2005 PMS at Northwest Regional Park
Week 19:  August 7, 2005

Playoffs Round 1

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:
Havana Club Cannons (#1) 15 (WP-Tom Paulshock)  Hounds (#8) 6  (LP-Alex Newman)

The Cannons started their postseason title defense against The Hounds. 8 runs in the first two innings paced the way to a 15-6 victory. The offense was led by Mike Steller's 4th homerun of the year, a grandslam in the bottom of the 4th inning. Steller earlier in the second inning missed a homerun by a foot hitting the top of the fence in LCF. Every Cannons hitter reached base, and all but 1 scored a run.

Hitting stars for the Cannons:

Steve Hayes 2-4, 3 runs scored and 1 rbi
Chris Fiora 3-3, BB, 3 rbis and 2 runs scored
Mike Steller 3-4, Grandslam 4 rbis, 2 runs scored


Northwest Regional Park Field 2:
Eastern Savings Bank (#2) 12 (WP-Ted Winner) Northwest Corridor (#7) 0  (LP-Howard Goldberg)  5 Innings

Eastern Savings Bank handled NWC rather easily in the opening round scoring in every inning of the game. Lack of heart and fundamental defense from NWC opened the door for ESB to score 4 in the 1st, 1 in the 2nd, 5 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th inning to seal the deal. Ted Winner allowed just 4 hits and 1 BB as The game finished with very little highlights from either squad.
 

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:
Kings (#3) 9 (WP-Chuck Grant 14-6)  NEK Entertainment (#6) 3 (LP-David Pridgen ) 

The Kings showed great patience at the plate against NEK starter David Pridgen. The Kings had just 7 hits, but coaxed 9 walks in winning the opener 9-3. Kenny Salzman (0-0,2 R,1 RBI,4 W) and Dan Frignito (0-1,2 R,2 W) drew walks in b-1st and both scored on Chuck Grant's (2-3,2 RBI,2B) 2 out 2 RBI double giving Kings 2-0 lead. In t-2nd for NEK, Marqui Garrett (1-3,1 R) singled to lead off inning and scored on Jason Gardener's (1-3,1 R,2 RBI,HR) towering HR to LCF, knotting score 2-2. Kings re-took lead for good in bottom of the inning, with runs coming across on bases loaded walks to Salzman and Dave Sandler, and 2 RBI single by Shilo Merwitz. Mike Herr's (2-2,1 R,1 RBI) check-swing single to RF scored Troy Hendricks in b-4th to give Kings 7-2 lead. NEK got 1 run back in t-5th on singles by Fred Brown (2-3,1 R) and Eugene Mattison (RBI)(1-2,1 RBI). Kings added single run in b-5th on deep SF to LCF by Keegan Rettaliata in which Dan Frignito tagged up from second base. Mike Frignito singled home Scott Katzen in b-6th giving Kings 9-3 lead and winning score.

Northwest Regional Park Field 4:
Sky & Sky Inc. (#5) 9  Quzino's Owings Mills (#4) 7 (LP-Lane Gordon ) 

In the #4 vs. 5 match-up, Quizno's came out firing using 7 hits and some poor outfield decisions to jump out in front by 6. Sky & Sky began a mild comeback as Paul Hayes singled home a run. Then they came to life in the t-3rd as Scott Felton delivered a 2-run double and Brian Sky tripled home 2 more. Eight hits and 7 runs later it was again a close contest. Both pitchers took control from then on. Jeff Harris gave up a only one more run, inducing many pop-ups, while Larry Newman shut the door on Quizno's offense. Final score of 9-7, Newman over Harris. Scott Felton went 2-3(2B,3B,BB), Brian Sky & Todd Tennenbaum each went 2-4(3B,1B) and Tennenbaum scored 3 times, while Paul Hayes had three hits.

Playoffs Round 2

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:
Sky & Sky Inc. (#5) 5  Havana Club Cannons (#1) 2 (LP-Mark Yokel) 

Game 2 saw The Cannons welcome the visiting #5 seed Sky & Sky in a defensive struggle. The usually solid Mark Yokel allowed 3 runs in the t-1st inning on 5 hits--without yielding a well hit ball. Mike Stellar helped The Cannons answer, doubling home Jeff Kurland in the b-1st. The Cannons cut the lead in half in the b-2nd as Yokel singled home Charkatz on a close play at the plate. In the t-3rd Scott Felton helped to manufacture a run with his single. Donny Weinapple doubled to bring him home with a ball which skipped past the catcher. Another insurance run in the t-7th allowed Sky & Sky to win the nightcap 5-2. Of note was Todd Tennenbaum 3-4(3B,2 1B).

Game 2 was a defensive battle between two power hitting teams. Larry Newman fielded 4 come-backers at the mound, one ricochet off his leg to the third baseman who turned a 1-5-4-3 double play.  Another line shot by Evan Kreitzer went right into Newman's glove, and two others turned into infield hits. The defensive struggle ended in a 5-2 Sky victory, as the Cannons bats were ineffective all game at stringing key hits together in the same inning.

Hitting Stars for the Cannons:
Mike Steller 2-3
Evan Kreitzer 2-3

Northwest Regional Park Field 2:
Kings (#3) 5 (WP-Chuck Grant 15-6)  Eastern Savings Bank (#2) 2 (LP-Ted Winner)

ESB's Ted Winner dueled against Chuck Grant in the nightcap with Grant and the Kings coming out ahead 5-2. Grant allowed just 4 hits, while Winner yielded just 8. Kings again took advantage of 1st inning walks, this game to Dave Sandler and Shilo Merwitz, both of whom scored on RBI singles by Chuck Grant and Keegan Rettaliata. Kings rallied in t-2nd on 1 out consecutive singles by Jan Katzen, Scott Katzen, and an RBI single by Troy Hendricks. Kenny Salzman followed with a walk to load the bases, but the Kings were not able to score further, blowing a golden opportunity to build a bigger lead against the usually offensively potent ESB squad. In t-3rd, Dan Frignito singled to start inning and 2 outs later Alan Varhaftik hit a 2 run inside-the-park HR down the RF line, giving Kings 5-0 lead. Grant was sailing along on the mound for the Kings, holding ESB without a base-hit from innings 2-5. He was also getting great defensive support by 1B Dave Sandler, 2B Mike Frignito, SS Shilo Merwitz, and 3B Jan Katzen. ESB's Aaron Shifrin singled to lead off the b-6th. Mark Rothermill followed Shifrin reaching on the Kings only error in the game. A sacrifice fly by Sam Luxenberg and RBI pinch-hit single by Gabe Silber were all the runs ESB could score.

Kings Playoff Notes:

• Chuck Grant won his 6th consecutive start, improving his season mark to 15-6. The 15 wins are a career high.
• Kenny Salzman drew 5 walks in the double-header, giving him the Kings single season record of 19. He passed the former record of 16 held by Steve Levy (1990), Joel Gordon (1991), and Ken Zalis (1997). Salzman, with 90 career base-on-balls, has now walked in front of Steve Levy (87) into 3rd place on the Kings all-time list. He trails Joel Gordon (112) and Mike Herr (100).
• Alan Varhaftik in 343 Kings games now has 999 official at-bats, not including 69 walks and 46 sacrifice flies (all-time Kings leader for SF's).
• Dave Sandler appeared in his 35th Kings playoff game, but first since the 1998 Finals.
• The Katzen brothers (Scott, Jan) and Frignito brothers (Dan, Mike) became the first brothers to participate in a Kings playoff game. Scott and Mike were making their playoff debuts.

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:
Northwest Corridor (#7) 11 (WP-Howard Goldberg)  NEK Entertainment (#6) 1 (LP-David Pridgen ) 

Both teams looked tired and beat up from their game 1 losses. NWC was the first to wake back up plating 2 runs in the top of first. David Stein jacked a 2run homer to left center giving the NWC an early lead. That ended up being all the NWC would need as the NEK bats were silenced all day by Howard Goldberg. The game would remain close until the top of the 4th inn when NWC scored 6 runs to take a commanding lead. Scott Landsman drove in 2 runs on a bloop/roll triple down the right field line. David Stein continued his hot hitting by driving in 2 of his own with a long double. Aaron Birenbaum and Lee Pollak also contributed with rbi singles. NWC would add 1 more in 5th from a Scott Landsman sac fly and 2 more in the 6th from a Scott Sweren double. NEK was a worthy opponent but couldn't figure out Goldberg on this day. He had his usual stuff but was a little wild walking 6 NEK batters but allowing only 3 hits. This was the first Playoff win in NWC history.

Northwest Regional Park Field 4:
Quzino's Owings Mills (#4) 9 (WP-Jeff Harris)  Hounds (#8) 3