by ArrylT » Sun May 06, 2007 11:38 am
[b:256e158b9a]AT Press: [i:256e158b9a]'The Naturals' Semi-Finals - Georgia Peaches vs. Hollywood Monacos[/i:256e158b9a][/b:256e158b9a]
There has long been a bitter rivalry between the Monacos & Peaches. The Monacos considered the Peaches to be upstarts (who took over in Season III) who were interefering with their return to dominance. The Peaches considered the Monacos an easy stepping stone to playoff success, and for the most part, had been able to achieve this.
Even when the Monacos would finish ahead of the Peaches, the Monacos were unable to make the playoffs, as was the case in Season VII, when they lost out on a tie-breaker to the Folsom Prison Blues.
Add to this, the fact that the media expected the Peaches to sweep the Monacos easily, based on their 96 win season. However most pundits had forgotten that the Peaches only went 13-11 vs. the Monacos, and that Hollywood had had the upper hand for much of the latter half of the season.
Needless to say - the first game was a tense filled pitchers duel between Cicotte & the 21 game winning Taylor. Both pitchers showed their mettle, with Taylor facing the likes of Banks, Aaron & Stargell, while Cicotte stared down the Peaches Triple M threat of Mantle, Maris & Musial.
There was even a near brawl, between the two teams, after the Monacos jeered when Mantle injured himself running out a routine fly ball. In the end though, it came down to 1 bad pitch, thrown by Taylor, to give the Monacos a 1-0 victory, off of Hammerin' Hanks Solo shot.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg3/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=5202&g_id=973]Monacos 1 Peaches 0[/url]
The Peaches were still confident of their success over the Monacos going into game 2. However perhaps they were too over-confident, especially without the threat of Mantle. The Monacos pitching staff continued their dominant ways, with Babe Adams pitching a very solid complete game.
In fact, the Peaches were completely shut out at home, failing to score a single run in either game. Hollywood was definitely sending Georgia a message about who was top dog. Christy Mathewson did his best to keep the Peaches in the game, but in the 6th ole Hammerin' Hank saw a pitch he liked, and nailed it out of the park, to drive in himself and Mattingly!!
That was all the runs the Monacos would need, although an insurance run driven in by Babe Adams certainly did not hurt, as they closed out the 2 games in Georgia with 2 consective victories.
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg3/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=5202&g_id=975]Hollywood 3 Georgia 0[/url]
You knew being shutout in their own park must have really stung the Peaches, and Yankee '86 was familiar enough to Yankee '78, that the Peaches almost felt right at home.
At least one team did. After their dominant pitching in the first 2 games, big things were expected of Willis, and talks of sweeps filled the air in Hollywood. However Georgia bats soon washed away that nonsence.
Willis did not even get a single out in the 1st. It was single, single, HR, single HR and replace pitcher. Ted Wilks helped Hollywood escape that inning without further damage, but the tone was set.
Hollywood, remarkably enough, and showing how determined they were to knock off their hated rivals, rallied back with 3 runs, including a 2 run blast by Banks. However the Monacos pitching, as strong as it was, was not designed for relievers to pitch whole games, and Gossage, used to being a closer, was called upon in middle relief.
The Hummers stung twice more 2 more runs, and held off late Monaco rallies to seal a game three victory.
[url=http://forums.sportingnews.com/posting.php?mode=reply&t=150866]Georgia 7 Hollywood 5[/url]
In Game IV, when the Hummers looked to repeat their Game III succes, with a single, sac bunt & a single to score the opening run, somehow the Monacos were able to calm down their rattled starter, and Killian survived the deep threat of Maris and the ever dangerous Musial.
Then the Monacos put on a hitting clinic of their own! With 2 outs, and Mattingly & Banks on base, the Monacos smacked 4 consecutive singles!! That drove in 4 straight runs, and the Hummers never recovered.
Although they would tally another run, off of a L. Hernandez solo shot, the Hummers could not truly solve Killian, and Gossage, despite his 5 inning effort in Game III, still had enough in the tank to face the weak threat of Sundberg, Mitchell & Critz ... Hollywood was going to the Finals and they did it off of their rivals!!
[url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg3/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=5202&g_id=979]Hollywood 4 Georgia 2[/url]