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Manchester Express 2003 (Cont.)

Game Seven and Eight : Bolton Brewers - by Roger Young

The Express beat Bolton 24-3 (5 innings) and 18-8 (6 innings), the first a no-hitter pitched by Jonny Woodall, with former A's player Barry Joyce recording the loss. In the second Mark picked up the win with 2 innings with Matt getting a save for relieving for the last innings after Mark suffered a recurrence of a shoulder injury. Usual Bolton starter Jay Sherlock recorded the loss as Bolton held back their stronger players for the second game of the DH. The Express were tired after 2 games in the sun but the offense was really on fire all day and held of any thoughts of a slip up in the second match. The offense was led by Roger (7 hits from 9 ABs), Mark (6 from 8), Luis (5 from 8) and Jonny (5 from 9) in the two games. Updated stats here and records here

Express at Bolton

Game Nine : Shropshire Panthers - by Roger Young

The Express still on the road took on their third longest trip to the 'field' of the league leaders the Shropshire Panthers. A great tight game of baseball saw the Panthers triumph 9-7 (9 innings).

With Dimo on the mound for the Express and manager Jon Peachment for Panthers there was nothing happening in the first 3 innings (bar a change from vinyl to leather baseballs after the 2nd innings). The 3rd innings finally saw the scorers' troubled with Roger crashing a shot to the infamous LF fence, it looked short but an error from the LF saw Roger reach 2nd, he was immediately brought home by Yang to see the Express take an early lead. With Yobert then hitting a 2 RBI single, 3 Runs were scored at the top of the 4th, but the Panthers responded with 4 of their own, helped by an uncharacteristic pitcher error that saw an easy double play thrown away over the 2nd baseman's head.

The Express weren't trailing for long after Ramon beat a close call at 1st to lead off the next innings, he was then brought home by a crushing line drive home run over RF by Luis (his 4th of the year). This caused a lot of excitement by some of the Panthers' players who seemed to think the umpire had helped give the Express the lead. No more runs were scored by the Express in the 5th but they took the lead 5-4, only for 2nd baseman James Arnold to match Luis (in result if not trajectorary) with a 2 run homer over RF to put the Panthers back in front.

The Express leveled again in the 6th but the Panthers were now upping the pressure and after they took the lead once more in the bottom of the 6th a pitching change saw Pedro Ibanez close the Express out with only 1 run more added in the last 3 innings. The Panthers took their one run lead into the 8th when the Express gave them an extra run with an catcher error. So 2 runs were then needed by the Express in the 9th to take it to extra innings, but yet another Express line drive picked out a fielder (this time SS) for a good catch, and then an attempt to do it alone saw Dimo fall to LF, with Mike then (just) grounding out the end the game. Dimo went the distance for the Express but they failed against (just) to beat the Panthers. Updated stats here and records here.

Ramon whistling his way to 2nd

Dimo Pitching

Game Ten : Sheffield Bladerunners - by Roger Young

The Express still on the road took on their fourth away DH in 5 weeks, this time to the improved field of the the Sheffield Bladerunners. The first game saw a tight game of defensive baseball, the Express scoring a single in the first innings on a walk from Dave (Gould) and sacrificies from Yang and Roger, and then held that lead until the 5th when the Express hitters finally got on top of the Sheffield pitcher scoring 5 runs. In defense Jonny had given up no hits, but gave way to manager Roger (in his 100th game for MBC) in the bottom of the 5th, he walked the first 3 batters who all scored, but the Express closed that innings with no more runs conceded and restored their 6 runs lead in the top of the 6th. Roger then apart from giving up a 2 run homer in the 7th to Bjon Christensen helped the Express hold that advantage and close out the Bladerunners 11-5. Jonny got the win, Roger the save and Andy Beacon the loss.

Game Eleven : Sheffield Bladerunners - by Roger Young

In the second game the Express started as they finished the first with Roger still on the mound and James Eaton still behind the plate having impressed at the end of the first game - his first senior appearance. Roger pitched the first 2 innings and he then gave way to Matt in the bottom of the 3rd with the score 2-2, Yang having just tied up the game with a solo home run. Then 2 tight innings for both sides saw Sheffield take a slender 1 run lead into the top of the 5th when another 5 run innings saw the Express take a comfortable lead, 5 more were then added in the 6th and 3 in the 7th as Express took the field in the bottom of the 7th and final innings with a 15-6 lead. Closing out the game should have been a formality, but Matt and the infield were tiring and Sheffield refused to read the script and staged a late great rally. With 8 of the first 9 Bladerunners scoring they closed the game to 14-15 with just 1 out, the Express then turned to Yang who would have pitched in the first game were it not for a shoulder injury. The 2nd out came quickly forced out at 3rd, but then with the winning run at the plate and the tying run at 2nd, a hit to center field saw the runner try to make it home from 2nd. The Bladerunners were close, but now it was Mark who hadn't read the script and despite a shoulder injury gunned it straight to Yobert at home to get the final out at the plate, an exciting finish to a great day. Matt got the win, Yang the save at the death and Jim Ellis the loss.

Thanks are due to Sheffield for a friendly well officiated DH on a hot sunny day and for laying on a BBQ between games. Updated stats here.
Stats: In the first game Roger joined fellow Express player Dave (Gould) on 100 MBC league games and in the second Yang recorded his first home run for MBC, while Luis hit 5 doubles in the day. Updated records here.

Game Twelve : Shropshire Pumas - by Roger Young

The Express beat the Shropshire Pumas 20-1 (7 innings) putting on a great defensive display. In a battle of the managers Roger pitched a complete game for the Express allowing just 2 BBs in the 1st and 2 Hits in the 7th, with 5 innings of 3 up 3 down baseball in between, while Ashley Smith recorded the loss for the Pumas. Not a single K was recorded as the Express infield of Luis/Mark, Yang, Matt and Will made many great plays - the best a double by Will at 3rd, there were also 2 good catches by Jonny in the outfield, plus Dimo threw out 2 (of 6 in total) base runners stealing. In offense Roger led with 5 hits, with Dimo and Will recording 2 each.

Matt stealing second

Express players against Pumas

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