MONTREAL (AP)--If the Montreal Royals win tonight in the season opener against the New Diggens, their record will be an even .500 for the first time this year. To improve to .500, the Royals will have to extend their season-high winning streak to 5 games. And thanks to a sweep of the Tucson Border Patrol, the Royals are 21-12 against non-divisional opponents, and the Border Patrol have slipped into a tie for first place with the Motor City Madmen. Tucson has lost its last 3, while Motor City is on a 7-game winning streak.
"We have shown throughout this season that we are a better-than-.500 team," said Carter in the regular interview session after the game. "We just have to prove it."
The Montreal Royals were consistently outhit in the 3-game series, but they managed to provide just enough offense to win. In Thursday's game, Tony Phillips pinch hit for the pitcher to lead off the seventh inning and ended up scoring the winning run. In last night's game, all 4 runs were produced by home runs. Hal Morris, Darrin Fletcher each had solo home runs, and Mike Lansing drove in 2 runs on his drive. And converted starter Luis Andujar even outdueled 11-win rookie Jaret Wright to win the third game.
"We always knew we had great pitching and a good offensive lineup," said second baseman Mike Lansing. "Before we were playing competitive baseball, but now we're playing to win."
A total of 102,190 fans showed up for the 3-game series, the largest total attendance for a 3-game series in Royals' history. Two of the games were sold out.
Hetrick--Royals' MVP?
Here's a name you don't hear about much: Joe Hetrick. But if there was an award for the most valuable player on the Montreal Royals, it would most probably go to this player. After all, he is far and away leading the entire PVBL in holds. The righthanded reliever has 20, the next closest reliever, Jack Broskie, has 15. Not only that, but in his first season in the big leagues, he's 6-1 with a 1.73 ERA.
"We haven't moved [Joe Hetrick] this season since giving him a middle spot in the bullpen," says pitching coach Tim Burke. "If I said he's been doing great since day one, it would be an insult to him. He has started off great, and has improved every day since then."
"There's no secret to his success. He just works hard and uses his stuff to his full advantage. He makes mistakes--he's human, after all--but why I think he's one of the best relievers in the league, is because he can work around mistakes like no one else."
"He and [Edmonton closer] Mark Wholers, from what I've seen, have been the most consistent relievers all season."
