The PEBA 2009 All-Star Game: live blog from Aurora

[John]

1-2-3 goes the SL, and we go to the 8th! On comes reliever Salvador Sanchez of Kalamazoo.

[klewis]

Still got some innings left but it looks like the IL does it again! I wonder who will be the MVP/Player of the game. Ha and I'm thankful to see Saunders return to Florida in one piece.

[John]

The 8th inning passes uneventfully. The only action to speak of is a 2-out walk by Reno's Butch Corrigan (pinch hitting for Bakersfield's Pat Lilly). Manchester's Sugimoto Hara relieves Arlington's Hollis Goodwin and retires Kiyomizu to end the inning. We're into the 9th and Aurora closer Mel Kennedy is heading into what is decidedly not a save situation.

[John]

Ruben Cruz promptly follows Jeff Cline's 1-out single with a double play ball. Who here thinks the SL has a 6-run rally in them? Not Manchester's Lorenzo Alvarez, the new pitcher for the IL.

[Tyler]

Let's be honest with ourselves, this was a foregone conclusion.

[Denny]

WE WANT OLLIE

[Ghosts]

WE WANT OLLIE

i second that.

and then jude pew to follow!

FREE. JUDE. PEW.

[John]

What does Lorenzo Alvarez know? He faces one batter, and that batter deposits his 4th pitch over the right field wall. Sure, at just 339' feet it was a typical Northern Lights Park cheapie, but Augusto Quinones won't argue and neither will his appreciative fans. Manager Pat Britt has had quite enough of this and decides to bring down the hammer. In comes closer Andrew Sepkiechler of Gloucester.

[John]

WE WANT OLLIE

Didn't I mention it? "Phenom" pinch hit for Jim White in the 7th and struck out on three pitches. He's currently on deck. First, it's CL's Mark Frazier.

[Denny]

Five runs to go, guys....we can do it!

[John]

Nice leaping grab by Connecticut 2B George John to rob Frazier of a base hit! Okay Denny, here's your big moment... let's hope Morris doesn't think this is a playoff game.

[John]

Well how about that? Morris lines a double down the right field line. We've got Duluth's Pat Holman up next and then back to the top of the order.

[John]

A single by Holman moves Morris up to third. Aurora's Steve McDonald is coming up to bat. SL still needs a couple more runners to make things really interesting.

[Denny]

I was waiting for the haters to emerge I'm tellin' ya, the guy is money!

Or *has* money, anyway

[Denny]

I also echo the calls for one J. Pew of Bakersfield.