MABL CHAMPIONSHIP RUN - 2000

The following summarizes Boston Baseball League, MABL playoff games:

MABL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

YANKEES CROWNED CHAMPIONS!

9/28/00: The Yankees' Bryan Gauvin was today selected as MABL Playoffs MVP. In addition to winning the MABL Cy Young for his regular season performance, Gauvin's pitching was the key to the Yankee's postseason success as he won 5 of the Yankees 7 playoff victories. In his 5-0 playoff record, Gauvin pitched a complete game in each outing while posting a 2.40 ERA and striking out 50 in 35 innings. Gauvin stepped it up in the Championship Series. While posting a 1.50 ERA, the Pirates batting average against Gauvin in 2 games was .182 (10-55). The Pirate's Eric August and Vinny Paquette hit .500 (6-12), while the rest of the Pirates had just 4 hits total over both games.

Game #4 - Yankees 10, Pirates 2 (Yankees win series 3-1). From 1997 to 1999, the Yankees advanced to the Final 4 twice and to the Finals once -- all three times, only to fall just short of a Championship. In 2000, the Yankees defeated the Pirates in four games to become the Boston Baseball League and MABL Champions!

Wednesday night, the Yankees defeated the Pirates 10-2 behind the solid pitching of Bryan Gauvin, who picked up the win and finished with a post-season record of 5-0 (11-0 overall). Mike Moloney, Jeff Coveney and Steve Wall all homered for the Yanks to help seal the victory and win the Championship.


Yankees celebrate victory!
Break out the bubbly for the MABL Champs!

After staking the Pirates to two runs in the first, on a single by Jay O'Brien, a triple by Vinny Paquette, and a single by Eric August, the Yankees dusted off the big sticks and played a little long ball of their own. Greg Crossman lashed a one-out triple, and was quickly brought home on back-to-back homerun blasts by Mike Moloney and Jeff Coveney. The score was 3-2 after the first inning, and the Yankees would never let go of that lead.

In the third inning, Steve Wall made it 4-2 with a solo homerun. In the fourth, Andrew Burton started things with a double. Steve Wall singled, and Pete Mugar loaded the bases with a fielder's choice. Brian Nolan followed with another fielder's choice that brought in a run when the catcher failed to hold onto the ball. Nick Stenzel drove in a run with a fielder's choice, on which a throwing error by the second baseman brought home the third run of the inning.

The Yankees sealed the deal with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Pete Mugar led off the inning by being hit, and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Nick Stenzel walked, and Greg Crossman drove in a run with a single. Mike Moloney followed with a deep triple, scoring both Stenzel and Crossman.

Bryan Gauvin again dominated on the mound. He notched his eleventh victory of the season, fifth of the playoffs, pitching 7 innings, giving up just 2 runs (2 ER) on 5 hits, while walking 3 and striking out 8.

The defense was again solid for the Yankees. In the third inning, Eric August tripled into the trees in right field, but was thrown out at the plate on Greg Crossman's relay from second base. Mike Ganley made a nice one-handed tag to keep the tying run from crossing the plate. In the bottom of the seventh, Steve Wall ran down a sure extra base hit in the right field corner and made a dramatic running catch to end the game and the season.

Congratulations to both the Yankees and Pirates for fantastic seasons.

Game #3 - Yankees 6, Pirates 1 (Yankees lead series 2-1). In an exciting extra inning game, the Yankees beat the Pirates 6-1 to take a 2-1 lead in this Best of 5 Championship Series. Mike Ganely (8IP, 1R, 0ER, 3H, 7K) and league MVP Eric August battled in a classic pitchers duel with a 1-1 game through 7 innings before the Yankees scored 5 times in top of the 8th.

The Pirates took a 1st inning lead when Vin Paquette knocked in Eric August with a 2-out RBI single. After the Yankees scored a run in the middle innings, Ganley and August shut down their opponents until the later innings.

The play of the game occurred in the bottom of the 6th inning. After the Pirate's Jay O'Brien started a two out rally with a double, Shane Guiliano hit a single to left, which looked like it would bring in the go ahead run. Leftfielder Mike Maloney then unloaded a 1-hop strike to catcher Andrew Burton to cut down Guiliano at the plate. Without this play, the Pirates would have gone to win the game 2-1.

The Yankees offense finally came to life in the top of the 8th inning when Brian Nolan and Nick Stenzel set the table with two straight singles. After an intentional walk to Greg Crossman, Mike Maloney delivered the eventual game winning RBI with a single. The Yankees then scored 3 more with RBI singles from Andrew Burton, Mike Ganley and Marty Tourigny. Bill Pappas also drew a key bases loaded walk to bring in another run.

Game #4 probables are Bryan Gauvin for the Yankees and Shayne Guiliano for the Pirates, both who have won games in the MABL Championship Series and are undefeated in the playoffs.


Yankee Mike Moloney throws out what
would have been the Pirates winning run
at the plate in the 6th inning.
Brian Nolan scores the go-ahead run in the
bottom of the eighth inning, making score 2-1.


Game #2 - Yankees 6, Pirates 2 (series tied 1-1). The Yankees evened the best of 5 series at 1-1 in defeating the Pirates 6-2. Bryan Gauvin picked up the win while the injured Jay Day absorbed the loss. The Pirates jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Yankees put three across in the bottom half on triples by Greg Crossman and Jeff Coveney, a single by Mike Moloney, and an RBI groundout by Andrew Burton, making the score 3-1. The Yankees improved the score to 5-1 in the fourth when Steve Wall reached on a throwing error, Wayne Maceyka doubled and Brian Nolan blooped a hit down the right field line to score Wall. Maceyka scored shortly afterward on an errant pick-off attempt at first. In the fifth, the Yankees made it 6-1 when Moloney doubled, Coveney singled and Burton brought in Moloney from third with a sac fly. The Pirates brought it to 6-2 in the top of the sixth after a leadoff triple by Eric August, but that was all Bryan Gauvin would allow. Gauvin allowed just 1 earned run and struck out 10. This post-season in 4 starts, Gauvin is 4-0 with 4 complete games, 42 strikeouts and a 2.50 ERA. Other Yankee notes: Jeff Coveney and Andrew Burton are both batting .571 this post-season (12 of 21).


Bryan Gauvin and Mike Ganley chat
Greg Crossman slides in for a triple


Featuring Championship Gameday Program
and Yankees Chew bubble gum
The most underappreciated boys on the field


Game #1 - Pirates 7, Yankees 0 (Pirates lead series 1-0). The Pirates jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they beat the Yankees in Game #1 of the MABL Championship Series 7-0. Shayne Guiliano pitched the complete game shutout for the win. The defensive play off the game was a throw by Rich Bergskaug from centerfield to nail a Yankee runner at the plate. The Yankees attempted to put some runs on the board in the 7th inning with hits by Greg Crossman and Jeff Coveney, but without luck.


Pirates' Shayne Guiliano shuts out the Yanks 7-0
Yankee Greg Crossman rips a 7th inning hit

MABL DIVISIONAL CHAMPTIONSHIPS

  • Game #2 - Yankees 6, Rockies 5. After taking a break in 1999, the Yankees return to the MABL finals in 2000 after sweeping the best of 3 series from the Rockies. With the score 3-2 in favor of the Yanks, the Rockies battled for 3 runs in the top of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead. After the Yanks loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, Rockies pitcher Kevin Spitz was one strike from striking out the side when Brian Nolan came up with a huge two run single to tie the game 5-5. Nick Stenzel then delivered the eventual winning run with a run scoring double. Cy Young winner Bryan Gauvin (3-0 in post season) then struck out the side in the seventh inning to finish the game.
  • Game #2 - Pirates 6, Cardinals 5. The Pirates advance to their second consecutive MABL Championship Series (in only their second year of existence). Eric August was the story in this game as he pitched a complete game allowing only 4 runs while striking out 8 Cardinals. August also provided the offense with a three-run homerun in the top of the first inning to get the Bucs offense rolling. Vin Paquette and Rich Bergskaug also drove in clutch runs for the Pirates, while Jay O'Brien and Shayne Guiliano both had two hits with two runs scored.
  • Game #1 - Yankees 15, Rockies 3. A tight 3-3 ballgame going into the 5th inning, the Yankees break away to win. Yankee bats broke open the game in the top of the fifth, scoring 7 runs on 6 hits. In the seventh, they drove in 5 more runs to seal the victory. Mike Ganley went the distance on the mound, and was able to silence the big bats of the Rockies, allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits. The biggest Yankee bat of the game was Jeff Coveney, who went 4-4 with a triple, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI.
  • Game #1 - Pirates 3, Cardinals 2. Jay Day's walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Shayne Guiliano and Rich Bergskaug to make a winner out of Craig Vecharelli as the Pirates take Game #1. The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead after back-to-back triples by Joe Milberry and Brian Wachob. The Pirates recovered 1 run and brough a 2-1 defecit into the bottom of the seventh inning where they rallied from behind to win.


    Craig Vecharelli wins for a complete game
    Brian Wachob smacks a triple for the Cards

MABL PLAYOFF ROUND 1

  • Game #3 - Cardinals 4, Cubs 2. Batterymates Jeff James and Dan Jalbert led the Roggies' Cardinals to victory over the defending champion Cubs. James struck out 9 and scattered just 4 hits in his second masterful performance of the series. Jalbert's 3 run double in the 3rd proved to be enough for the victory. Brian McCarthy had 2 hits and 2 huge defensive plays at 3rd base - defense kills and Mac killed tonight. The Cardinals will face the Pirates in Round 2.
  • Game #3 - Pirates 5, Giants 4. Pirates win the series in the bottom of the seventh inning off a 1-out bases-loaded walk-off victory single by Vinny Paquette scoring Jay O'Brien.
  • Game #3 - Yankees 4, Indians 3. In a pitching dual between two of the top aces in the league, Bryan Gauvin out-dualed Daryl Pina by striking out 9 via a 4-3 victory, as the Yanks win the series. The Yankees will now face the Rockies in Round 2 - the Divisional Championships.
  • Game #2 - Rockies 3, Braves 1. The #2 Seed Rockies advance to Round 2 after defeating their long time nemesis In a series dominated by pitching, last night was no different. Chris Clark (3 H,1 ER,1 BB,7 K) went the distance to out-duel the Brave's Chris O'Sullivan. In the top of the first, Leland Boutilier (1-3, R, SB) drew first blood by stealing home on a throw to second base after his leadoff single. The Rocks then added all they would need with RBI singles from both Clark and Neal Roper (1-3, R). Veteran Rick Corson (1-2) also contributed with solid defense at second.
  • Game #2 - Indians 7, Yankees 5. On the strength of a solid pitching performance from lefty Jason DeVeau, a 3-run Home Run off the bat of Josh Hale, and 2 outfield assists courtesy of centerfielder Mike Daly, the Indians tied their series 1-1. Daly and Mark Bowles both went 2 for 3 at the plate. plays. Series tied 1-1.
  • Game #2 - Cardinals 9, Cubs 5. Jeff James came in to pinch hit in the top of the sixth with 2 down, the bases full of Cardinals, trailing by 1 and launched a base-clearing triple to the track. A.J. Camelio came on to nail down the win in relief of Joe Milbury. Brian Wachob had 3 hits and combined with Stephen Camelio on some fine defensive plays. Series tied 1-1.
  • Game #2 - Giants 6, Pirates 5. The Giants defeated the Pirates dramatically by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning with 2 outs for a walk off victory. The series is now tied 1-1.
  • Game #1 - Yankees 11, Indians 4. Bryan Gauvin got the win for the Yankees, pitching a complete game, and giving up just 2 earned-runs on 5 hits, while striking out 10 and walking none. Offensively, Jeff Coveney went 2-2 with a 3-run home run into the bleachers in the first. Other notables were Nick Stenzel (3-4, 2 R, RBI), Greg Crossman (2-4, 2 2B, R, RBI), and Mike Ganley (2-3, 2 RBI).
  • Game #1 - Cubs 5, Cardinals 2. Cubs win in 8 innings after a masterful pitcher's duel by the Cubs' Shane Steffens and the Cardinals' Jeff James. It was 1-0 until the 6th when the Cardinals took the 2-1 lead. The Cubs battled back to tie the game in the top of the 7th with a double by Chris Seng and a Sac fly by Kevin Krueger. The Cubs then pulled away in the top of the 8th with a 2-out triple by Chad Besegai and RBI single by Mike Pietrasiewicz, which was followed by a 2-run home run by Brian Simone. Kevin Krueger threw 2 2/3 innings of relief to pick up the victory. The Cubs lead the Round 1 series 1-0
  • Game #1 - Rockies 2, Braves 1. Tommy Langmeyer picked up the victory for the Rockies while striking out 7. The Braves scored 1 run in the fifth, but the Rocks answered in the bottom with Chris Clark single, Brain Cooper fielders choice, and Artie Carey double. The Rocks then took the lead when Les "Is More" Dakin collected his second hit of the evening scoring Carey. Chris Clark pitched the ninth inning to collect the save by striking out the side. The Rockies lead the Round 1 series 1-0
  • Game #1 - Pirates 8, Giants 3. Craig Vecharelli takes a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Bucs roll 8-3 and take a 1-0 Round 1 series lead.

ELIMINATION ROUND

  • Giants 10, Dodgers 7 -- elimination game. In an extra inning thriller, the Giants defeated the Dodgers 10-7 in the 8th to advance to the quarterfinals. Steve Corda literally pitched the lights out. Not even 30 seconds after he struck out the last batter to end the game, the lights at Billings went out. Steve ended the game with 14 strikeouts in a complete game victory, getting the last 11 outs all on strikeouts. Giants advance to Round 1.
  • Braves 11, Whitesox 1 -- elimination game. In a game led by the Braves 1-0 after three innings, the Braves scored ten more to defeat the Whitesox 11-1. Chris O'Sullivan was masterful, throwing a complete game for the win and striking out 12. Braves advance to Round 1.