All tied up!

Vancouver took the early lead yesterday and withheld a late Vegas rally to knot the series at 3 and force a game 7. Vegas scored early as Ben Sheets got into several jams in the early innings. In the first inning, the Rats managed to load the bases, but Sheets escaped with only one run scored, then worked out of another bases loaded jam in the second, once again only allowing one run. Vancouver came roaring back in the third, scoring four runs, including a 2-run Chase Utley home run. The Fist extended the lead to 5-2 with a solo homer by Michael Young in the 4th. Utley hit another home run, this time a solo shot in the 6th. Meanwhile, Ben Sheets had settled in and retired 10 out 11 batters since the rocky first two innings. But those early innings racked up Sheets' pitch count and he was replaced with Matt Herges in the 6th. Curtis Granderson's 2-run homer capped a 4-run rally in the 7th to give the Fist a 9-2 lead. Herges was cruising along until the 7th when he surrendered a 2-run blast to Jim Thome. In the 8th, it looked like the wheels were going to fall off for Vancouver, as Herges quickly got into a jam. Billy Wagner came in and the Rats narrowed the lead to 9-6. But that was all the Rats would get. Manny Corpas closed out the 9th for his 3rd save.

The teams return to Vancouver Friday for game 7. Vancouver has Chad Billingsley scheduled for the game, while Las Vegas sends out Josh Beckett.

Do or Die Time for Iron Fist

Vancouver faces elimination today as they return to Las Vegas for game 6. Vancouver will send out Ben Sheets, who pitched a complete game but lost in game 3. A.J. Burnett, who pitched well but did not factor into the decision in game 2, will pitch for the Rats. Vegas has already won as many games in the playoffs against Vancouver as they did all season, but manager/GM/owner Eric Wickstrom is hoping for just one more. "We put a lot of effort into this team and feel like we may not have another shot like this for a while" said Wickstrom.

Rats, Bedard take control

The Rats took a 3-2 series lead against Vancouver yesterday with an 8-2 romp over the Morris Division winners. Erik Bedard was masterful, pitching 7.2 innings and holding the Fist to only 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 12. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy was pummeled for 7 runs, 4 earned, in 5 innings. Jim Thome led the offense with a 2-4 night with 3 RBIs. David Ortiz hit two homers on the losing side but there was no one on base for him to drive in as the rest of the squad combined for only 3 hits. Vancouver will send Ben Sheets to the mound for game 6, while the Rats return with A.J. Burnett.

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.

Vegas knots series with Fist

Las Vegas evened the series with the Iron Fist yesterday. Once again the Rats got up early after Jim Thome blasted a two-run homer in the 3rd. Thome extended the lead to 3-1 with a solo homer in the 5th. Vancouver tried to claw their way back, but every time they seemed to be getting closer, it was Thome time. The Rats put the game out of reach when Thome hit his third homer in the 7th, making the score 5-2. Vancouver would scrape out another run, but that was that. The Rats host the next game of the series Friday, when Ben Sheets and Josh Beckett square off.

Philadelphia hosts the Sugar Bears today, resuming their 1-1 series as Brandon Webb will take on Javier Vazquez. Webb has been roughed up by the Sugar Bears this year to the tune of a 4.82 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 3 starts. It should be noted that his two rough starts were at the Cereal Bowl and his one start in Philly this year was a complete game shutout. Meanwhile, Vazquez has been solid against the Animals, going 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.933 WHIP in two starts - one at each of the stadiums.

Philly evens series with Sugar Bears

The Endzone Animals took a huge step toward knocking off the defending champions by stealing a game at the Cereal Bowl yesterday. It all started in the 6th inning when the first two batters reached base and then Albert Pujols was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. After some glares were exchanged, and a sacrifice fly from Gary Sheffield, Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer to give the Animals a 4-2 lead. But Newark wouldn't go down so easily. Mike Fontenot hit a run-scoring single to chase starter Matt Cain out of the game and then Nick Swisher came through with a single to tie the game. In the 8th inning, the Endzone Animals rallied again. Albert Pujols led off with a home run to give the Animals the lead again. Kelly Johnson homered later in the inning - a 2-run liner to right - to extend the lead to 7-4. Once again, the Sugar Bears came storming back. Matt Stairs hit a two-run homer to narrow the lead to one run, but Carlos Guillen hit a weak grounder to end the game. The two teams will take today off, travelling the Turnpike and enjoying the beautiful sites of refineries and traffic jams.

Meanwhile, Vancouver hosted Las Vegas in another closely contested game. The Rats got on the board quickly. Ichiro walked to lead off the game and promptly stole second, then tagged up on a Joe Mauer fly out and scored on a sac fly. Then in the second, Chone Figgins hit a two-run double to give the Rats a 3-0 lead. David Ortiz answered with a home run the next inning, but it was only one run... Things were going well for Erik Bedard and the Rat Pack until the 5th inning when everything fell apart. Michael Young led off with a double, but the next two Fist batters struck out. It looked like Bedard would escape unharmed, but Moises Alou came through with a base hit, scoring Young. Jose Guillen doubled and then Bedard walked the bases loaded. Bedard fell apart and walked the next two runs home, giving the Fist a 4-3 lead. And that was all the scoring for the rest of the game... Billy Wagner and Manny Corpas combined to pitch the ninth inning and preserved the lead. In all, the Rats were held to a mere 2 hits and 5 walks, and struck out 10 times. Carlos Pena's homer streak was snapped. Today, it's Zack Greinke vs. A.J. Burnett. Greinke is 3-0 this season against the Rats with a 2.20 ERA and Burnett is 0-0 with a 3.55 ERA in 2 starts.