RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

18AA ALL STAR GAME-Tuesday, June 29, 2004-at Lantana Sports Complex The Americans rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth, including a daring, two out double steal, to nip the Nationals 11-10 in the spring league’s 18AA All Star game. Pat Moroney (Dobson Roofing Hurricanes) drew a leadoff walk, but was forced at second on a comebacker to the mound off the bat of Hurricanes’ teammate Fred Carr. Blair Craven (Cubs) reached on an error, and with two outs, Ramon Serpa drove in the tying run on a bad hop single to right field. Then, with Brian Vail (Cubs) at bat, Serpa stole second and Craven stole home for the winning margin. The Americans took an early 4-0 lead. Louis Ortiz (Sharpe Cardinals) struck out three in the first inning, but two of them reached on wild pitches and Ortiz issued a third wild toss. Fred Carr (Hurricanes) and Steve Grove (Los Potros) had singles in the inning. Lee Holmes (Hurricanes) singled in two more in the second . The Nationals scored singletons in the third and fourth. Jeff Schector (Expos) reached second on a two base error, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by the Yankees’ Hicidro Ortiz. O’Neill Ramos (Los Potros) was called for a balk that allowed Max Johnson (Cardinals) to score, making it a 4-2 lead for the Americans. Jim Bergman (Hurricanes) made it 6-2 with a two run single in the fourth inning, scoring Moroney, who had doubled and Craven, who was hit by a pitch and stole second. The National Division scored two in the fifth on a double by Andy MacFarland (Cardinals), two outfield errors and a wild pitch, but the Americans made it 7-4 in the fifth on singles by O’Neill Ramos, Rivera and Holmes. A weird five run sixth inning gave the Nationals the lead. Louis Ortiz, Randy Castricone (Seminoles) both singled and Edwin Perez (Cardinals) drove in Ortiz with a base hit. Castricone scored and Perez circled the bases on a wild throw from the outfield to tie it at 7-7. Johnson walked, stole second and third. After Holmes replaced John Dobson (Hurricanes) on the mound, Mike Pitti (Seminoles) drew a pass, then engineered a double steal with Johnson swiping home to make it 8-7. Pitti moved to third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch. Singles by MacFarland, Hicidro, and Louis Ortiz in the 7th widened the Nationals’ lead to 10-7. The Americans scored a pair in the 8th. Dobson walked, Ramos was hit by a pitch and Rivera singled to load the bases. De la Cruz singled to score one run, but Ramos was cut down at the plate on a great throw from center fielder Johnson. Ramos was also ejected on the play for violation of the no collision rule at home. After Yo Perez (Cardinals) replaced Hicidro Ortiz on the mound, Juan Panta’s infield roller plated Rivera. That set the stage for the Americans’ winning rally in the ninth inning. Serpa, who had three hits, including the game tying single in the 9th, and the steal that triggered the winning tally, was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player and received an NABA commemorative plaque. Dax Rankine (Cubs) who pitched a scoreless ninth, received credit for the win. Yo Perez was tagged with the loss. The game was marred by some field deficiencies. Three easy outs were turned into singles by bad hops, all on the second base side.