NALB 2006 Playoffs - League 2 Series

K. Fields
2007-10-21T16:37:50-04:00
Baseball

League 2 Series - Stade Maples vs. Phoenix Rattlers

Game 1: Phoenix 5, Stade 4
Game 2: Stade 8, Phoenix 6
Game 3: Stade 10, Phoenix 7
Game 4: Phoenix 10, Stade 7
Game 5: Phoenix 9, Stade 6
Game 6: Stade 6, Phoenix 1
Game 7: Stade 8, Phoenix 3

The Stade Maples won their fourth consecutive division title. They wanted to avoid a repeat of last season's disappointing loss in the League 2 Series. Their opponent this season was the Phoenix Rattlers, a team with a very potent offense. The Maples went into Phoenix for Game 1 with their ace starter, Max Brown. Phoenix opened with starter Joe Lehr. The Rattlers fell behind 4-2 but ended up scraping out a 5-4 victory. Stade had superstar Wally Pemberton start game 2 against Parson Page. The game was tied 4-4 after six innings. The bats came alive against the relief pitchers and the Maples outscored the Rattlers down the stretch on route to an 8-6 win. With the Series tied one game apiece, it was on to Stade for games 3, 4, and 5. Phoenix's Gary Gorski and Stade's Brian Hanson started Game 3. Both pitchers struggled and it turned into another slugfest. The Maple's superior pitching depth helped them hold on for the win, 10-7. Game 4 was a rematch of Brown vs. Lehr. The score was the same as Game 3. This time however, it was Phoenix on top by the score of 10-7. Rattlers' right fielder Bobby Duckworth was the hero of the game. He drove in five runs. In Game 5, the Maples depended on Wally Pemberton to make his second start of the Series. Phoenix countered with 25-year old pitcher Buddy Lake (12-4). Unfortunately for the Rattlers, Lake gave up six runs (five earned) in 5.2 innings. Things looked bleak for Phoenix until they pounded relief pitcher Floyd Minoso for four runs. The rode their explosive offense to a 9-6 win. The Series moved to Phoenix for Game 6. The Rattlers needed just one win at home to advance to the World Championship Series. They gave the ball to Gary Gorski to try and provide a series-deciding win. Stade had left-hander Luis Hesterfer (9-12) on the mound. He hadn't won a game since August 22. Hesterfer shocked everyone by delivering a true post-season gem. He pitched eight innings and gave up only five hits and one run. The Maples cruised to a 6-1 victory. Game 7 was the third match-up of Brown vs. Lehr in a winner-take-all contest. Max Brown lost Game 1 and lost Game 4 while Joe Lehr registered two no-decisions. Brown was determined to pitch a better game and lead his team to a League Series win. He did just that. Brown gave up only two runs as he pitched six strong innings. Joe Lehr was even better as he pitched six innings of shutout ball. It all came crashing down on the Rattlers in the seventh inning, however. The Maples pounded Lehr for seven runs in the seventh. Phoenix was unable to recover. Stade finished the game with an 8-3 score.

The Stade Maples beat the Phoenix Rattlers four games to three. They are headed to the World Championship Series for the second time. Their last appearance was in 2004.