The series moves to Game Five and the two teams find themselves knotted at two wins apiece. After back-to-back convincing wins by the Aarons to start the series it.s been all Mayses in the last two games. But, starting today it all begins anew. Game One starters, Martinez and Vazquez, reprise their roles and if things go like they did before the Aarons will wrestle the All Star trophy back from the Mayses. Is Vazquez better than the pitcher the Aarons pounded in the first game? Or, do the Aarons have his number? In any event, neither manager should ever again call upon the services of Mantei or Marte whose ERAs are 27.00 and 40.50 respectively for the series.
Game Five takes place in Paris, France. France, the birthplace of the Statue of Liberty and the phrase "vive la difference", welcomes American baseball and it's gaggle of ABA general managers. Asked about the current strained relations between the United States and France ABA gm Tom Dymek replied, "French wine and French girls! I say let bygones be bygones." Well said Mr. Dymek. Edelsberg on the other hand offered an opposing view, "I can live on Budweiser and Hooters girls. I don't need the stinkin' French!" Our guess is Mr. Edelsberg skipped Les Miserables on Broadway.
The Aarons drew first blood in this relatively undramatic fifth game. Sheffield doubled and was singled home by Aaron Boone. Martinez was a little erratic, surrendering three hits and two walks through three innings, but it was still a surprise to see him lifted to start the 4th. While the Mayses were doing their best impersonation of the Maginot Line Aaron Boone struck again by doubling home Barry Bonds after he walked to open the 6th inning. In their one moment of utter stupidity Aarons sent out Mantei to pitch the bottom of the 6th. Pujols instantly took him downtown. In the top of the 7th Reyes got his second hit and first RBI of the series when he singled in Kendall who had doubled. From their the Aarons combination of Cormier, Borowski, and Gagne totally shut down the Mayses allowing just one baserunner. Aaron Boone had his third gwrbi of the series making a bid for MVP.
As for the French, they seemed somewhat unimpressed. As one Parisian put it on his way out, "Thees Maysies, they- how you say eet, suck," then quickly added "Dymek suce aussi!"
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2003 Aarons 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 9 1 6 0
2003 Mayses 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 0 7 0
Aarons AB R H BI AVG Mayses AB R H BI AVG
Ichiro cf 5 0 0 0 .364 Anderson cf 4 0 1 0 .286
Gagne p 0 0 0 0 .000 Tejada ss 4 0 0 0 .211
Reyes ss 4 0 1 1 .095 Blalock 3b 3 0 1 0 .150
Cormier p 0 0 0 0 .000 Renteria ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Castillo 2b 0 0 0 0 .000 Baerga 3b 0 0 0 0 .000
Bonds lf 3 1 0 0 .222 Pujols lf 3 1 1 1 .111
Delgado 1b 3 0 0 0 .250 Soriano 2b 4 0 0 0 .167
Sheffield rf 4 1 2 0 .421 Helton 1b 3 0 0 0 .267
Boone 2b 4 1 3 3 .368 Ordonez rf 3 0 1 0 .294
Borowski p 0 0 0 0 .000 Kershner p 0 0 0 0 .000
Beltran cf 0 0 0 0 .000 Ortiz ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Pierzynski c 3 0 1 0 .421 Posada c 4 0 0 0 .333
Mantei p 0 0 0 0 .000 Vazquez p 2 0 1 0 .667
Rodriguez ss 1 0 0 0 .000 Nixon rf 1 0 0 0 .000
Rolen 3b 4 0 0 0 .316 33 1 5 1
Martinez p 1 0 1 0 .200
Turnbow p 1 0 0 0 .000
Kendall c 2 1 1 0 .667
35 4 9 4
Aarons INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Martinez 3.0 3 0 0 2 3 65 42 1.64
Turnbow W 1-0 2.0 0 0 0 0 2 29 19 0.00
Mantei H 1 1.0 1 1 1 0 1 17 10 19.29
Cormier H 1 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 12 8 0.00
Borowski H 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 13 7 6.00
Gagne S 2 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 11 8 0.00
9.0 5 1 1 2 9 147 94
Mayses INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Vazquez L 0-2 6.2 8 4 4 1 5 104 68 9.58
Kershner 2.1 1 0 0 1 2 33 21 3.18
9.0 9 4 4 2 7 137 89
AD : Kendall inserted at c in the 6th
Rodriguez inserted at ss in the 7th
Castillo inserted at 2b in the 8th
Beltran inserted at cf in the 9th
MD : Nixon inserted at rf in the 7th
Renteria batted for Blalock in the 8th
Baerga inserted at 3b in the 9th
Ortiz batted for Kershner in the 9th
E-Reyes. 2B-Sheffield 2, Boone, Kendall, Anderson, Blalock. HR-Boone(1),
Pujols(1). CS-Sheffield. K-Ichiro 2, Reyes 2, Delgado 2, Boone, Anderson,
Tejada, Soriano 2, Ordonez, Posada 3, Ortiz. BB-Bonds, Delgado, Pujols,
Helton. BALK-Vazquez.
GWRBI: Boone
Temperature: 68, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 8 MPH.
Free Socialist Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2003 Aarons 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 9 1 6 0
2003 Mayses 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 0 7 0
Aarons -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Ichiro cf 1>k 46/f 43 3/g.2-3 k
Gagne p
Reyes ss 3 bk.1-2 k S.3-H
k
Cormier p
Castillo 2b
Bonds lf 7 8 6>W Kershner
4/L
Delgado 1b 2>8 4>k k 8>W
Sheffield rf D 4/L 3 D.1-3
Boone 2b S.2-H HR D.1-H k
Borowski p
Beltran cf
Pierzynski c 4 S 43
Mantei p
Rodriguez ss 42.3XH;2-3
Rolen 3b 8 54/f 7>7 CSH(262)
9>7
Martinez p 3>S
Turnbow p 5>3/L
Kendall c D 31
Mayses -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Anderson cf 1>8 k 5>9 D
Tejada ss 13 53.1-2 53 k
Blalock 3b D e6.2-3;B-1 8
Renteria ph 8>Borowski
6
Baerga 3b
Pujols lf 9 W.1-2 6>Mantei 13
HR
Soriano 2b 2>k 5/L k 31
Helton 1b 7 4>W 4/L 9>Gagne
63
Ordonez rf S Turnbow 43
k
Kershner p
Ortiz ph k
Posada c k k 7>Cormier k
43
Vazquez p 3>S 31
Nixon rf 63
Aarons IN OUT ER Mayses IN OUT ER
Martinez A1 B6 0 Vazquez A1 D2 4 L 0-2
Turnbow B7 C3 0 W 1-0 Kershner D3 E1 0
Mantei C4 C7 1 H 1
Cormier C8 D2 0 H 1
Borowski D3 D5 0 H 1
Gagne D6 D8 0 S 2