Sugar Bears draw first blood

The second round kicked off yesterday with the Sugar Bears hosting the Endzone Animals. Philly jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning, culminating with Adam Dunn's two-RBI double. Jack Cust then tied it all up at 3-3 in the third with a two-run homer. Things then started to fall apart for the Animals. The next inning, the first two Sugar Bears reached base and then Johan Santana threw a wild pitch which advanced both runners into scoring position. After getting Yadier Molina to pop up, Hideki Matsui came through with a single that scored both runners. Clearly rattled, Santana walked the next two batters, loading the bases. That was all for Santana. Reliever Jon Rauch got Manny Ramirez to fly out to center field, but it was enough to score the runner from third, making it 6-3 in favor of the defending champs. Jorge Posada and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back doubles in the 8th inning, but that was all that the Animals could muster for the rest of the game. Despite the loss, the Animals have to feel pretty good about the way their bullpen held off the mighty Sugar Bears offense. Rauch and Jason Isringhausen combined to pitch 4.2 innings of scoreless, 2-hit ball and struck out 7. Game 2 late tonight.

Meanwhile across the continent, in Vancouver, the Fist prepares to host the Rat Pack tonight. Vancouver sends up ace Jake Peavy against Erik Bedard. The Fist have owned the season series, including winning 9 straight against the Rat Pack. The Fist have outscored the Rats 82-53 in the season series. If you take out the early-season sweep, the Fist have held the Rats to 27 runs over the past 9 games - and that's without ever facing Peavy. Bedard did pitch one game against Vancouver, lasting 6.1 innings but surrendering 7 runs and 9 hits in a 9-3 loss back in May.