New Orleans Neutralizes Bureaucrat Bats in Elimination Game

[DanD]

10/11/2008: New Orleans, LA – Conan McCullough pitched a masterpiece in the final game of the divisional series against the Arlington Bureaucrats. McCullough allowed just 2 hits and a walk over 8 innings, striking out 8 in the process. David Olivas finished the series with a scoreless ninth inning. The Trendsetters pounded out 13 hits and 4 extra base hits, scoring 6 times. Catcher Jeff Cline was named series MVP. He batted .524 with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, and 4 runs scored.

The scoring started in the bottom of the second inning. Augusto Valdéz led off with a deep triple to right center. In fact he just missed a home run by just a few feet. Leonard Martin hit almost the same shot as Valdéz, but over the wall. Jorge Ruíz scored the third run of the inning by walking, stealing second, and running his butt off on an infield single to short.

New Orleans scored another run in the third inning with three singles. Todd Hansen scored in the fourth after reaching on an error. He moved to third on a double by Cline and touched home plate on a sacrifice fly to left field. Valdéz finished the scoring in the fifth with a deep home run to right field, measuring 452 feet.

The Bureaucrats played one of their worst games of the year. The defense yielded 2 errors. Starting pitcher Michael Bender gave up 6 hits, 3 walks, and a balk in just 4 innings of work. Batters delivered just 2 hits and walks while hitting into 2 double plays. This is not kind of effort the Bureaucrats needed. The sour taste of this loss will last a long time, roughly 5 months until the next season starts.

[John]

That was one heck of a series. McCullough saved the day for New Orleans, but Arlington served notice that they're not to be ignored. Last year the Pan-Atlantic was New Jersey and 5 other teams. Not so anymore. Arlington is for real, Gloucester has come out of nowhere to become a power, Manchester has made great strides, and London has a nice pipeline for the future. All of a sudden that division is a lot more interesting.

[DanD]

Good luck to New Orleans (IE beat NJ). I don't hate NJ... too much. I just think of you in the same sentence as "Hawk" Harrelson. If you're from Cleveland you understand. Good luck to NJ as well... Not so much. GDF Pale Hose!!!

[John]

A rivalry is born!