takes Twoä Most Doubles Award was just barely taken by Jamieson, who had eight two-baggers in 10 games.
- We have a two-way tie for The ãThree Is the Magic Numberä Most Triples Award. Landesman and George ãThe Hit Manä Hart each had three triples on the year. It should be noted that George had all three of his in one game.
- The ãIf I Had a Hammerä Most Home Runs Award goes to Jamieson, who smacked seven in 10 games.
- It is no surprise then that The ãThere's a New Kid in Townä Rookie of the Year Award goes to Jamieson.
- The ãWorth All the Painä Most Valuable Player Award goes to Landesman, who battled age and injury to become this yearâs MVP.
- The ãA Nickel's Worth Of Jiveä Award goes to Noah ãN$ä Cushing, who is the only fluent Jive speaker on the team.
- The ãThese Cleats Were Made for Walkingä Most Walks Award goes to Tony ãSkipä Vinciguerra, the lead-off hitter who had four bases on balls in eight games.
- The ãDo You Come Here Often?ä Highest On-Base Percentage Award goes to Mathieu, who reached base 78.9 percent of the time.
- The ãHit Me With Your Best Shotä Highest Slugging Percentage Award goes to Landesman, who had a 1.677 slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats).
- The ãPeskier Than a Telemarketerä Highest Batting Average Award goes to Aaron ãPenguinä Mathieu, who batted an ungodly .765 (hits divided by at-bats). Thatâs almost an average of eight hits for every 10 at-bats. He finished the year with 13 hits in 17 at-bats.
- The ãSilver Slingerä Winningest Pitcher Award goes to Brian ãWightman Canât Jump,ä who posted a 4-0 record.
- The ãRoof Is On Fire/Fireman of the Yearä Most Saves Award goes to Robert ãStretchä Orleman, who notched the first save in franchise history on Tuesday.
- The ãMonty Burns-esque Stingiest Pitcherä Lowest Earned Run Average goes to Orleman, who had a simply uncanny 3.66 ERA in four appearances.
Next Game
The Sluggers don't get to savor their four-game winning streak (their longest in team history) for long. They host Shriners Hospital in the first round of the playoffs Tuesday, August 28th, at 5:30 on Field 2 of the Esplanade. All fans receive a free beer at the Red Hat after the game.
Batting Summary
| Linescore | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | | R | H | E | | Shriners |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 | 1 | |
11 |
17 |
3 | | Sluggers |
2 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
2 | x | |
14 |
21 |
3 |
Pitching Summary
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Sluggers
