Sugar Bears will defend their title...again

The Sugar Bears advanced to the championship round for the 8th straight season, getting a chance to extend their championship streak to five. The Sugar Bears disposed of the Endzone Animals in 5 games, ending it with a 7-4 victory at the Cereal Bowl. The Animals sent out Matt Cain, who was victorious in game 2, but it wasn't meant to be. The Sugar Bears took the lead first, scoring once in the 4th and then 2 more on Nick Swisher's homer in the 5th. But Jorge Posada hit a two-run homer and Adam Dunn followed up with a solo shot in the 6th to tie it up. The Animals took a 4-3 lead on a Jimmy Rollins single, but it was short-lived. With two outs in the 7th, Matt Stairs hit a grand slam, giving the Sugar Bears a 7-4 lead. The Sugar Bears got into some trouble the next inning, walking the leadoff hitter and then hitting another, but Mark Teixeira bounced into a double play to end the inning. Manny Delcarmen sent the Animals down in order in the 9th to earn his 3rd save of the series and closing the door on the Animals' 2008 season.

Tonight Vancouver and Las Vegas try to gain control of their series, tied at 2-2. It'll be a rematch of game one as Vancouver sends Jake Peavy and Vegas counters with Erik Bedard. The Rats hope that the result will be different as Vancouver took game one 4-3. Interestingly enough, 3 of the first 4 games have been decided by one run - a situation that the Rats excelled in for the most part of the 2008 season.

Sugar Bears take lead with 6th inning rally

Newark took back the home field advantage from Philly with a 6-4 victory yesterday. The Animals looked like they would hold off the mighty Sugar Bears, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Sugar Bears rallied for 6 runs in the 6th, starting with a Matt Stairs grand slam. The Sugar Bears will send Chien-Ming Wang out for game four, while the Endzone Animals will turn to Johan Santana, pitching on three days' rest. Wang has been disastrous against the Animals this year, going 0-2 with a 9.87 ERA and horrific 2.19 WHIP in 3 starts. Wang's two worst starts were in the Cereal Bowl, so the Sugar Bears hope he will not continue the trend.

Las Vegas-Vancouver resumes today in Sin City with Ben Sheets taking on Josh Beckett. Beckett has only made on start against Vancouver in a Rat Pack uniform, a 3-1 loss in early August, but overall he's made 4 starts (3 as a Blue Ridge Bomber) and has a 1-2 record with a 4.10 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. Sheets has also been solid in 4 starts against the Rats, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.