PVBL: Galena Hamsters
Appier Wins 21st Game, Hamsters Win 2
September 23, 1999

Only 1 Game behind Washington for Best in League

Macon, IL (AP)

The Hamsters have won their last 3 games by a combined score of 35 runs (with one loss thrown into the mix). On September 21, 1999, the Hamsters meet the Whoopie, and proceeded to whip them. 24 year old John Wasdin attempted to win his 11th game, but he faced a major obstacle. He was up against 20 game winner Kevin Appier, and the dominating Hamsters.

The first two innings were a pitchers duel, as neither offense were able to do much. But then the visiting Hamsters turned on their offensive might in the 3rd, and drove Wasdin from the game. After the Hamsters hit 4 singles off of Wasdin, and scoring twice, the Macon manager noticed that Wasdin's last couple pitches were off. Wasdin had to leave the game with a sore shoulder. So Tony Castillo went in. He threw 1 pitch and had to leave with his tender shoulder. So, Dixie Easton was thrown in to pitch. He also threw only 1 pitch, which was hit, and which drove in a run. After straining his triceps, he had to leave. Julian Tavarez went in and finally, the Whoopie had a pitcher that lasted more than one pitch. Before he ended the inning, he allowed the fourth run to score.

Appier was give a good solid margin to sit on for his 21st win, but in the Whoopie's part of the inning, he gave up one run. Then in the 4th inning, he gave up another run. He calmed down and shut the Whoopie out in the 5th. By the 6th, the score was 4-2. The game was to close, so the Hamsters scored 2 more runs in the 6th to up the score to 6-2. Hamsters fifth starter went in to close the game and pitched for the next 4 innings. He had been in the bullpen to rest an injury, and now that it was healed, the managment wanted to see if he was ready to reenter the rotation. In 4 innings of work, he gave up 7 hits, 6 ER, 3 walks and struck out 6. This unimpressive outing gave him his first save in his career. If the Hamsters hadn't scored 5 more runs, Pavano would have single handlely lost the game. The final score would have been 8-6. But the Hamsters did respond, and they did score 5 more runs, earning their 101st win, and Appier's 21st (line: 5IP 7 H, 2 ER 2 BB, 10 SO).

While the Hamsters had 17 hits, they had no extra base hits. On the other hand, the Whoopie had hit 6 doubles.

In the second game, Macon once again scored 8 runs, but this time, the Hamsters scored 13 runs, and had 20 hits. Also Reggie Sanders hit 2 home runs, 1 triple, and had 6 RBI. Deon Sanders hit 4 hits in 4 AB, 1 2B, scored 3 times, had 1 RBI, walked 2 times, and stole 3 bases. 
The Top 3 - Bottom 3 Pitching Chart:
RHP Joey Hamilton 21-3 - Springfield Atoms
RHP Kevin Appier - 21-5  Galena Hamsters
RHP Kevin Brown 21-5 - Mississauga Mapledogs
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LHP Donovan Osborne 6-15 - Tampa Bay Mets
RHP Rick Helling 8-17 - Medina Mustangs
LHP Tony Saunders 3-23 - Tampa Bay Mets

Appier + 1 win
Hamilton + 1 win
Helling + 1 loss

Relievers:
Saves:
H. Slocumb 32 - Galena Hamsters
B. Crouch  31 - Deadwood Outlaws
T. Hoffman 29 - Vero Beach Bums

Holds:
Roberto Hernandez 18 - Houston Hellraisers
B. Simas          17 - Montreal Royals
M. Holtz          16 - Ancorage Abominations

Hitting:
Home Runs:
F. Thomas    61 - Montreal Royals
B. Higginson 52 - Tucson Border Patrol
B. Anderson  50 - Spokane Pirates

AVG:
F. Thomas    .396 - Montreal Royals
R. Greer     .383 - Montreal Royals
A. Rodriguez .377 - Edminton Oil Kings
C. Jones     .372 - Galena Hamsters

RBI:
B. Higginson  135 - Tucson Border Patrol
F. Thomas     128 - Montreal Royals
K. Griffey    124 - Motor City Madmen

Stolen Bases:
K. Lofton      75 - Galena Hamsters
C. Pride       58 - Deadwood Outlaws
C. Knoblauch   56 - Washington Seadogs

    Top Teams:            W    L   Strk:   Lst 10:
1. Washington Seadogs:   103  50    W-1     6-4 
2. Galena Hamsters:      102  51    W-2     7-3
3. Binghampton Mets:      92  59    W-5     9-1
   Motor City Madmen:     92  59    L-3     6-4
5. Deadwood Outlaws:      92  60    W-1     7-3
6. Phoenix Gila Monsters: 90  63    W-1     8-2
7. Ann Arbor AllKnighters 89  64    W-3     7-3
8. New Diggens Bud Frogs: 87  64    W-3     6-4
9. Houston Hellraisers:   85  67    L-2     3-7
   Punxatawney Groundhogs:85  67    W-10   10-0
11.Montreal Royals:       84  68    L-1     6-4

Teams Might be affected by the FA Plan: Projected:
Defiant League:
Binghampton Mets - Picard Division winners
Washington Seadogs - Data Division winners
Riker Division - either Punxatawney Groundhogs
or Houston Hellraisers - loser goes home

Wildcard: Phoenix Gila Monsters or 2nd place in Riker Division

Enterprise League:
Kirk Division: Motor City Madmen
Spock Division: Galena Hamsters
McCoy Division: Deadwood Outlaws

Wildcard: Ann Arbor AllKnights or New Diggens Frogs or Montreal Royals.

Remember: projected 
8 Bottem Teams might be affected by plan:
Or the worst 8 Chart:     W    L   Strk:   Lst 10:
1. Medina Mustangs:      46   107   L-10    0-10 
2. Kamloops Bears:       49   104   L-3     3-7 
3. Tampa Bay Mets:       55    97   L-9     1-9
4. Richmond Panthers:    57    96   L-5     1-9
5. Hartford Whalers:     57    95   W-1     3-7 
6. Duluth Bjork:         60    91   W-3     6-4
(Bjork: steadily winning their way off the chart)
7. Battle Axe Knights:   64    89   L-1     5-5
8. Anchorage Abominations66    87   L-2     3-7
(Macon Whoopie right behind).

Currently: 2 teams from Data on Best list, with 2 on worst list (best list: #1 and #6; worst list: #4 and #7).

2 teams from Spock on Best list, with 2 on worst list (best list: #2, #7; Worst: #2, #8).

--written by Sarah Gordon