Announcement
The Yankees rode a dominant pitching performance by Cabell Thomas, flawless team defense, and disciplined hitting to an 8-1 win over the Mets Saturday to claim the Fleet Park Majors Division 2009 championship.
Thomas was dealing all afternoon under gray skies occasionally spitting rain. He struck out eight, walked one, and surrendered only three hits. In the middle innings, he retired 14 consecutive batters and required only 70 pitches, 15 below the limit, to record the complete-game victory.
Behind him, the Bombers played error-free baseball. At bat, they continued to be tough outs from the top to the bottom of the order as they have been for the last half of the season. Eight different Yankees scored and every batter reached base.They were typically disciplined, running up high pitch counts.
The scoring opened in the second when Jason Martinez and Danny DeSmit each walked on full counts. After Ryan Dixon grounded out to second to advance the runners, Marshall Carney also walked. Jason scored on a passed ball before Jack Broach's ground out up the middle scored the second run.
In the third inning, Jessie Kane walked to open the frame then was forced on a ground ball by Alec Tekamp. Zach Tekamp singled with Alec going to third. From there, he was out attempting to score on a passed ball. Walks to Cabell Thomas and Jason loaded the bases, but the Yanks were unable to score.
The Bombers broke open the game in the fourth inning when the pitch count for the opposing hurler soared to 85 and he was forced out of the game. Marshall singled with one out. Jack Broach drilled a triple to left to open the floodgates, scoring Marshall, who had reached third on consecutive passed balls. Gray Kiger and Ann Burns Morrison walked to load the bases. Jessie Kane was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Alec, Zach, and Cabell each walked, forcing in three more runs.
In the fifth inning, the Yankees threatened again when Ryan singled to right field then Gray was hit by a pitch with two outs. Ann Burns dropped a soft liner into right center to load the bases, but the inning ended on a force out at third base.
Zach Tekamp took care of one more insurance run in the top of the sixth inning when he scorched a liner to the fence in right-center field then came around to score when the relay throw home was wide.
On defense, Alec Tekamp returned after missing two games with a sore arm, to smoothly record four assists on ground balls to shortstop. Danny DeSmit in centerfield threw out a runner foolish enough to try to stretch a single into a double. And Ryan Dixon, playing right field, backed up a hit to center, stopping the runner from taking an extra base.
In the four-game championship tournament, the Yankees scored 23 runs while holding their opponents to just nine.
