OEL Championship Series: Seattle Wins Game One in a Classic!

Dateline: Seattle

Seattle has taken a one game to none lead in the 2002 OEL Championship Series tonight, beating rival Brooklyn in dramatic fashion, 9-8!

The game began well for Brooklyn as they put up 4 runs in the top of the first inning of Seattle starter Billy Lowry. Lowry, who lasted only 3.2 innings tonight, gave up six runs on five hits and 2 walks while striking out five. In the bottom of the first Seattle plated no runs on one hit and things got exciting for the Brooklyn fans.

Seattle began their comeback in the bottom of the second racking up a run with a solo home run by catcher Herman Colon. After Seattle scored again in the third Brooklyn came back with two runs leaving the score, Brooklyn 6, Seattle 2 after the top of the fourth. Seattle starter Lowry was replaced in the top of the fourth after surrendering the extra runs.

Things looked even tougher for Seattle after the fifth as Brooklyn put up two more runs and Seattle only answered with one. As the game became official after five innings the game stood Brooklyn 8, Seattle 3 and faces were getting long in the town with the rain!

But all was not lost. That eight runs was all Brooklyn was destined to plate today and Seattle refused to go down without making their best effort in the last innings. After scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth Seattle scored another in the 7th off an error by the Brooklyn centerfielder and tied it in the bottom of the 8th as shortstop Covas came home on a fielder’s choice!

Locked up going into the top of the ninth reliever Wesley Savage came in to pitch for Seattle and promptly gave up a single to right by pinch hitter Francis York. But the opening single was never capitalized as the next three Brooklyn batter went down easily with a fly ball to center, a fly ball to right, and a grounder to third.

The game ended dramatically in the bottom of the ninth. After first baseman Zaragoza struck out swinging left fielder Ronald Veit, who’d hit thirty-three home runs this season, added another to the tally and hit a 394 foot solo home run to deep left field winning the game for Seattle and putting them up in the series!

Readers, the two teams used nine pitchers tonight and that can surely have an impact on tomorrow’s game. Only time will tell how large that impact will be. Tune in here for more tense, nail-biting action tomorrow from Seattle!