Nigel Prime, Sea Dogs Take 2-0 lead October 16, 1998
(AP) WASHINGTON--Dripping with sweat, almost keeled over with exhaustion,
Nigel Fernandez leaped out of the dugout with all the rest of the Sea
Dogs to greet Lance Johnson, who hit the game winning homer.
"I knew I couldn't go another inning," Fernandez said. "I'm astonished
that I was able to go as long as I did tonight."
Lance Johnson was the story tonight, hitting two homers, including the
10th-inning game-ender that gave the Sea Dogs a 5-4 victory and a 2-0 lead
in the DLCS.
But Nigel Fernandez was the story behind the story, pitching five
scoreless innings in his longest outing of the year. And, to the Sea
Dogs, it couldn't have come at a better time.
"Nigel matched Ismael Valdes (the Bums's starter) pitch for pitch,"
Washington manager Aaron Weiner said. "He was mowing them down with such
efficiency that I couldn't pull him." Fernandez, who allowed four hits
and struck out two, needed only 47 pitches to record his first victory of
the playoffs.
It was a tough road for the Sea Dogs tonight. Chad Ogea, somewhat of a
surprise starter, only managed five innings, giving up seven hits and four
runs and putting the Sea Dogs in a 4-2 hole.
"It was important that we never lost heart," said Harold Baines, whose
first-inning two-run homer were the only Sea Dog runs to that point. "We
were able to keep it together."
Lance Johnson hit the first of his homers in the bottom of the fifth
inning to shorten the lead to 4-3. Then, in the seventh inning, the Bums
miscues which cost them game 1 hurt them once again.
Shortstop Omar Vizquel fielded a hard grounder that he threw home to try
and catch Ernie Young streaking to the plate. But catcher Tom Pagnozzi
was unable to come up with the ball, and Young scored.
"I had thought the ball was going to get through the infield," Young said.
"When Vizquel fielded it, I was too far along the third-base line to
stop...I was just lucky that their catcher wasn't able to come up with the
ball, or I'd have been dead in the water."
Young's run tied the score, and with Valdes and Fernandez pitching almost
error-free ball, the game was forced into extra innings, where Johnson's
homer won the ballgame.
"Words cannot describe how much heart this team has," Weiner said. "Nigel
was amazing tonight, and all throughout the game, it never felt like
people were losing confidence. It's amazing for a first-year playoff team
like this."
The win sends the Sea Dogs to Vero Beach to play two. Ace Mackenzee
Leefenhaufenhauz, who closed out the series against the Phoenix Gila
Monsters, will get his first start in the series.
"We know that winning in Vero Beach is the toughest place in the PVBL to
get a win," Weiner said, "but if we can take one of two, we should have a
shot to win this series."
* * *
Notes and Quotes:
"I don't know what possessed me to keep Nigel out there so long, but he is
an incredible reliever. The way that curveball kept snapping, I knew they
were in for a long night."
-Manager Aaron Weiner
* * *
Some of the Washington players are surprised at the team's success against
Vero Beach.
"We expected to win some games at home, but we never expected to outplay
them," backup outfielder Chris James said. "This is really exciting."
First baseman Mickey Kelly shared the sentiment.
"Maybe it's just because they're the reigning champs in our league that
I'm surprised," Kelly said. "But somehow, I just don't get the aura of
invincibility off of them. They almost seem nervous out there."
Washington RHP Ben McDonald isn't surprised, however.
"I knew that we had a real shot after beating Phoenix," McDonald said.
"After all the struggles we'd had against Phoenix during the regular
season and beating them the way we did - that's when I knew we'd gelled as
a team."
* * *
Washington announced that Shawn Estes was still ailing.
"We're working on the prayer system right now," manager Aaron Weiner said.
"We didn't want to have to make this decision, but we're certain now that
Estes will probably pitch despite problems with his shoulder."
Estes, who suffered the injury all the way back in Game 3 of the Phoenix
series, says that he can probably pitch through the injury.
"Well...I can throw," Estes said. "I mean, I've been tossing off a mound
all week. I just don't want to push it, because it might get worse."
Team doctors have cleared Estes to pitch, but have suggested that he go no
more than five innings.
"I've had worse than this," said Estes, who was disabled near the
beginning of September. "The truth is, I'm worried more about how long
I'll be able to pitch."
* * *
For his valiant efforts, Nigel Fernandez is getting a day off.
"I'd be very surprised if Nigel was ready to pitch Game 3," Weiner said.
"He went a very long way today, and we're not sure that one day off will
be enough."
Should Fernandez not be ready to go for Game 3 in Vero Beach, lefthander
Paul Kilgus will take Fred Smith's spot in long relief and Smith will
pitch in middle relief.
"We're lucky to have a pair of veterans like Kilgus and Smith to fill in
for Nigel," Weiner said. "It proves the depth of our bullpen to be able
to just pull a guy like Paul Kilgus off our bench and get him in the
game."
After being horrible with Tampa, Kilgus posted a 4.8 ERA with the Sea Dogs
but came on strong down the stretch, earning his playoff roster spot.
"We probably won't need to use Paul," Weiner said. "We've already got
John Burkett in long relief. But in case we do, I feel comfortable with
him in there."
