September 22, 2006

When 162 Is Not Enough

The regular season ended with three teams tied with identical 84-78 records for the sixth and final playoff berth: The Arkansas Golden Falcons, the Hillsborough Hired Hitmen and the Philadelphia Endzone Animals. Under league rules, the teams tied for the final spot would play a one-game playoff to decide who goes to the post-season. The 2003 and 2004 seasons both ended with two teams tied for the final spot. But a three-team tie?

Acting Interim Commissioner for Life Yaro Z. Zajac made the following ruling to settle the unprecedented three-way tie: First, the three teams were seeded according to their head-to-head records. Hillsborough, which had a winning record against both Philly and Arkansas, was the top seed. The Animals, who had a winning record against Arkansas, were the second seed, leaving the Golden Falcons as the third seed. Following Major League Baseball's tiebreaker rules, third-seeded Arkansas played at Philadelphia; Hillsborough would then face the winner in that team's home stadium. Hitmen owner Brent Campbell filed an official protest, claiming as the top seed he should get the home game, but Zajac pointed out Hillsborough had to play win just one game to advance, whereas Arkansas or Philly would have to win two. Zajac then gave Campbell, as the team with the best head-to-head record, the choice to either be the No. 2 seed (getting home field advantage, but having to win two games) or the No. 1 seed (needing to win just one game, but on the road). Campbell grudgingly withdrew his protest and proceeded as the No. 1 seed.

With that out of the way, the games could begin! Arkansas traveled to Philadelphia, with the Falcs' Odalis Perez taking on the Animals' Brad Radke.Odalis Perez, a 28-year-old lefty, was released by Vancouver after getting bombed in his only start (5 ER, 8 H, 4 BB in 6.0 IP). The Falcs plucked him off the waiver wire and he'd pitched better for them (5-1, 4.62 ERA, 12.0 R/9), including wins in his last two starts. Still, Philly had to feel more confident behind Radke (9-13, 4.39 ERA, 11.7 R/9), a veteran of seven post-seasons between Vancouver and Philadelphia, plus home field advantage. But from the start, it was obvious it wasn't going to be Philly's night. The Golden Falcons jumped out to first inning lead after a two-out, two-run double by Javier Valentin. The Falcs would tack on more runs as the game went on, but those two runs would prove to be enough as Perez threw eight innings of five-hit, one-run ball to give Arkansas an 11-1 win.

Now the Golden Falcons returned to Quisenberry Memorial Park for their first home game in more than a week. Arkansas started long-time Falcon Brad Penny (13-8, 4.93 ERA, 13.0 R/9), while Hillsborough went with hard-throwing John Lackey (10-15, 5.83 ERA, 15.2 R/9). The Falcs again jumped out to a 2-0 lead, this time on a 2nd inning two-run home run by Rafael Palmeiro, then tacked on another in the 3rd on an RBI single by Kenny Lofton. But the Hitmen -- after being set down in order for the first three innings -- finally broke through against Penny in the 4th, when Juan Pierre manufactured a run -- he singled, stole second, advanced to third on a ground-out, and then scored on a sac fly. They'd follow up his lightning with some thunder in the 6th, with a solo home run from Jason Varitek and a two-run shot by Adam Dunn.

But the Hitmen failed to score a much-needed insurance run despite back-to-back hit batsmen to lead off the top of the 7th, and the Falcs would tie it up in the bottom of that inning when Jim Mecir issued a two-out bases loaded walk to Lance Berkman. The Hitmen had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 9th after putting runners on the corners with one out, but Rudy Seanez struck out Carlos Lee and Varitek to end the threat. In the bottom of the 9th, closer Chad Cordero got the first two outs, but David Wright -- who went 3-9 with a walk and 3 RBI in the two playoff games -- jumped on a 3-2 fastball, sending a high drive deep into the left field seats for a walk-off home run for a 5-4 win -- and a league-record 14th straight playoff appearance for the Golden Falcons!