Washington Knocks Off Phoenix and Calgary July 7, 1999
(AP) WASHINGTON--When Sea Dogs manager Aaron Weiner went on a vacation to
New York this weekend, he never expected to come back to FIVE more games.
"Thank G-d we've got a veteran ballclub that just takes care of business,"
Weiner said.
The Sea Dogs did take care of business against both Phoenix and Calgary,
winning both series to take a commanding 7.5 game lead in the Defiant
League's Data Division.
"We knew Aaron was away," Barry Larkin said, "so we knew we'd have to step
it up a notch."
After winning the crucial Phoenix series two games to one, Washington
invaded Calgary and despite losing game 1 by a count of 9-8, they then
proceeded to shut down the Cowboys in the next two, knocking them off 12-1
and 5-1.
Washington almost managed to sweep the Cowboys. Ten-game winner Mackenzee
Leefenhaufenhauz was mostly ineffective holding the Cowboys down for the
first seven innings, giving up six runs. He would stay in, however, and
play a big role in the rest of the game.
Leefenhaufenhauz was able to shut down Calgary for the eighth
and ninth, and Washington came storming back in the ninth, putting up a
4-spot on C Ben Petrick's RBI single and 3B Bill Mueller's three-run
homer.
"We thought we were going to win the thing in extra innings," Petrick
said.
Indeed, the Sea Dogs did put a two-spot on the board in the tenth inning
on Mickey Kelly's sixth homer, a two-run shot. But instead of going to
closer John Wetteland in a perfect situation, Weiner chose to keep
Leefenhaufenhauz in the game.
The move was especially curious because Weiner is known for taking
pitchers out before they complete shutouts.
"Sometimes I don't understand some of the things I do," Weiner said. "I
just wish there was some sanity to all of this."
Washington shut down the Cowboys in games two and three. In game two,
Washington got a huge performance out of Shawn Estes, who allowed just
five hits and no walks during seven innings.
"We worked with Shawn on his control this offseason, and it's really come
through," Weiner said. "He's really made great strides."
Ben Petrick stole three bases in the win, and Garret Anderson hit his
first homer as a Sea Dog.
"We're just hoping it's the first of many for Garret," Weiner said.
In the third, Alex Fernandez, who has been Washington's best pitcher of
late, destroyed Calgary, allowing just six hits and a walk in seven
innings without allowing a run. The final was 5-1, but it wasn't that
close.
"Alex was just spectacular again," Weiner said. "We're really spoiled by
how well he's been doing. I don't think I could imagine a better
performance."
Mickey Kelly and Ernie Young also homered in the game. It was Young's
16th homer of the season, Kelly's seventh.
