MONTREAL (CP)--How many games have the Motor City Madmen won in a row?
(This is not a rhetorical question... it seems like the Madmen have had a
10-game win streak for a LONG time.) All we know is their streak hasn't
stopped yet--they won last night's game which completed a 3-game sweep at
Jackie Robinson Stadium.
After the sweep, the Montreal Royals are 8 games under .500. But the
Edmonton Oil Kings remain only 5 games ahead of the Royals (and 1 game
ahead of the Outlaws) as their losing woes continue.
"It's frustrating when we don't capitalize on an opportunity like that,"
says catcher Darrin Fletcher, speaking of Edmonton's string of losses. "If
we don't make it to the playoffs this season, we'll see it was August that
was the turning point."
"We can't wait for Randy to get back," says pitcher Pete Harnisch. "By
then, it will be too late. We have to start winning now... or never."
Royals This Week
* Rusty Greer, since coming back from his injury in August, has been
hitting as well as he's ever been. He is currently batting .307, and has
passed Bobby Bonilla for the team lead in runs.
* With Darrin Fletcher on the disabled list, Art Maupin has taken over as
the everyday catcher. So far, he's taken the pressure pretty well. He is
currently batting .259 with 5 home runs. "My real worry isn't offense,
really," he says. "Catching for Randy. Giving up a passed ball can cost us
a game."
* Pete Harnisch was exausted after pitching two games in a row. Especially
since he lost both of them. "I pitched real well in one and real bad in the
other," says Harnisch. "Unfortunately, the team wasn't batting well when I
was pitching well. It's doubly frustrating, but I won't let that affect my
next start." What about pitching two games in a row? "I'm replacing
Clemens, so I know I have big shoes to fill. I'm going to do whatever they
need me to do."
* Manager Gary Carter on the team's batting: "Really every player is coming
through, including our role leaders, Tim Raines and Phillips. The only
problem is we are having trouble putting everything together right now.
That's why we're not winning." The Royals are batting .261, a season high.
* Edmonton lays claim to the coldest baseball games, but it is no longer
the northernmost team in the PVBL. The Anchorage Abominations have recently
moved from Cincinatti, and hopefully next year, their name won't be
representative of the team's performance.
