Taylor Cup

Orlando 3-2 Virginia

Virginia Uniforms - Orlando Uniforms

Notes
The first game in a Taylor Cup featuring rival teams, a pitchers duel came into full effect. Mulder has the best regular season record in CBL history, at 10-1. But last season he was 0-2 in the playoffs. James came up huge in his first playoff start. The game had 11 hits total, all the runs were scored on just 3. All solo home runs, all in the second. Doug Mienkiewicz led off the second with a solo home run. Mulder gave that lead up fast. Back to back solo home runs by Crede and Laforest. Both pitchers rolled the rest of the game, neither offense could get a rally going. James didn't give up a hit the last 3 innings of work, since the first 3 batters in the 2nd got hits. Bonser came in for the 5th, he got 2 batters on, but promptly ousted Byrnes and Mientkiewicz for the first win.

Batters
VIR
Everett 0-3
Hall 1-2 1B, BB
Byrnes 0-3 2K
Mientkiewicz 1-2 HR, BB, 1R, 1RBI
Blalock 1-2 1B, K
Bigbie 0-1 2B
Crosby 0-2
Young 0-2
Holliman 0-1 BB

ORL
Freeman 1-3 1B
Stewart 1-3 2B
Abernathy 0-2
Grieve 1-2 2B
Hillenbrand 0-2
Crede 1-2 HR, K, 1R, 1RBI
LaForest 1-1 HR, BB, 1R, 1RBI
Francia 2-2 2 1B
Robels 0-2

Pitchers
VIR
Mulder- 4 IP, 2.5 ERA, 1 Ks, 2 ER, 1 BB L

ORL
James- 4 IP, 1.25 ERA, 4 Ks, 1 ER, 2 BB W
Bonser- 1 IP, 0 ERA, 0 Ks, 0 ER, 1 BB SV

Player of the Game- Chuck James




Virginia Uniforms - Orlando Uniforms

Notes
Braden Looper and Kip Wells had a match up, that was even on paper. But in the end, Looper prevailed. Looper started off terrible. The first two Orlando batters hit a home run. 2-0 and the M's had the upper hand going into the 2nd. But the Bums came storming back, two 2 run home runs by Bigbie and Everett. Then the next inning, doubles by Byrnes and Bigbie made it 5-2. The following inning, with runners on 1st and 2nd, Hall doubled, scoring one, then Byrnes singled in Everett. Wells came out of the game after that, with the loss assured. Both teams played a 5 point pitcher to save the best relievers for the upcoming games. Brazelton gave up a home run to Crosby making it 8-2. The M's rallied with a Grieve 2 run home run. Spooneybarger got the final 3 outs to end the game. 6 home runs were hit during the game, which could be a record.

Batters
VIR
Everett 1-2 HR, BB, 2R, 2RBI
Hall 1-3 2B, 1RBI
Byrnes 3-3 2 1B, 2B, 1R, 1RBI
Mientkiewicz 0-3
Blalock 1-3 1B, 1R
Bigbie 2-3 HR, 2B, 1R, 3RBI
Crosby 1-3 HR, 1R, 1RBI
Greenberg 0-3 K
Holliman 1-2 2B, BB, 2R

ORL
Freeman 1-3 HR, 1R, 1RBI
Stewart 2-3 HR, 1B, 1R, 1RBI
Abernathy 1-2 1B, BB, 1R
Grieve 1-3 HR, 1R, 2RBI
Hillenbrand 1-1 2B, 2BB
Crede 0-3 2K
LaForest 1-3 1B
Francia 0-3
Roneberg 0-1 BB

Pitchers
VIR
Looper- 4 IP, 2.5 ERA, 2 Ks, 2 ER, 4 BB W
Spooneybarger- 1 IP, 10 ERA, 0 Ks, 2 ER, 0 BB SV

ORL
Wells- 4 IP, 8.75 ERA, 1 Ks, 7 ER, 2 BB L
Brazelton- 1 IP, 5 ERA, 1 Ks, 1 ER, 0 BB

Player of the Game- Larry Bigbie



Orlando Uniforms - Virginia Uniforms

Notes
With an even series, both teams had an even shot to win the championship. Both pitchers are trending opposite ways. Chacon had an amazing season, while Milton is on his way out of Virginia. This would be hist last start. Both pitchers came out strong, only Chacon giving up a single to Crosby. Then the 3 hits by Orlando won them the game. Francia tripled, and Robels doubled. Stewart came up with Robels on second, and doubled him in. That would be the difference, but Virgina loaded the bases in the 4th, to have Blalock get out. One win away from the championship is Orlando.

Batters
ORL
Freeman 0-2 K, BB
Stewart 1-2 2B, K, 1RBI
Abernathy 0-2
Grieve 0-2
Hillenbrand 0-2 K
Crede 0-2 K
LaForest 0-2
Francia 1-2 3B, 1R
Robels 1-2 2B, 1R, 1RBI

VIR
Everett 2-3 2B, 1B, K
Hall 0-3 K
Byrnes 1-3 1B
Mientkiewicz 1-1 1B, BB
Blalock 0-2
Bigbie 0-2 2K
Crosby 1-2 1B
Young 0-2 K
Holliman 0-2

Pitchers
ORL
Chacon- 4 IP, 0 ERA, 4 Ks, 0 ER, 1 BB W
Ryan- 1 IP, 0 ERA, 1 Ks, 0 ER, 0 BB SV

VIR
Milton- 5 IP, 2 ERA, 4 Ks, 2 ER, 1 BB L

Player of the Game- Shawn Chacon


Orlando Uniforms - Virginia Uniforms

Notes
One of the best Taylor Cup games so far. With Virginia facing a second 4 game elimnation, Fernando Nieve came out hurling. In the first for the Bums, Everett, and Byrnes got on board, then Blalock singled in Everett for the early 1-0 lead. And that would be enough for Nieve. Other than a walk to Freeman, the first batter of the game, he was perfect. From innings 2-4, he faced a total of 9 batters. He had a no hitter going into the 5th of a championship game. Hillenbrand came up, and struck out. That was 3 strait strike outs. Then Joe Crede comes up, and singles into the gap, saving the M's from embarrassment. Nieve quickly got LaForest, and Francia out. The series is now tied, and heading back to Orlando for game 5.

Batters
ORL
Freeman 0-1 BB
Stewart 0-2
Abernathy 0-2 K
Grieve 0-2 K
Hillenbrand 0-2 K
Crede 1-2
LaForest 0-2
Francia 0-2
Robels 0-1

VIR
Everett 2-3 2 1B, 1R
Hall 0-2 K
Byrnes 1-2 2B
Mientkiewicz 0-1 BB
Blalock 1-2 1B, 1RBI
Bigbie 0-2
Crosby 0-2
Greenberg 0-1 BB
Holliman 1-2 1B

Pitchers
ORL
Jennings- 4 IP, 1.25 ERA, 1 Ks, 1 ER, 2 BB L

VIR
Nieve- 5 IP, 0 ERA, 3 Ks, 0 ER, 1 BB W

Player of the Game- Fernando Nieve



Virginia Uniforms - Orlando Uniforms

Notes
No team wanted to lose this game. It showed int he pitching game. Mulder didn't want to be 0-4 in the playoffs, and James didn't want to soil his fantastic season. Both pitchers were firing on full cylinders. Through, 3, both teams had one hit, and 5 strike outs were recorded. In the bottom of the 4th, Abernathy walked, and Grieve doubled. With Crede up, the regular season RBI leader, he shot one to the corner for a double, scoring 2 runs. Bonser came in for the save, and got Adam Everett, the MVP, out for the final out of the season> The Orlando Majestics are the season 2 Champions.

Batters
VIR
Everett 0-3
Hall 0-2
Byrnes 0-1 BB
Mientkiewicz 2-2 2B, 1B
Blalock 0-2
Bigbie 0-2 K
Crosby 0-1 BB
Greenberg 0-2
Holliman 0-2

ORL
Freeman 1-1 1B, BB
Stewart 0-2 K
Abernathy 0-1 K, BB, 1R
Grieve 1-2 2B, 1R
Hillenbrand 0-2 K
Crede 1-2 2B, 2RBI
LaForest 0-2
Francia 0-2 K
Roneberg 0-1

Pitchers
VIR
Mulder- 4 IP, 2.5 ERA, 4 Ks, 2 ER, 2 BB L

ORL
James- 4 IP, 0 ERA, 1 Ks, 0 ER, 1 BB W
Bonser- 1 IP, 0 ERA, 0 Ks, 0 ER, 1 BB SV

Player of the Game- Chuck James

Taylor Cup MVP- Chuck James 8 innings, 2-0, 5 Ks, .62 ERA