2032 All-Star Game

[Borealis]

The 2032 PEBA Homerun Challenge featured many intriguing matchups. In the first round, setting the way and exciting the fans right away, Peter Monnington had 17 homers to start things off, only to lose to Roberto Garcia's 18 blasts. Not selected for the game, but hometown favorite, Bernardo Gonzales hung on as he watched Sergio Sosa get hot at the end, only to fall to the Akira slugger, 17-16. London's Antonio Garcia had an easier go of things, outlasting 'Red Hook' Bothwell, 18-14, and rounding out the first round, perhaps the fatigue of sitting having an effect, Charleston's Noberto Escamilla was able to overtake Reno's Steve Boyer in a less than thrilling 13-12 win.

In the second round, the Hartford star, Roberto Garcia kept up his fast pace, swatting 19 homers to defeat an equally hot Bernardo Gonzales, who thought he had tied it on his second to last shot - only to see it hit the top of the fence, and with a second left, rushed his swing, popping up his last pitch. Not to be out done, Antonio Garcia and Escamilla both had the high scores to this point, with 'the other' Garcia crushing 23 homers, causing Noberto to shake his head as he walked off the field with 'just' 20.

In the All-Garcia final, it was the the former-Trendsetter - 'Poseidon' who would be crowned the champ, with 15 homers in the finals, to win 15-12.

[Borealis]

The fans have begun funneling into the Neo-Tokyo Grounds, so grab a cup of sliced Japanese cucumbers, a plate of fried yakisoba (buckwheat noodles) and takoyaki (fried octopus balls) and a beef bento bowl topped with a soft-boiled egg - and your favorite sake, and get ready for the first pitch!

Tonights Japanese National Anthem will be sung by Airi Suzuki.

[Borealis]

As the SL takes the field under a thunderous roar, Kenny Ashley, 9-3 with a 2.30 ERA, we get word that IL 2B Carlos Garza has taken ill, and will not be playing tonight. Taylor Titmus will play in his stead. Also out, with his obliques still a little rough on the edges, Gilberto Fernandez will not play, so Noberto Escamilla will start in his place.

With that, 'Ogre' steps to the plate... and on a 1-2 pitch, he looks at a change for strike three...

Up next from the World Champion San Juan Coquis, Kelvin McDonald, who is hitting .315 with 9 HR and 44 RBI... and he looks at a full count change for strike three...

Kentucky's Pedro Rodriguez strides to the batters box, looking determined not to strike out... and yet, he looks at a 2-2 change...

Three strikeouts - all looking for Ashley!!

After half an inning...
IL 0
the SL coming to bat...

[Borealis]

'Old Nick' is on the mound for the IL - representing West Virginia now, with a crazy 14-0 record and a 1.89 ERA, and he'll face Shin Seiki's Logan Malone - with a loud chorus of boos filling the park...

Malone looks at a 1-2 pitch from Enriquez and he lines it up the middle for a lead off single...

That brings to the plate the powerful Steve Boyer - who takes strike one, with Malone going on the first pitch - stealing second easily!

Boyer gets an inside pitch, but he inside-outs the swing to third, where Cedeno fields a short hop and fires to first for the out...

Yakamochi Kobayashi, the 3B from Crystal Lake comes to the plate. He rolls one to short on a 1-1 pitch, Malone rushing to third - Mateo looks, but decides to take the share out at first, with Malone standing on third...

Enriquez gets out of the mess as Bakersfiled's Raul Ortega swings and misses an 0-2 pitch to end the inning...

After 1...
No score...

[Borealis]

Coming in after the fine effort by Ashley - and to a rousing standing ovation, is former-Aurora ace and now Niihama-shi Ghost, Randy 'Tugboat' Smith to pitch the second inning. He will face Monnington, 'Poseidon' and Cedeno...

The Calzones Monnington swings at the first offering from 'Tugboat' and grounds it slowly to Kobayashi, who fires quickly to first - high, but Ohayashi stretches for it and keeps his foot on the bag for the first out...

That brings Roberto Garcia, yesterday's Home run Champion to the plate. He grounds it up the middle, Toyama's 'El Cid' ranges over, smoothly grabs it and fires to first in time to get Garcia. Two down...

Luis Cedeno, the high-price free agent signing last season for San Antonio makes it to the plate, and patiently works the count full against Randy Smith before looking at ball four, wide...

Coming to the plate is the Statesmen 1B Norberto Escamilla. He lines a 2-0 pitch down the right field line - Cedeno rounds second and heads to third... Escamilla has double in his eyes and steams towards second - Figueroa up with the ball, fires to second - OUT!!!!

A beautiful throw by the Evas' right fielder saves the day for 'Tugboat' whose last (surly) All-Star appearance is a shut-out inning.

Heading to the bottom of 2...
No score...

[Borealis]

Coming out of the bullpen is Florida's young ace, Luppe 'Terrible' van Dam and he'll face the man of the moment, Shin Seiki's Antonio Figueroa, who for now has kept this game scoreless...

Luppe looks strong, as he blows three pitches by Figueroa for the first out...

Next up is long-time Sandgnat catcher and now Badger DH, Tony Parker, the 2029 All-Star MVP when the game was in Fargo. Parker grounds an 0-2 pitch in the hole at short, but 'Ogre' glides over and snags it, with a strong throw getting Parker easily for the second out...

Speaking of Fargo, Fernando Valdez, the Dinouars' catcher is up. Valdez swings at the first pitch and loops one out to right field in front of a charging McDonald, falling for a base hit...

Reno's Ohayashi comes to the plate, to a round of applause, and he bounces one past Titmus into right field. Valdez heads for third, McDonald with a strong throw - but it's late, Valdez is at third, Ohayashi stays at first with a single - first and third, two outs...

That brings to the plate Toyama's Rodrigo 'El Cid' Vasquez - also to a roaring round of applause and the Japanese crowd seems to love the players of Japanese decent or from the Rising Sun clubs - save, of course, those from Shin Seiki...

'El Cid' works a full count before taking an inside pitch from van Dam - loading the bases for the top of the order and Logan Malone...

Malone takes a strike before grounding one sharply right at Titmus, who fields it and gets Malone at first to end the inning...

After 2...
No Score...

[Hitmen]

Love reading through these Mike appreciate the work.

[Borealis]

Coming on to pitch the third for the SL is Crystal Lakes Dean McNeil, and he'll face Titmus, Villanueva and Mateo...

Taylor Titmus - a late starting sub for the IL steps in to face McNeil - and he looks at a 2-2 curve for strike three...

Journeyman catcher, San Antonio's, Luis Villanueva is up next. He lifts a lazy fly on a 1-2 pitch to right, where Figueroa takes care of it for out number two...

Ricardo Mateo, Havana's shortstop comes up for his second at bat - looking to improve upon the first... And he does! A 2-2 pitch hit deep into the left field stands - 392 feet - and the Imperial League has a 1-0 lead!

McNeil snaps at the ball the ump tosses to him and turns his back to the mound, cursing himself, as Kelvin McDonald comes to the plate.

McDonald battle McNeil to a full count, before hitting a lazy fly to center for the third out...

Heading to the bottom of 3...
IL 1
SL 0

[Arroyos]

I’m enraptured, ensnared, utterly engaged so much so I have forgot to breathe! More, Mike, bring it on!

[Borealis]

Ramon Gonzales of the Thoroughbreds comes on as the third IL pitcher of the night to face Boyer, Kobayashi and Ortega...

And right out of the gate, Gonzales can't find the strike zone, walking Boyer on four pitches...

Kobayashi comes to the plate, and Gonzales finds the strike zone - but a 1-2 pitch finds too much - the Sandgnats third basemen OBLITERATES the ball - 448 feet with of obliteration!! The fans go crazy as he rounds the bases - and the SL takes a 2-1 lead...

Raul Ortega comes to the plate and is swinging at the first pitch, and rolls one just past Ramon, and Mateo can't get there fast enough - Raul Ortega has himself an infield single...

Antonio Figueroa is also swinging at the first pitch, lining it up the middle for a single, Ortega stopping at second, and Villanueva walking to the mound to converse with the Kentucky pitcher...

Tony Parker comes to the plate, and a more composed looking Gonzales blows a 2-2 pitch past him for the first out...

But with Fernando Valdez at the plate, Gonzales fails to find the zone again - walking Valdez on four pitches to load the bases...

Reno slugger Ohayashi comes to the plate - and a buzz comes through the stands - already one Japanese slugger has homered in the inning, anticipation of another...

But perhaps feeling that energy causes Ohayashi to overswing and pop it up to Cedeno for the second out...

Toyama's shortstop comes to the plate and Gonzales is looking to end this nightmare inning. With the count full, Vasquez grounds it to Taylor Titmus for the third out...

After three...
SL 2
IL 1

[Borealis]

Reno ace Angel Valdez comes on to pitch the fourth for the SL, the 34-year old having an outstanding season for the Zephyrs...

Kentucky's Pedro Rodriguez leads it off, hoping to make up for his team mates bottom of the third, but on a 1-2 pitch he rolls a slow one to Malone at second, who makes the quick throw to get the innings first out...

That brings up CF Peter Monnington, the IL home run leader at the mid-season break. He goes the opposite way with the first pitch he sees from Valdez, and loops it into left for a 1-out single...

'Poseidon' Garcia comes to the plate for the IL, looking to get the IL back on top. He gets a fastball, but up in the zone - too high perhaps, and pops it up to first, instead of over the fence. Two down...

Valdez looks in at Luis Cedeno, as he confidently strides to the plate. Swinging at a 2-0 pitch, he hits a soft liner - but right at Ortega in center for the third out...

Heading to the bottom of four...
SL 2
IL1

[Borealis]

The new pitcher for the IL is one who is familiar with some of these SL hitters - Amsterdam's 'JT' - John Turner, who spent time with Aurora, has taken the mound, and he'll face the top of the order, Logan Malone.

Malone swings at a 1-2 pitch and hits a duck snort over the shortstops head - Mateo grabs it on a bounce and turns quickly, ready to fire to second, but Malone is happy to stay at first...

Reno's Boyer is up next, working a 2-2 count, in anticipation that Malone might bolt for second - which he doesn't, before he lifts a fly ball to shallow center, handled easily by Monnington...

Kobayashi - the games hitting hero thus far, comes up and swings at a 1-0 pitch, grounding it to short - Mateo has it, flips to Titmus for the force, but the fleet Malone disrupts Titmus enough he can't get a throw off, but they get the second out of the inning...

Raul Ortega, the Bears outfielder comes to the plate, lining a 2-1 pitch towards the right-center gap, but Monnington is there for the third out...

Heading to the fifth...
SL 2
IL 1

[Borealis]

Changes abound for the SL as we open the fifth. Aurora's Henry Cluett takes the mound in his first All-star appearance. Out in the field, Palm Springs Pablo Ortiz takes over at second, Neo-Tokyo's Tomas Martinez races out to left in place of Boyer - the fans in the left-field stands giving him an ovation, Shin Seiki's Antonio Santos takes over at third and Kalamazoo's Ruben Jimenez takes over in center for Ortega.

Cluett faces Noberto Escamilla to start the fifth. Noberto swings at the first pitch and lifts it to the warning track in right, but Figueroa chases it down at the wall. One down...

That brings up Taylor Titmus. He, too, swings at the first pitch, and rolls it to second, where Ortiz handles his first chance...

Luis Villanueva comes up for what is likely his last AB. Like Noberto and Taylor before him, Luis swings at Cluett's first pitch, lining a fly yo right-center, that Jimenez handles easily... That's a 3-pitch inning for Aurora's young star...

Heading to B5...
SL 2
IL 1

[Borealis]

West Virginia's Pat Willis leads mass changes for the IL - San Juan's Roberto Salazar comes on to replace 'Ogre', 'Doppler' - West Virginia's Javier Drake comes on for McDonald, Kentucky rookie Antonio Canseco will replace Peter Monnington, London's Jose 'Casino' Aguilera will replace Roberto Garcia, and Alejandro Lujan - the Alleghenies great hitter, will replace Cedeno as will catcher German Hernandez replace Villanueva...

And, for the SL - pinch-hitting for Figueroa is Aurora's Shane Willis, formerly of the Codgers. Willis takes a ball from Willis before lining a ball down the line at third - Lujan dives, knocks it down, but he can't corral it - Shane Willis has a leadoff single...

Up next, pinch-hitting for Tony Parker is Madison's Ramon 'Ghost' Guzman. Guzman takes the first pitch for a ball - with Willis breaking for second - German's throw - and Willis is out! on the steal attempt...

With the count 2-1, Guzman lines one softly to left for a single - if not for Willis' fail attempt, the SL would have some action!

Pinch-hitting for Valdez is Reno catcher Ryan Lambert. Lambert takes a couple of pitches before Guzman takes off on his own steal attempt, Hernandez bounces up for the throw, but the ball pops out of his glove, the 'Ghost' is safe at second. ..

Lambert manages to get the count to full before he grounds it wide of first - Escamilla grabs it, tosses it to Pat Willis covering for the second out...

Yuma's Andres Hernandez comes on to hit for Ohayashi - the crowd filled with a smattering of jeers. The impatient Arroyo swings at the first pitch, driving it over the head of Canseco, but he's able to haul it in...

After 5...
SL 2
IL 1

[Alleghenies]

Team Allegheny!!!