Superior League Division Series, Games 4-6

Miami vs. Charlotte

Game 4

Miami starts Jason Curry, who has barely pitched in the last 45 days. Charlotte gives the ball to Dave Fitzgerald. Charlotte Strikes first in the 3rd inning, as Eddie Cedeno blasts a 3 run homer. Joe Young puts Miami on the board with a solo homer in the 4th. In the 8th inning Miami gets the first 2 runners on the corners. Brian Kaat hits into a double play, which scores one run but ends the rally. In the 9th, the Stars have one more chance to tie the game against closer Rob Porter. Bud McNamara triples with one out, and speedy Duke Jackson comes in to run for him. Andy Moore flies out to left fielder Bobby Rayburn, and Jackson tries to score. Rayburn makes a perfect throw to Tommy Miller, and Charlotte holds on to tie up the series.

Game 5

Miami knocks Charlie Zito out again in the 3rd inning. Joe Young connects for a pair of homers in the 3rd and 4th innings, and the Stars take an 8-1 lead. Tommy Vercetti struggles with his control, walking 5 and striking out 3 in 6 innings, but gives Miami a bare minimum quality start (6 innings, 3 runs). The Stars hold on for an 8-4 win, though Bob Belardi makes things interesting in the 9th, bringing the tying run to the on deck circle before getting Rayburn to fly to the warning track in left. Young had 5 RBI, and Kaat had 4 hits. Young now has 5 homeruns in the series.

Game 6

Charlotte hits Tim Sullivan hard, getting 5 runs in the second inning. The lead doesn't last for long though, as the Stars get on back in the bottom of the 3rd, and then explode for 7 in the 4th to knock out Jo-Jo Lewis, possibly pitching the final game of his career. The Stars don't let up against Orlando Baker and Tommy Klink, piling up 19 hits and 14 runs for the day. Jason D'Antonio pitches 3 scoreless innings in relief of Sullivan for the win, and the Stars take the game 14-8, and the series 4 games to 2.

New York vs. Texas

Game 4

Down 2 games to 1, the Knights take a 1-0 lead in the first on a Dirk Lindros RBI single. This would be enough, as Elladan Corinvar would go on to pitch 8 1/3 shutout innings, striking out 8 and allowing only 4 hits and 2 walks. But New York had a lot more in store, including a Lindros 2 run homer and a Jose Isales grand slam in a 7 run 6th inning. The final score was 13-0.

Game 5

Texas brought out the ace lefty in Rufus Anderson, who went the distance on a 3 hitter, striking out 9. But New York managed to scratch a run off Rufus as Ernie Escobar hit a sac fly in the 7th inning after Brandon Bergeron stole third. Doug Pearson pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, and Joe Dirte struck out the side in the 9th to give New York a 1-0 victory.

Game 6

Eddie Carey and Bjorn Frostad gave the series another great pitcher's duel. In the 7th, New York took a 2-0 lead. Jose Isales led off with a double, and Vernon Coles drew a walk. After Keith Johnson struck out, a wild pitch moved the runners up. Light hitting catcher Jim Gwosdz followed with a bloop double down the left field line for 2 RBI.
Carey was in command. He didn't allow a hit until the 5th inning, and brought a 1 hitter into the 9th. After getting the leadoff hitter out in the 9th, Don Muttonly went to the bullpen, bringing in lefty Joey Fernandez to face Mark Crawford. Crawford singled, and Muttonly went to his closer, Dirte, to try and finish the series. After back to back doubles by Billy Stanley (batting for injured Manny Ortez) and Willie Gomez, the game was tied.
Both bullpens were strong in extra innings. In the 13th, New York broke through against Charles Morrow, in his 3rd inning of relief. Ho Chi Fat led off with a walk. Ernie Escobar pinch ran and stole 2nd. Stuart Johnson hit a slow bouncer up the middle just out of the reach of both the SS and 2B, and the Knights led 3-2. In the bottom of the 13th, Joe Cerda and Jay Dessau pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Knights the series win. Dessau struck out Willie Gomez, the hero of inning #9, to end the game.