Doubledays Clinch Pinckney Division Championship
Published on August 17, 2003 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Auburn Doubledays News Release
AUBURN, NY â Last year, the Auburn Doubledays would not clinch the Pinckney Division title until the final night of the season in Batavia. The Doubledays would rally from down 6-1 to beat Batavia, winning the Pinckney Division title by one game over Mahoning Valley. Fast forward a year later. On Wednesday night at Falcon Park, this year's Doubledays made sure there was no doubt defeating the Aberdeen Ironbirds 15-5, and in the process winning their second straight Pinckney Division title. Second place Mahoning Valley needed to defeat Tri-City to stay alive but lost 6-3 to the Valley Cats.
Auburn's record at 45-12 is currently on pace to break the single season winning percentage record held in the New York-Penn League currently held by the 1986 Oneonta Yankees at 59-18.
The top hitting offense so far in the NY-P, the Red White and Blue failed to disappoint scoring all 15 runs on 12 hits and four Aberdeen errors. Second year Doubleday Paul Richmond helping bring home the second straight Pinckney Division title to Auburn going 2-for-4 with four RBI and two thrown out runners from behind the plate. First basemen Erik Kratz banged out three hits against Aberdeen pitching going 3-for-3 with three runs scored.
Aberdeen starter Martin Berube (3-2) was chased after 3 2/3 innings giving up four runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Reliever Chris Osentowski suffered most of the damage giving up five runs on three hits in three innings.
Doubledays reliever Jordy Templet (1-0) earned his first professional win going 2 1/3 innings of relief work giving up just three hits with three strikeouts. The Blue Jays 17th Round draft pick has yet to give up a run this season.
Auburn, who's been outscoring opponents all season long did the same again tonight jumping on top of the Ironbirds 1-0 in the first inning. Second-year Doubleday AJ Porfirio who's emerged this season as the Doubledays starting center fielder and run producer gave Auburn the lead on a bases loaded sacrifice fly, scoring Ryan Roberts.
Aberdeen wouldn't go quietly into scoring as they hung three runs on Auburn starter Chad Mulholland in the second. A bases clearing three-run RBI double by Eric Grimm gave the Ironbirds a 3-1 lead. But Auburn would not be denied. In the bottom of the third, Auburn with workman-like effort, would manufacture another run. With the bases loaded, right fielder Mike Galloway ripped a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Paul Richmond to dig into the Ironbird lead 3-2. And the very next inning, the explosive Auburn bats came to life.
An Erik Kratz double followed by a walk to Juan Peralta would end Aberdeen starter Matt Berube's evening. Reliever Chris Osentowski would provide no relief giving up an RBI single to Ryan Roberts. The very next batter Paul Richmond would drive in Peralta on a ground-out giving the Doubledays the lead for good. Vito Chiaravalloti then ripped a hard grounder to the left side that was bobbled by shortstop Bryan Bass. A "Twilight Zone-esque" play would follow as Roberts slipped going around third and would be caught in a run-down. Roberts managed to avoid a tag from Ironbirds catcher Whit Pierce scoring Auburn's fifth run. Aberdeen manager Joe Almaraz disliked the call so much that he was tossed out for his troubles.
The Doubledays would tack on their sixth run in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Richmond. The floodgates would open in the seventh and eighth as Auburn scored nine runs on six hits and one Aberdeen error. The low point came for the Ironbirds as Jason Cierlik loaded the bases and walked home two Auburn runs in a row.
The 2003 Pinckney Division Champion Doubledays and the Aberdeen Ironbirds return to action tomorrow night at Falcon Park on "Reality Check/Tobacco Control Coalition No Smoking Community Night." All General Admission tickets are free compliments of Reality Check and the Tobacco Control Coalition. Game time is set for 7:05 PM. For ticket information, call the Falcon Park box office at (315) 255-2489.
New York-Penn League Stories from August 17, 2003
- Vermont Nipped by Muckdogs, 2-1 - Vermont Lake Monsters
- Cardinals Nearly Sweep - New Jersey Cardinals
- Staten Island Yankee Game Cancelled - Staten Island Yankees
- Ironbirds Crash Doubledays Party - Auburn Doubledays
- Doubledays Clinch Pinckney Division Championship - Auburn Doubledays
- Muckdogs Fall Again in Extra Innings - Batavia Muckdogs
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