2038 All-Star Game

[Board of the PEBA]

San Juan starter Rory Soutar makes the start for the IL, and it's Okinawa 1B Javier Aguilar to start things for the SL...

Aguilar swings at the first pitch and loops one into center - to far away from Knoop to make a play - and we have the first hit of this game...

Next up, and to a thunderous ovation, John MacVurich of the host Ghosts... He grounds a 1-2 pitch to third, slowly hit, van Wondel gets Aguilarat second, but it was too slow to turn two - MacVurich is she at first...

That brings Duluth's young beast, Antonio Herrera to the plate... Herrera swings at the first pitch and scalds a 1-hopper in the hole, past Perez - to hot for MacVurich to advance any further than second...

Jin-song Zambrano comes to the plate to an even more boisterous greeting that his teammate at second, with the first chance with a runner in scoring position... He watches the first pitch for a ball, the lines one, over the head of Zak Osmund - but not far enough! Osmund makes the catch, but he has no chance to prevent MacVurich from tagging up and heading to third - but now there's two outs...

Rory Soutar bears down against the Bakersfield Bear Julio Jaramillo, and with the count full, Jaramillo sings at a 98-mph fastball up - and strikes out.

Heading to the T1...

IL - 0, SL - 0

[Board of the PEBA]

The top of the second is delayed for a full 2-minutes as the crowd rises in unison and screams, pounds drums and shows their love for the new SL pitcher in the game - Niihama's own Fernando Valdez. And it's no slouch the he faces to lead off...

Vito van Wondel steps in, looking non-plussed by the raucous... and with adrenaline pumping, the young Valdez walks the Farstriders star on a 3-1 pitch that misses wide...

That brings Eric Nelson to the plate, the Claymore's 2B who is having a monstrous break-out year - hitting .347 with 25 HR... Valdez gets the count to his favor, at 0-2 - AND HE HITS Nelson with an up and in fastball. Just like that, the IL is in business...

New Jersey's Don Washington get's the IL's first chance to get a run on the board... AND Valdez walks him!!!

The bases loaded - all due to the Ghosts own efforts.

Here comes the veteran SS Jose Perez of Florida... He lines an 0-1 pitch on a hop to Velasquez - he deeks Nelson into thinking it's caught, so the bases remain loaded and the IL are on the board...

New Orleans catcher Freddy Morales is up next and he lofts a 1-0 pitch to right, Sanu grabs it - Nelson breaks for the plate - Sanu's throw - IT'S TOO HIGH!! It get's past Pedro Hernandez - and both runners move up to 2nd and 3rd... it's now 2-0 and the SL is killing itself...

Zak Osmund digs in, looking to make it a painful inning for Valdez... AND THE PITCH GETS BY HERNANDEZ - a passed ball - Washington scores, and Perez moves to third...

Osmund grounds a hot shot down the 3rd base line, but Herrera grabs it - Perez opts to hold the bag, as Herrera makes the play to first...

Two down, and it's back to the top of the order and Jose Rios... and on a 2-1 pitch he grounds it to second, Ryozo Kouyama grabs it and makes the play to first - but it's an ugly inning for the SL...

3-runs on 1-hit for the IL...

On to the B2...

IL- 3, SL - 0

[Board of the PEBA]

Coming in now for the IL is West Virginia's hot starter, Manny Garcia, and he has Toyama's Kouyama coming up first...

Ryozo has shown great power for the Wind Dancers and gets a nice round of applause from the usually unfriendly crowd... Kouyama swings at a 2-2 pitch and lifts it into shallow left-center, and Gordon Knoop races in with ease to make the play...

Next up, catcher Pedro Hernandez of Okinawa - to a smattering of boos, as the catcher had a rough top half of the inning... He chases a 2-2 fastball - a 101-mph up in the zone, for strike three...

That brings to the plate Crystal Lake's Masami Sanu, who no doubt is looking to make up for his errant throw... But he hit's a high fly to center, and Knoop has no problems with it, for out number 3...

On to the 3rd...

IL - 3, SL - 0

[Board of the PEBA]

It will be Yuma's young are Many Sun coming on in relief to start the third and it's Gordon Knoop to greet him...

Knoop swings at a 0-1 pitch and drives a sinking liner to left, but it's an easy play for Juan Velasquez...

Rocky Nichols comes to the plate, looking to get another rally going... but he pops a 1-2 pitch up on the infield and it's Kouyama calling for it and he makes the grab...

With two-down it's Vito going up for the IL... Sun works the count full, and thanks to van Wondel swinging at a pitch in, he grounds it to short, where Zambrano easily make the play...

On to the B3...

IL - 3, SL - 0

[Board of the PEBA]

Coming out of the 'pen to pitch the 3rd for the IL is Gloucester's Norishige Ito and he'll face Velasquez and the top of the SL line-up...

The Duluth LF digs in for his first AB... Ito struggles with his control and on 3-1 throws a knuckle ball that misses inside at 68-mph... The SL have a base runner...

Javier Aguilar looks to get a second hit in this All-Star Game... the SL looking to take advantage of the knuckleballer, and missing on a 2-0 pitch, Velasquez takes off for second, without a throw... Aguilar pulls Ito's next offering to second, Nelson makes the play, but Velasquez moves to third...

The crowd cheers as MacVurich comes up, 1-out and a runner on third - hoping their hero will drive in a run... but MacVurich is patient and watches the count go full before Ito misses wide for ball four...

Runners at 1st and 3rd - the SL with a chance to get the game even with Antonio Herrera coming up...

BOOM! HE HITS IT HIGH... HE HITS IT DEEP... Don Washington turns and watches it sail over his head - 383' - and we are tied!!!

Zambrano is next, and he's looking to keep the rally going... but he swings through a 1-2 knuckleball for strike three...

Julio Jaramillo is next... and he looks really confused - watching three knuckleballs, but swinging through three - ending the inning...

But the SL get the three back, thanks to Herrera...

on to the 4th...

IL - 3 SL - 3...

[Board of the PEBA]

The SL has one of the best young arms in all of baseball coming in to pitch the 4th - Reno's Jose Ojeda, and it's a familiar face for Ojeda as Eric Nelson comes to the plate...

Ojeda get's the count to 2-2, then watches as Nelson swings through a 90-mph slider for out #1...

That brings Don Washington to the plate... Washington swings at the first offering from Ojeda and lines it to the gap in left-center, Velasquez ambles over - BUT IT"S OVER HIS HEAD! and Washington cruises into second with a double...

Jose Perez has the chance to put the IL back on top... But the Farstriders SS dribbles it back to the mound - Ojeda checks Washington at second - who jukes it a little, trying to distract the Zephyrs ace, but in the end, the play is made at first...

Now there's two-down and Freddy Morales looking to get the big hit... but after working the count full, he watches a splitter down the middle of the plate for strike three...

A threat by the IL, but they come out empty...

on to the B4...

IL - 3, SL - 3

[Board of the PEBA]

It's Yasuoka Seki of New Jersey who comes in to pitch the bottom of the fourth along with the 'Ogre' - Havana's Ricardo Mateo coming in to play short and Charleston's Michael Nunez to take over in LF...

Ryozo Kouyama is up for the SL... on a 2-1 pitch he gets a fastball in and he TURNS ON IT... DOWN THE LINE... HOOKIING... FAIR!!! A HOME RUN!!! to start the 4th!!

Pedro Hernandez comes on, still hurting from that earlier inning... He swings at the first pitch and fists it into right field, for a soft single - and that bat died a hard death...

That brings up Sanu... BOOM!!!! On the first pitch... DEEP INTO LEFT-CENTER AND GONE!!! a 2-run shot 397' from home plate and the The Maze is living up to it's reputation!!!

It's now 6-3 SL... with Velasquez coming up...

And he crushes a 1-0 pitch, but Nunez races back to the track and makes the catch...

That brings up the top of the order and Aguilar... He slaps the first pitch to third, where van Wondel makes a nifty pick-up ad the play to first - two down... and MacVurich is up...

The Ghosts' DH lines a 1-0 pitch into the gap in right center, where it's picked up by Knoop, thrown into second, but it's an easy double...

Seki looks in trouble, with Herrera up - and the count goes full, but Seki misses with ball 4 - perhaps more of a case of pitching around in fear...

But in an All-Star game, pitching around and fear is never a good sign... Here comes Zambrano to yet another loud ovation for a Niihama player...

Seki get's out of it, Zambrano popping a 1-2 change up into shallow center for the third out...

It's a big 3-run inning for the SL...

on to the 5th...

IL - 3, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

One Desert Hills pitcher follows the other as Tempe Apollo starter Donnie Wheeler is next up for the SL with a load of changes... Augusto Castaneda is in at 1st, We are told that Shin Seiki's Raul Rodriguez will be the new DH, German Lima of Crystal Lake will take over at third, and Codger SS Benjamin Gentileschi is coming in for Zambrano...

Coming up to face Wheeler is Zak Osmund... Osmund swings at the first pitch and grounds it to short - Gentileschi gathers and throws - OUT at first!

It's Jose Rios's spot at the top of the order, but it's Kentucky's Dan Gore coming on... Gore swings at a 2-2 pitch and lines it to left for a hit - and the IL have something afoot...

Coming out of the dugout to hit for Gordon Knoop is Gore's teammate, Pedro Bermudez... and with the count 1-2, Pedro looks at a change on the inside corner for strike three - he sure looked fooled on that one...

This time it's Victorino Anaya, the San Antonio Calzone who is coming up to hit for Nichols... he swings at a 0-1 pitch and grounds it to 3rd - Lima fields it cleanly and whips it to second for the force, and the inning is over...

A hit for the IL, but nothing else...

on to the 6th...

IL - 3, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

Havana's Masahiro Maruyama is on to pitch for the IL, along with a few other changes - Amsterdam's Jorge Aguilar comes on for Vito at third, Dave Pacheco, the SS for West Virginia is on for Nelson, London catcher Mike Roberts is on, and Manchester OF Pablo Orocumoijca...

For the SL, it's Aurora's Angel Silva coming out of the dugout to lead off the bottom of the 5th... The Aurora star looks at three pitch, and all three strikes...

This time it's Silva's teammate, 2B Ruben Ortega - having a banner year for the Borealis, coming in for Kouyama... Ortega swings at a 1-0 pitch and nubs it towards first - Maryuama hops off the mound, grabs it and whirls a throw to first for the second out...

Dominic Culpepper, Duluth's catcher, is coming out for the SL to hit and catch the remainder of the game... he pulls a 1-0 pitch wide of third, but Aguilar makes the play...

3-up, 3-down... on to the 6th...

IL - 3, SL - 6...

[Board of the PEBA]

Madison's Seong-chin Kim will be the new pitcher for the SL in the 6th with Niihama's Howard Stowe and Okinawa's Dan Bean coming in to replace Sanu and Velasquez...

The Amsterdam Lions 3B Jorge Aguilar is coming up... and after working it full, he get's jammed with a 100-mph fastball and lifts it lazily to left, where Dan Bean makes the play...

Next up is Dave Pacheco of the red-hot Alleghenies... and he swings at the first pitch - an 82-mph change - and DRIVES IT TO THE GAP! in right center - and he chugs around the bases to third with a triple!!!

Michael Nunez, the Statesmen's young outfielder comes up for his first AB, with a chance to inch the IL closer... he lifts an 0-1 pitch up to shallow center - 'Otter' races in and makes the catch and fires it to second - Pacheco is forced to hold...

It's up to Mateo if the IL is to score... and 'Ogre' RIPS IT FAIR down the 3rd base line - Pacheco scores easily, Bean picks it up in the corner and gets the ball in - it's a double for the long-time vet of the Havana Leones... it’s now 6-4…

Can London's Mike Roberts - the 'Other' Mike Roberts, keep the rally going... Kim's first pitch is bounced in the dirt and scouts by Culpepper - score that a wild pitch as Mateo heads to third... but on a 2-2 pitch, It's rolled to Ortega at second, who makes the play to first - and the inning is over...

But it's a run closer for the SL...

on to the B6...

IL - 4, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

It's Arlington's Blaine Julian coming on for the IL, with Harold Stowe to greet him...

Stowe works the count to 3-1, but despite the advantage, he pops it to short, where Mateo makes the play...

Next up, Dan Bean, the Shisa OF... He swings at the first pitch and lifts a fly ball to center that Pedro Bermudez doesn't even have to move for - two-down...

That brings Madison's Augusto Castaneda to the plate... He lines a 2-2 pitch down the right-field line, foul, but Orocumojica makes the grab...

1-2-3... on to the 7th...

IL-4, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

Neo-Tokyo reliever Senzo Matsu gets a polite Japanese welcome as he comes in for the 7th, and it's Pablo Orocumojica, the Manchester Mauler man due to lead-off the inning...

Pablo rolls a 1-0 pitch past Matsu - Ortega comes in and grabs it and flips to first - SAFE! Pablo beats it out...

Next up - the Thorobreds' Dan Gore, who can tie this game with one swing... Matsu let's a wold one get by way above Culpepper head - nearly beaning the umpire, as the ball flies to the backstop - with Orocumojica talking second... With two strikes, Gore lifts one to left - Orocumojica has to hold and make sure it drops - and it does!! But Pablo can only get to third...

That's 1st and 3rd for the IL and Matsu is in trouble...

Here comes Bermudez with the chance to tie the game... but he is able to work a walk on a 3-2 pitch - and the bases are loaded...

Victorino Anaya is up, the Calzone, and the SL has chosen to play the infield in! with the two run lead...

On a 2-2 pitch Anaya lifts it to center - Silva comes in - Orocumojica bluffs breaking towards home - but Silva throws in behind Bermudez at first - SAFE!! Just barely...

Now it's Aguilar's turn - mysteriously the SL continues to play the infield in... and it looks like it pays off - Aguilar grounds a 1-1 pitch right at Ortega, who fields it cleanly to get the force at home, but Culpepper's throw to first is tardy - two down, but the IL still have a shot...

Dave Pacheco is up - and the SL goes to the 'pen and brings in Reno's top pick from 2038 - Anthony Soame to end the threat...

Pacheco works the count full - but swings and misses for strike three - and despite having the bases loaded and no outs, the IL come out empty handed...

It's time for the 7th inning stretch...

IL - 4, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxWdUWbs7y8

[Board of the PEBA]

It's Hartford's Cheong-sang Yun coming in to pitch in the 7th, after a disappointing - for the IL - top half of the inning, and it's Shin Seiki's Raul Rodriguez coming on to lead-off...

AND LISTEN TO THE BOOS COMINg FROM THE GHOST FANS!!!

Rodriguez tips his batting helmet to the crowd and digs in... And Raul watches a 101-mph fastball for a full count-strike three - much to the delirium of the Niihama crowd!!!

Coming out to hit for Lima is Toyama's Yoritomo Maeda... And Maeda swings through a 1-2 curve for strike three...

And that's all for Yun... coming out of the bullpen is the Claymore's Carl Ford...

Palm Springs Gentileschi is up... and he swings and misses at an 0-2 pitch...

3-up, 3-swing and misses...

On to the 8th - time running out for the IL...

IL - 4, SL - 6

[Board of the PEBA]

The pitching changes will come fast and furious as Aurora's 'Werewolf', Toshikuni Kichida comes on to face Nunez...

And on the first pitch, Kichida hits Nunez... That will bring the tying run to the plate...

And it won't be Mateo coming up - out of the dugout pops 'XXX', Michael Roberts...

Robert's shows patience - at at 2-2 gets his pitch - but he rolls it to short - Gentileschi to Ortega - one - on to Castaneda at first - TWO! A DOUBLE PLAY!!! a crushing blow...

It'll be a pitching change for the SL and Jesus Carlos of Kalamazoo comes on to face Mike Roberts... and this Roberts also puts the ball on the ground - to Maeda, who makes the easy play to end the inning...

on to the B8...

IL - 4, SL - 6