Spokane, WA (AP) - The Vero Beach Bums (91-62) opened up a 5.5 game lead
over the Binghamton Mets (86-68) with two wins over the Paladins here
Thursday and Friday. With nine games left for the Bums and eight games
left for the Mets, it would take a near-miracle for Binghamton to catch
up. Vero Beach's magic number is down to 4: A combination of 4 Vero
Beach wins and Binghamton losses would clinch the Picard Division pennant
for the Bums. With 3 Vero Beach wins and/or Binghamton losses, Vero Beach
clinches at least a tie.
Binghamton lost their last two games in Spokane and dropped the first of
six important games to Chicago to lose three in a row. Despite being
agonizingly close to the top of the Picard Division for most of the year,
Binghamton now in fact trails the South Siders in what is now a three-way
DL wild card race:
W L GB
Chicago 87 67 --
Binghamton 86 68 1.0
Springfield 86 68 1.0
The Bums are heading in the other direction. They have won four crucial
games in a row, with two wins in Duluth and a pair of wins to open the
series in Spokane. The Bums' remaining opponents in the regular season
are fourth- and last-place Spokane and Sacramento.
The Bums did this without their #1 starter, Kevin Ritz, who went down with
a ruptured tendon in his bicep earlier this week. Ritz did not travel
with the team to Spokane, returning instead to Vero Beach. Team doctors
confirmed that he will be undergoing surgery on Monday at Indian River
County Hospital and will be out of action for up to 6 months.
"This [the loss of Ritz] is another of many huge losses we've suffered
this year," said Vero Beach CEO J. Lee Gohlke. "As usual, just when we get
a couple of guys back, we lose a few more to injury. I can't overstate
Kevin's contribution to this team, both on the mound and in the clubhouse,
and we're going to miss him terribly, especially if we make the playoffs."
Ritz had compiled a 14-5 record with a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts. He had
allowed just 140 hits in 165-plus innings and struck out 109, but led the
team in walks allowed with 89. "It hurts when a teammate goes down with
injury," said CF Marquis Grissom, "and we've lost quite a few this year."
Garner's rotation for the remainder of the season will likely include
Albie Lopez, Ismael Valdes, Willie Adams, Kurt Hardie, and journeyman
veteran Bill Goldsmith. The Bums have not announced a playoff rotation.
Ritz, however, certainly would have figured into that equation before the
injury. Garner indicated he would probably rest some starting players now
that the division title looks to be within reach.
Vero Beach team doctors also reported that Rex Hudler, Bums all-star
second baseman, bruised his thumb in yesterday's game in Spokane. He
joins Billy Wagner and Tom Pagnozzi as Bums with minor but nagging
injuries. Wagner (6-1, 3.13 ERA) injured his arm within the last week,
and his place in the rotation is uncertain. He has pitched extremely well
in filling in for injured Bums starters. Pagnozzi's heel is still
bruised, as it has been for at least 4 months. "I think it's the whole
'wearing shoes' bit that's kept it from healing," said Pagnozzi. "I
refused to let J. Lee put me on the DL, because I wanted to contribute to
the team. Phil [Garner, Bums manager] didn't let me play though, and here
I am still hurting despite sitting on the bench for a while. I guess maybe
my decision backfired."
It is a testament to Garner's managing ability and Gohlke's off-the-field
prowess that the Bums are likely to sew up the Picard crown. Despite the
loss of their star first baseman, Jeff King, after just 73 games, and
injuries throughout the season to their starting lineup, including Omar
Vizquel, Brian Jordan, and Ron Gant, as well as key pitchers such as
Barney Berres and Dave Weathers, the Bums have overcome this adversity and
thus far have held off a formidable foe in Binghamton. "You gotta have
heart," stated Gohlke. "All you really need is heart." And heart the
Bums have.
In the two games against Spokane, the Bums handled them 12-3 and 8-4.
Albie Lopez (13-9, 3.17 ERA) picked up his 13th win of the season in the
opener. Lopez struck out 9 batters in just 5 innings but gave up 3 runs
on a first-inning wallop by Mark McGwire, his PVBL-leading 55th home run
of the season. Dante Bichette had the Paladins' only other extra-base
hit, a double that just preceded McGwire's homer.
Six Bums contributed with extra base hits, including Hudler, Jordan, and
Carr with home runs. Rex Hudler and Dave Hollins had 3 RBI a piece.
Marquis Grissom reached base 5 times in 6 plate appearances, including 3
walks. Omar Vizquel also walked twice, singled twice, and doubled,
scoring four times in the game.
Vero Beach's 8-4 win in the second game was a come-from-behind effort.
Four Bums hit home runs, including platooning first baseman Joseph
Idstein.
Idstein led off the top of the ninth with the Bums trailing 4-3. The
rookie shortstop, who has played mostly first base for the Bums, tied up
the game with his first PVBL home run. Omar Vizquel then walked, but was
caught attempting to steal second base. Rex Hudler then reached base on
his first hit of the game. Spokane closer Alan Mills, who has a shocking
9.99 ERA in 37 appearances, intentionally walked right-handed Marquis
Grissom to get to switch-hitting Dave Hollins. Mills then accidentally
walked the bases full for Ron Gant, who hit his 25th homer and second
grand slam of the year, winning the game in dramatic fashion.
Ismael Valdes (11-9, 3.84 ERA) was credited with the win, going
8 innings and giving up all four runs. Despite a shaky fourth inning, in
which Valdes gave up three runs, he settled down to get the win. After
the Bums' five-run ninth, Barney Berres pitched a perfect inning but was
not eligible to get a save.
In today's game, Tim Wakefield (3-13, 12.20 ERA) will start for the
desperately-in-need-of-pitching Paladins and will face young Bum Willie
Adams (7-8, 4.52 ERA). Tomorrow, lefty Al Leiter (12-15, 6.29 ERA) takes
the mound for Spokane in the fourth game of the series against Vero's
Kurt Hardie (8-6, 3.69 ERA).
Vero Beach Spreads Out Run Production
Despite Vero Beach's relatively prolific run-scoring this season (about
5.6 runs/game, good for 6th in the DL), no one Bum has 100 RBIs yet with
only 9 games remaining. Dave Hollins and Ron Gant, hitters number 4 and
5, are sure to reach the 100-RBI plateau within a matter of days -- each
has 99 RBI so far. Rex Hudler, batting number 2 for most of the year, is
closest behind with 83 RBI. "Which of us will get there first? I don't
know," laughed Hollins. "I figure Ron and I will both get there in the
next game."
A total of six Bums have 72 or more RBIs -- the top six in the batting
order, in fact -- and eight have 64 or more. "I don't see this as a bad
thing," said manager Garner. "It just means we can produce runs all the
way down the lineup. Plus we lost our true cleanup hitter early on [Jeff
King], and we've been experimenting with different guys in that slot ever
since."
